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Crispy Honey Orange Glazed Salmon fillets are pan-fried until beautifully golden, then coated in a sticky honey-orange-garlic sauce with just a splash of soy for savory balance. The glaze thickens quickly in the pan, clinging to the salmon and caramelizing around the edges for that irresistible glossy finish.
Where do I even start with this Honey Orange Glazed Salmon? It is hard to say which part steals the show. The juicy salmon with crisp, lightly charred edges or the bold, fragrant sauce. Honey and orange might sound simple, but together they create a surprisingly perfect match that makes this dish feel exciting, comforting, and completely crave-worthy.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
What makes this Honey Orange Glazed Salmon stand out is how the sauce is built directly in the pan. Fresh orange juice reduces with honey and garlic until it turns glossy and concentrated, while a small splash of soy sauce sharpens the sweetness so the honey orange glazed salmon recipe never tastes flat or overly sweet.
The cooking method seals the deal. Searing the salmon first creates crisp, lightly caramelized edges before the glaze goes in, so you get contrast in every bite. That combination of tender flakes, sticky sauce, and crisp exterior is what makes this crispy honey orange glazed salmon feel far more impressive than the effort it takes to make.
What Goes Into Honey Orange Glazed Salmon
This Honey Orange Glazed Salmon uses simple, everyday ingredients, but each one plays a specific role in building flavor and texture.
- Salmon Fillets: Skin-on salmon gives you better flavor and that irresistible crispiness when seared properly, while keeping the inside juicy and tender.
- Fresh Orange Juice: Freshly squeezed orange juice adds bright acidity and natural sweetness, helping the glaze reduce and cling to the fish instead of tasting flat.
- Honey: Honey creates the signature sticky glaze and caramelizes beautifully in the pan, giving this dish its glossy finish and subtle charred edges.
- Soy Sauce: Just a small amount of low-sodium soy sauce balances the sweetness with savory depth, preventing the honey-orange glaze from becoming overly sweet.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Honey Orange Glazed Salmon
- Sear Salmon: Heat butter in a pan over medium-high, then sear the salmon skin-side up for 4 minutes before flipping and cooking for another 2 minutes until golden.
- Reduce the Orange Juice: Add the orange juice to the pan and let it reduce by half, about 1 minute, then stir in the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
- Build the Glaze: Push the salmon to the sides, add the honey and soy sauce, and let the mixture simmer and thicken into a glossy, syrupy glaze.
- Glaze and Serve: Coat the salmon evenly in the sauce, season with salt and pepper, remove from heat, and serve drizzled with glaze over rice, vegetables, or salad.
To round out this Honey Orange Glazed Salmon, pair it with sides that balance the sweet, citrusy glaze and give you great texture contrast. Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice is a light, fresh option that soaks up the extra sauce without feeling heavy, while Buttery Garlic Mushrooms add savory depth that complements the honey-orange flavors beautifully.
If you are in the mood for something a little more comforting, Browned Butter Parmesan Roasted Potatoes are a perfect match. Their crisp edges and nutty richness stand up well to the sticky glaze, making them an easy, satisfying side for this crispy honey orange glazed salmon.
Tips For Making Honey Orange Glazed Salmon
- Patting the salmon dry before it goes into the pan makes a huge difference. It is a small step that helps the salmon sear properly and gives you those crisp, golden edges instead of a steamed finish.
- Once the salmon is in the pan, try not to move it around too much. Letting it sear undisturbed is what creates that beautiful color and texture that really elevates this Honey Orange Glazed Salmon.
- Fresh orange juice is absolutely worth it here. I have tried bottled juice in a pinch, and it just does not reduce or taste the same. Fresh juice gives the glaze a brighter, cleaner flavor.
- Keep a close eye on the sauce as it cooks. Honey thickens very quickly, so as soon as it looks glossy and syrupy, it is time to pull the pan off the heat before it goes too far.
Recipe FAQ’s
The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork and is opaque in the center. If you want to be precise, the internal temperature should be around 125–130°F for moist, tender salmon.
Honey can burn quickly if the heat is too high or the sauce is left unattended. Once the glaze turns glossy and syrupy, remove the pan from the heat right away and coat the salmon gently.
You can use tamari or coconut aminos if needed. Both options still provide the savory balance that keeps this Honey Orange Glazed Salmon from tasting overly sweet.
Watch Me Make Honey Orange Glazed Salmon
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Crispy Honey Orange Glazed Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 4 salmon fillets 6-ounce fillets (skin on is better flavor and crispiness)
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice about 1/2 an orange
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic crushed or minced
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- 1 pinch cracked pepper to taste
- 1/2 orange sliced to serve
Instructions
- Heat butter (or oil) in a pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Sear salmon skin-side up for 3-4 minutes. Flip and sear for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the orange juice and allow to reduce to half the quantity (it takes about 1 minute to reduce down if your pan is hot enough). Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (30 seconds). Move the salmon to the sides of the pan and add in the honey and soy sauce, stirring well to combine all of the flavours together.
- Bring to a simmer until reduced to a nice syrup (this takes about another 30 seconds to 1 minute), and move the salmon around in the sauce to evenly coat. Remove from heat once the salmon is cooked to your liking.
- Season with salt and pepper to your tastes. Drizzle with the sauce to serve. Best served over rice, noodles, steamed vegetables or with a salad.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I use this as a marinade – so good!! & I grill the salmon in my ninja foodi. Fabulous 👩🍳
Yum
This is the only salmon recipe I make! It is easy and delicious. I make extra so I can eat cold salmon the next day and it is every bit as delicious as the night before!
I really liked i! It’s very easy and quick as well. I think next time I will try baking it instead or making the sauce first then adding it to the salmon as the salmon cooks. I really liked the sauce and might make more next time by the time it cooks down there is only a little left. I’m curious what it would taste like as someone else suggested with a little chili flakes or sriracha or ginger. I can’t wait to have it again.
Hi there! I’ve made this years ago and love the recipe (alas, my husband does not like salmon, so the making of this recipe has diminished since marriage). I want to meal prep before the coming of our second child, wondering about freezing this after making? Maybe wrap in saran wrap and then tin foil, then ziploc? Or what would you recommend?
CAN I BAKE THIS ON THE’ OVEN?
Hi Nancy,
Yes, you can bake this recipe in the oven. While the original recipe suggests pan-frying the salmon, you can adapt it for baking by following these steps:
Preheat your oven: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) for baking the salmon.
Prepare the sauce: Follow the recipe instructions to prepare the honey-orange-garlic sauce in a pan on the stove.
Arrange the salmon: Place the seasoned salmon fillets in a baking dish or on a lined baking sheet.
Add the sauce: Pour the prepared sauce over the salmon fillets.
Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
Optional broil: For a crispy texture, you can broil the salmon for the last 1-2 minutes of cooking, just as mentioned in the original recipe.
This method will give you a delicious variation of the dish while utilizing your oven. Enjoy your meal!
I saw this recipe tonight and had all the ingredients needed. My husband doesn’t like Salmon, but he tried it and said that it was the best Salmon he ever had. We all enjoyed this recipe and I will be making this again. I removed the skin because I wanted the sauce to coat both sides. The ingredients state skinless salmon and the directions say to put the Salmon in the pan skin side up first and then turn over for two more minutes. I guess it’s your preference skin on or skin off.
I may have already left a comment but… it could not be said enough how amazing this Salmon is. On a scale of 1 to 10 its ranks at about a bazillion! Seriously though if you have t tried this yet, do so immediately, you will not regret it. It is the best Salmon recipe I have ever tried. Thank you so much for such an amazing recipe!
I used cod fillets because it’s what we had, and this was fantastic! My husband said please make it again. New favorite at our house!
Thank you so much! This is a really good and easy way of cooking salmon. The orange, soy sauce, honey, and garlic combination creates a simple but wonderfully piquant sauce. Before cooking the salmon, I first marinaded it for an hour in a quarter teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of ground black pepper, a teaspoon of red chilli flakes, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. This step is not essential, but I think it added to the tangy flavour.