This Honey Garlic Butter Salmon In Foil recipe is an easy dinner to throw together on your busy weeknights or weekends!
A delicious 4-ingredient honey garlic butter sauce is baked with a whole side of salmon, wrapped in foil, baked and broiled (or grilled) for that extra golden, crispy, caramelised and flakey finish! The BEST Salmon In Foil IS RIGHT HERE! So simple with minimal mess to clean up!
Honey AND garlic butter all mixed together is one thing, but smearing it on a good side of salmon is something else! Baking it in its own foil packet makes it so juicy and tender, it falls apart on its own. Your new favourite salmon recipe is here!
Honey Garlic Butter Salmon
This Browned Butter Honey Garlic Salmon as been re-made, re-shared and re-pinned over 200,000 times, I knew I had to come out with an easier recipe with less mess and clean up. With this recipe, there’s no need to brown any butter!
Honey Garlic Butter Sauce
The most amazing 5-ingredient honey garlic sauce recipe you will fall in love with! Easy to make and you can cook with it or drizzle it on anything! Chicken, shrimp, salmon, lobster tails, carrots…anything! Weeknight dinner has never been so quick to throw together.
How do you bake salmon in foil? EASY!
- The first step is to get a baking sheet or tray with 1-inch high sides. Even though you’re wrapping your salmon tightly in foil, you will need a baking sheet with sides just in case there is any leakage.
- I use two sheets of foil when wrapping my salmon to ensure it completely wraps around the width of the fillet.
- Once your sauce is done, drizzle it all over your fillet. THEN use a brush or spatula to get the sauce covering the entire fillet for those beautiful flavours to cook right through this fish, resulting in an incredible sweet, garlicky and salty flavour.
- Season your salmon with a little extra salt and pepper, then wrap your salmon tightly, sealing the edges together to create a perfect seal to prevent any sauce seeping through any gaps. You want your sauce to STAY in your fish, right?
How long do you bake a whole salmon in foil?
- Give it a good 15-18 minutes in a HOT oven. While your salmon is baking, don’t be tempted to keep opening the foil packet to see if it’s done.
- THEN, (because that’s not enough), you’re going to open your foil packet and broil the salmon for an extra 2-3 minutes (give or take), which results in a caramelised, crispy top, and a tender, flakey middle. Gah!
- PLEASE don’t over cook your salmon! There’s nothing worse than dry salmon. The BEST salmon cooked in foil is when it is still juicy on the inside with crispy edges thanks to the honey.
Either slice it up ready to serve to your guests….. OR pull it apart as soon as it comes out of the oven into a flakey mess and serve it over steamed rice or salad or vegetables or pasta. The options are endless.
What goes well with salmon?
A few of my personal favourites are:
Honey Garlic Butter Salmon In Foil
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/3 cup honey
- 4 large cloves garlic , crushed
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice of 1/2 a lemon)
- 1.2 kg | 2 1/2 pound side of salmon
- Sea salt , to taste
- Cracked pepper , to taste (optional)
- Lemon slices (to serve)
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 375°F | 190°C. Line a baking tray / sheet with a large piece of foil, big enough to fold over and seal to create a packet (or 2 long pieces of foil over lapping each other lengthways to create your salmon packet, depending on the width of you fillet).
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low-medium heat. Add the honey, garlic and lemon, and whisk until the honey has melted through the butter and the mixture is well combined.
- Place the salmon onto lined baking tray | sheet. Pour the butter/honey mixture over the salmon, and using a pastry brush or spoon, spread evenly over the salmon. Sprinkle with a good amount of salt (about 2 teaspoons) and cracked pepper. Fold the sides of the foil over the salmon to cover and completely seal the packet closed so the butter does not leak.
- Bake until cooked through (about 15-18 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish and your preference of doneness). Open the foil, being careful of any escaping steam, and grill / broil under the grill / broiler for 2-3 minutes on medium heat to caramelise the top. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately with lemon slices.
Nutrition
More Salmon Recipes!
Honey Mustard Salmon
Salmon and Avocado Caesar Salad
Creamy Salmon Piccata
Larry says
This is my kind of recipe. Easy AND delicious!!! Thanks
Stephanie D. says
Amazingly delicious. I had my doubts. I added some chopped fresh dill just before broiling it and left out the parsley and I truly can’t believe how incredibly easy and good it is.
Jay says
I tried this recipe just now, and it came out amazing! I didn’t have any salmon though, so I used some local fish. It’s taste is quite different from salmon, but this recipe complimented it super well too! Greetings from Chile!
Deb says
We had this last night for dinner and it was delicious! I used skinless filets, cause that’s what was available. I made the sauce and baked the fish the day before and then broiled it just before serving. Perfecto!
Sandra Austin says
I made this for dinner tonight and it was so easy and delicious. My husband loved it. We paired it with your asparagus recipe and that was also very delicious. Thanks.
Bernie says
Made this for dinner last night & it was so easy & oh so ono (delicious in Hawaiian)!!
I doubled up the sauce recipe & will try it on Shrimp…
Much Mahao (Thank you in Hawaiian) for sharing this ?
Michaela U. says
This was fantastic! We loved it. My husband grew up eating the same lemon pepper fish every week, which made him tired of eating fish, so I havent baked any for a long time. He loved this and said to make it again. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Katie says
So delicious! All 4 of my young kids (ages 2- 10) even enjoyed it and were asking for more!
Vissia says
Have you tried frozen salmon? I’m doing frozen one and I keep putting it back in the oven. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Karina says
Frozen salmon would work as long as it is defrosted all the way. Hope that helps and you can make it soon!
Stephanie says
Heat the oven to suggested temperature on the package cooks in the same amount of time (pretty much – depending on brand & place I guess in a sense); double check your package temp & time to confirm. Based on mine its 450 for 20 a 22 mins. Thus, I used the 450 temp and subtract 3 minutes from the 20 ensuring doneness turned it up to grill and let it caramelized and done!
Claire says
Hi. Can I ask for the detailed recipe
Karina says
Hi Claire, thank you for your comment! We had a frustrating technical issue that has just now been resolved and all recipes are showing once again. I’m so sorry for the inconvenience this has caused. If you need any further help, please email us and we will assist you in any way we can. Thank you for your patience! XOXO
Jonathan says
Wow! Wanted an easy honey style salmon for dinner. Tried this and it was perfect.
Karina says
YAY! That is just what we like to hear! Thanks so much for sharing!
Tonya says
I added 1tbsp. Ginger to the glaze. So yummy!! Hubby loved it too!!
Tymeron Smith says
Yum! That sounds delicious! Thanks so much for sharing!
Joanne says
Hope I didn’t miss someone already asking this in the previous comments but can you store the honey garlic butter to use for future meals. Would it keep in the fridge at all?
Michael says
Hi Karina!
I just wanted to tell you that your pictures are fantastic! I get hungry just looking at the wonderful pictures you make..beautiful!
Best wishes for the New Year… Love what you do!
Michael..
Carly says
I’ve made this now several times. It’s so easy and finger licking good. Will be in my recipe box and a regular dish I make!
Sharon says
Excellent, a definite keeper. Easy prep and cleanup in addition to delicious. I always appreciate a recipe that has few ingredients, simple preparation and palate pleasing results. What more could you ask for?
Åsa says
It looks delicious and I want to try it tomorrow. Have you tried cooking this in foil on the BBQ? Would it require same cooking time as oven?
Holly says
Will this work if I have the skin removed from the salmon by the butcher? I can’t stand salmon skin, smell, etc. Do you think it would hold together okay?
merisanti says
Yes. I remove the skin myself.
Glenna says
So-o-o-o delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
Pamela Roy says
Karina, thank you so much for posting this recipe. Made it tonight for my husband. We both loved it. The flavor is wonderful. This will definitely be saved for making over and over again.
Denisse says
My husband doesn’t like seafood, Can I try this recipe with chicken instead of fish?
Sheila says
Hi- this looks fabulous and I intend to make it this weekend. The one question I have is that I already had my butcher slice the salmon into single serving size pieces. Do you think the cooking time would be less? If so, what would be your thoughts on how long to bake single 5-6 oz servings?
Karina says
Hi Sheila! I’d say 10-12 minutes. You could even just broil them without the foul because they will cook faster 🙂 I hope you like it!
Deedee says
Can I substitute maple syrup for honey?
Karina says
Hi Deedee. Yes you can 🙂
Sylvia H. says
I’m making this tonight, the sauce alone when I was making it, it is amazing, I know it’s going to be great on the salmon! Can’t wait! Yum!
Sarah says
Thank you so much for this gorgeous recipe! I was just wandering: is it possible to use frozen salmon fillets? And just thaw them before the cooking process? I have got a lot of wild caught salmon sitting in my freezer ready to be used up…Thank you!!
Lisa says
We are making this for dinner tonight. We can’t wait to try it!
Have you ever tried it with chicken, and if so, which cut (Breast, thigh) and how long did you bake it?
Kiesha says
Omg I am sooo glad I found this recipe. I’m starting my meal preps again and was in need of new ways to make salmon.. Made this tonightneith asparagus in individual pouches and I’m in love! Broiling them after baking gives it nice color also.
Karen Holroyd says
Karina, I made this recipe for dinner tonight and it was delicious. Thank you for posting it.
I’was going to Grill salmon for Christmas dinner, but my husband now wants me to make your Honey Garlic Butter Salmon for dinner.
We are having 14 people for dinner. Would it be alright to make the sauce, put the fish in the foil, add the sauce, close the foil for baking, and then wait an hour or two to bake it?
Thank you,
Karen
Karina says
Hi Karen! I’m so glad you liked it! Yes that’s absolutely fine. The sauce will marinade into the salmon and you’ll have a great flavour! Have a wonderful Christmas!
Lisa says
Excellent recipe! Simple and delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Jess says
Just made this with Wild Sockeye Salmon !! It turned out GREAT! Thank you!
Jan says
Cooked this tonight exactly as printed though cut recipe in half as there’s just two of us. It was easy to make, all ingredients were in my cupboard except salmon. It was absolutely great! Thx so much!
Beth says
This is an awesome recipe! I just loved it. It’s not too sweet or two lemony, the lemon and honey blend perfectly to create an amazing taste. Thanks for sharing this one! I’m a new fan of your website so I will be trying more recipes!
Linda Brown says
I want to make thjs for dinner tonight but don’t know how long to bake, what temperature and how long to broil
Karina says
Hi Linda. Please see the recipe box within the post. All ingredients and instructions are located there.
Bobbi says
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I served it with Mexican corn (includes broccoli) and white rice. I made some minor adjustments: I topped the salmon with scallions, in the absence of parsley; I also added a dash of Ol’ Bay seasoning (I’m a Southern lady) and a hint of Hungarian paprika. It was the best (and prettiest) salmon dish I have ever prepared! My husband and I loved it!
Karen Wescott says
Karina, I wanted to say thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I am a pescatarian and thus prepare and eat a lot of fish. This was an exciting new way to cook salmon and it is now one of our favorites, my husband and also a friends absolute favorite! It is amazing how easy this recipe comes together from start to finish. I had my friends little 8yo helping me and as a extremely picky eater, she cleaned her plate! That is by far the biggest compliment to how amazing this recipe tastes! Thank you again, and I will be looking into some more of your recipes to try!
Karina says
That’s so AWESOME Karen! I’m so SO happy to this!! It is a huge compliment when kids like something they may not have tried before. Wow! You’ve made my day Karen, thank you so much for sharing this with me! Enjoy your week!
Monica says
So I followed your recipe exactly to the last detail and not only are your instructions easy to follow, this is by far the best salmon I’ve ever had! Ive been a subscriber for a year now and had to let you know that I look forward to receiving your recipes to my email! We get excited to open them and see what’s on the menu this week. I’m making your chicken and rice next and your fudgy brownies! Can’t wait! Thank you all the way from Chicago!
Lauriel says
I’m just about to make this reciepy and cannot wait to try it looks delicious??????
Erica Thomas says
This recipe is fabulous and is in my “heavy rotation”! lol. So glad I found you on Instagram!
Arline says
Delicious and very easy to make
Jaz says
This was absolutely delicious! You’ve spruced up salmon in such an easy and flavorful way that reminds us of that it doesn’t have to be boring! The honey and garlic don’t overpower the salmon at all and the buttery sauce went perfect over rice.
This is definitely a recipe that can and will be done regularly at home – an instant favorite.
Best of all, the quick cleaning at the end made it a win-win situation at home. This was made by our teenager and it further encourages him to get in the kitchen and cook with minimal mess.
Thank you!
Dixine says
Made salmon last night, referred to this recipe – Used full-fat Irish butter, and a little less honey (about equal amounts). I removed skin and baked it in the smallest glass baking dish the fish would fit in, then covered the dish with foil. Baked it for 16 minutes on the middle rack, then broiled it for about 4 minutes on the top-most rack. Didn’t have fresh parsley, so I used fresh dill. It was super-amazing! The copious amounts lemon, salt and pepper perfectly off-set the sweetness of the honey.
Bridgett Irving says
Yes, Salmon is my favorite fish and will make this meal tomorrow with rice and green beans. Thanks Bridgett I.
Connie says
What temp for oven and how long for bake then broil? Measurements for garlic butter? Thanks.
Karina says
Hi Connie, please refer to the recipe in the post!
Donna says
Karina
Can you substitute the butter with extra virgin oil or something else. My son can’t eat butter. Thank you.
Karina says
Hi Donna. Yes, that should be fine!
Cristina says
This was hands down the best salmon I ever tried. And my bf hates salmon, but he loved this. It came out so perfect just like the video on Facebook. We especially loved how crispy the outside was. So now I’ve printed out the recipe and put in my weekly dinners folder so I don’t lose it!
Mrs. Davis says
Can tuna be used instead of Salmon? Or other Fish?
Karina says
Yes you can definitely try it with other fish or tuna 🙂
Tonia says
Would this be good with fresh blackfin tuna?
Amy Stafford says
Hi, Karina. My name is Amy I blog over at A Healthy Life For Me. It was brought to my attention by on of my follower that another blogger had stolen one of my recipes and posted it as her own. I checked it out she, in fact, did steal it and post it on her blog and all her social channels. This girl is posting recipe after, recipe that belongs to others. She used this one here is the link:
cleanfoodcrush honey-lemon-garlic-salmon
Thought you might want to let her know
Carrie Chance says
Made for dinner tonight with some wild coho salmon I picked up yesterday. I served it over tumeric rice and had a salad with it. It was soooo good. great recipe. If I use a recipe I usually change things up a bit but did this one as is and it was great. The ONLY thing I may o different in the future is use more garlic. But my family loves to use A LOT if garlic so it’s probably the perfect amount for most people. I also may try using maple syrup next time instead of honey just because I saw it in the comments and it sounds good.
Lucy says
Thank you for all your recipes 🙂
Do you come from Ukraine\ RUssia?
evelyn says
Thank you so much for this recipe, it is so yummy and so fitting for this time of the year.
I used the the recipe last night, but instead of salmon I used a whole barramundi fish
and it was delicious!
Thank you
Cindy says
I made this tonight and it was delicious! I’m not a Salmon fan but i loved this dish so much that I will make it again next week! Thanks for the recipe!
Kathleen says
I’m dying to try this grilled. What are the instructions for Gillingham this wonderful sounding Salmon recipe?
Bethany @ Athletic Avocado says
I’m a huge fan of simple yet perfectly cooked salmon recipes like this one! I love when it flakes and when it’s crispy on the outside at the same time! NOMS!
Heidi says
Wow! I made this tonight and it was wonderful! And so easy, thank you Karina! I’m not a fan of fish but am really trying to incorporate it in my diet as I don’t eat red meat and only have chicken once in a blue moon. There are so many things I can’t eat that getting protein can be challenging. Didn’t see the suggested amount of salmon listed in the recipe at first and no idea how much to buy for myself and my husband. I ended up getting one lb. and saw the amount when I started prepping. Still made it as directed as I like a lot of flavor and wanted to be sure I didn’t taste fish. My husband and I both loved it and this is a keeper. Thanks again!!
Susan says
If I choose to grill instead of broil, do you recommend putting the salmon on a fish grate or plank to avoid it
falling apart on the grill?
Karina says
Hi Susan! I definitely recommend broiling if you can. It’s very tender when it comes out of the oven and will fall apart when transferring it onto a fish grate or plank.