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This Honey Garlic Salmon in foil is the ultimate easy dinner for busy weeknights or relaxed weekends. Wrapped in foil and baked to perfection, it’s the kind of no-fuss meal that delivers big on flavor with hardly any cleanup.
A rich, golden honey garlic butter sauce made with just four simple ingredients coats the salmon at it bakes, locking in moisture and flavor. Finish it under the broiler (or throw it on the grill) for those irresistible crispy, caramelized edges. This hands down the BEST Honey Garlic Salmon recipe you’ll ever make!
What Makes This Honey Garlic Salmon Work
The beauty of this Honey Garlic Salmon is in its simplicity. With just a few everyday ingredients—honey, garlic, butter, and soy sauce—you get a glossy, flavor-packed glaze that seeps into every flakey bite of salmon. It’s sweet, savory, garlicky, and absolutely addictive.
Cooking the salmon in foil helps lock in all the buttery goodness while keeping the fish moist and tender. A quick broil at the end caramelizes the sauce, giving you that golden, crispy finish without overcooking the fish. Minimal prep, maximum payoff—this is a keeper.
What Goes Into This Honey Garlic Salmon
This recipe keeps it simple with fresh, flavorful ingredients that come together to create a sticky, buttery glaze you’ll want to drizzle on everything. Here’s what you’ll need to make this irresistible Honey Garlic Salmon:
- Butter: The rich base of the sauce that melts into the salmon, keeping it tender and full of flavor.
- Honey: Adds a touch of natural sweetness and helps caramelize the salmon for that golden finish.
- Garlic: Crushed cloves infuse the sauce with bold, savory depth that balances the sweetness perfectly.
- Salmon: A whole side of salmon is ideal—it cooks evenly in foil and soaks up every drop of that honey garlic butter.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements
How To Make Honey Garlic Salmon
- Preheat the Oven and Prepare Foil: Position a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with a large piece of foil, making sure it’s long enough to fold over and seal the salmon completely.
- Make the Honey Garlic Sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Add the honey, crushed garlic, and lemon juice, then whisk until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Place Salmon on Tray: Lay the salmon fillet skin-side down on the prepared foil-lined tray. Pat it dry with a paper towel to help the sauce stick better.
- Add the Sauce: Pour the honey garlic butter sauce evenly over the salmon. Use a spoon or pastry brush to spread it out so the entire surface is coated.
- Season Generously: Sprinkle the salmon with salt and a pinch of cracked pepper. Add lemon slices on top or around the fish for extra flavor as it bakes.
- Wrap it up: Fold the sides of the foil over the salmon, sealing the edges to create a closed packet. This helps trap moisture and keeps the butter from leaking.
- Bake the Salmon: Place the tray in the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon and your desired doneness.
- Broil and Serve: Carefully open the foil (watch for steam) and broil the salmon for 2 to 3 minutes to caramelize the top. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately with extra lemon slices.
This Honey Garlic Salmon pairs beautifully with simple sides that soak up the extra sauce and let the fish shine. Fluffy mashed potatoes or a bowl of Cauliflower Fried Rice make perfect companions, giving you something to spoon that buttery glaze over.
For something green, go with garlic green beans or roasted asparagus for a crisp, fresh contrast. And if you’re after a lighter option, a lemony arugula salad rounds things out with brightness and bite. Whatever you choose, keep it simple—the salmon is the start here.
And if you’re looking for something fresh and zesty on the side, try my Fresh Fish Ceviche. It’s the perfect cool, citrusy contrast to the richness of the salmon.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, just make sure it’s fully thawed and patted dry before baking so the sauce sticks well and the fish cooks evenl
Absolutely. Just adjust the baking time to about 10–12 minutes since fillets cook faster than a whole side.
Yes! Wrap the salmon in foil as directed and grill over medium heat for about 15 minutes, then open the foil to finish with a quick char.
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Honey Garlic Butter Salmon In Foil
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/3 cup honey
- 4 cloves garlic large, crushed
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed, juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 2 1/2 pound side of salmon
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- 1 pinch cracked pepper to taste – optional
- 4-5 lemon slices to serve
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and position a rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with a large sheet of foil, making sure it’s long enough to wrap and seal the salmon fully.
- In a small saucepan over low-medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the honey, crushed garlic, and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth and fully combined, then remove from heat.
- Place the salmon fillet skin-side down on the foil-lined tray. Pat it dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and help the sauce adhere better.
- Pour the honey garlic butter evenly over the salmon. Use a spoon or brush to spread it across the surface. Season with salt, cracked pepper, and top with lemon slices for added flavor.
- Fold the foil over the salmon and crimp the edges to seal it into a packet. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet and your preferred doneness.
Notes
- I use two sheets of foil when wrapping my salmon to ensure it completely wraps around the width of the fillet.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Would this be good with fresh blackfin tuna?
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
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.
Thank you for all your recipes 🙂
Do you come from Ukraine\ RUssia?
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
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!
I’m dying to try this grilled. What are the instructions for Gillingham this wonderful sounding Salmon recipe?
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!
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!!
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?
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.