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Make a quick and delicious dinner with these Spicy Salmon fillets! Nutrient packed salmon are seasoned, pan seared, and cooked in a sweet, spicy honey garlic glaze for an unforgettable dinner you can make any night of the week. 

Four spicy honey garlic salmon pieces with lime wedges in a cast ion skillet.
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This sweet and Spicy Salmon recipe with a honey garlic glaze packs all the flavor you want in a healthy recipe! This pan seared salmon cooks quickly with a spicy honey garlic cause perfect for a fast weeknight meal that can be served with a number of different sides. 

If you’re looking other delicious and easy salmon recipes, why not also try my Citrus Salmon Skewers or my Spicy Salmon Salad Recipe!

Why you’ll love this Spicy Salmon recipe

  • An easy and quick salmon recipe. This Spicy Salmon takes about 20 minutes to make and uses one pan to cook everything up. Nothing beats that!
  • Great for meal prep. Quickly make lunches for the week ahead. Pack them with a side of rice and veggies for a complete meal perfect for keeping you full and focused at work.
  • Packed with flavor. The salmon is seasoned with paprika, garlic and onion powder, then smothered in a deliciously sweet, savory and spicy sauce – so good!

Ingredients you’ll need

  • Salmon Fillets– Four fresh 8 oz. pieces of salmon are the base of this recipe.
  • Seasoning– Smoked paprika, garlic powder, ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper season the salmon fillets.
  • Sauce– A spicy honey glaze with honey, garlic, water soy sauce, lemon juice, onion powder, ginger powder, chili flakes, and olive oil finish these salmon fillets off. 

How to make this Spicy Salmon recipe

  • Season – Coat the sliced salmon/salmon fillets in the dry rub ingredients, on both sides.
4 raw salmon fillets on a cutting board.
  • Cook the salmon – In a 12 inch skillet, sear the salmon for 5 mins then flip and sear the other side.
A cast iron skillet with 4 salmon fillets cooking on a blue counter.
  • Add the sauce – Pour in the sauce mix to the skillet and cook for 2-3 mins.
  • Remove, garnish, serve and enjoy!

Recipe notes and tips

  • Ideally go for wild salmon, for flavor and sustainability. Wild salmon looks orange in color whereas farmed salmon is pale orange in color.
  • Make sure to pat the fillets dry with a paper towel, to remove excess water. This promotes an even cook and stops splattering from the oil.
  • You can remove the skin if you don’t like the fishy taste.
  • When searing the salmon, don’t move it around until you’re ready to flip it. If you move it too soon it’s likely to stick and tear.
  • Garnish with sesame seeds, chopped green onions, and lemon wedges. 
  • Feel free to enhance the flavor of salmon by topping with fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, or cilantro.
  • Add some breadcrumb topping for your salmon to give it a different texture.
  • You can also bake the Spicy Salmon in the oven at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, uncovered.
A close up of three salmon fillets cooking in a cast iron skillet on a blue counter.

FAQ’s

Is salmon good for you?

Salmon is a nutrient dense food. Loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals this fish offers many nutritional benefits to your diet. Salmon contains B vitamins, is high in Omega-3 fatty acids, and is also considered low calorie with low saturated fat. 

What goes well with this Spicy Salmon?

Many different sides pair well with these salmon fillets. Some of my favorite veggies to serve salmon with are asparagus, broccoli, or a fresh side salad. You can also serve salmon with roasted Brussel sprouts or oven roasted carrots.

Salmon also compliments grains such as rice, quinoa, and farro. If you are looking to make your recipe Whole 30 or low carb try using a cauliflower rice instead. For a more carb heavy side, serve the salmon with a pasta such as a lemon garlic pasta.

How do I know when my salmon is done?

There are a few ways to know your salmon is cooked through. The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F. Use a meat thermometer to check your salmon during cooking to see if the thickest part has reached this temperature. Another way to tell if the salmon is fully cooked is by testing how well the salmon will ‘give’. This means when you put a fork to it, will the salmon flake off? If it flakes off it’s ready.

Which sides go well with this salmon recipe?

These Spicy Salmon fillets go great with a variety of sides, for a delicious and balanced meal. here’s some ideas:

A meal prep box with spicy honey garlic salmon, rice, and broccoli.

Other spicy recipes you might like

I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Spicy Salmon recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it and share it with your friends and family!

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5 from 51 votes

Spicy Honey Garlic Salmon

These sweet and spicy fillets pan sear to perfection for a quick and healthy dinner recipe.
Prep Time: 7 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients 

  • 4 8 oz salmon fillets, center cuts
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsps. smoked paprika, or normal paprika
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • ¾ tsp. fresh ground black pepper, more or less to taste
  • ½ tsp. cayenne pepper, more or less to taste

The Sauce

  • ¼ cup honey
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • 2 tbsps. water
  • cup soy sauce, Low-sodium
  • ½ tsp. chili flakes, more or less to taste
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • tsp. corn starch
  • ½ tsp. ginger powder, optional

Garnishes

  • Green Onion, optional
  • Toasted Sesame Seeds, optional
  • Lemon wedges, optional

Instructions 

  • Remove the skin from the salmon. Slice them into 8 oz pieces and pat them dry.
  • In a small bowl stir together paprika, garlic powder, fresh ground pepper, and cayenne pepper. Season both sides of the salmon with this seasoning.
  • In a small bowl or cup, mix together the sauce ingredients: honey, garlic, water, lemon juice, soy sauce, onion powder, cornstarch and ginger powder, chili flakes, and 1 tbsp. of olive oil to make the sauce. Set aside for cooking.
  • Bring a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsps. of olive oil. Place the salmon in the pan and sear for 5 minutes without moving. Flip and cook on the other side for 5 minutes.
  • Pour the sauce into the pan and let the sauce and salmon cook together 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens up. Scoop up some of the sauce and glaze the salmon as it cooks.
  • Remove from heat and garnish with sesame seeds, chopped green onion, and lemon wedges before serving.

Video

Notes

  • You can also bake the Spicy Salmon in the oven at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, uncovered.
  • Ideally go for wild salmon, for flavor and sustainability. Wild salmon looks orange in color whereas farmed salmon is pale orange in color.
  • Make sure to pat the fillets dry with a paper towel, to remove excess water. This promotes an even cook and stops splattering from the oil.
  • You can remove the skin if you don’t like the fishy taste.
  • When searing the salmon, don’t move it around until you’re ready to flip it. If you move it too soon it’s likely to stick and tear.
  • Garnish with sesame seeds, chopped green onions, and lemon wedges. 
  • Feel free to enhance the flavor of salmon by topping with fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, or cilantro.
  • Add some breadcrumb topping for your salmon to give it a different texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 1194mg | Potassium: 1273mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1142IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 3mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
5 from 51 votes (30 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




52 Comments

  1. I love this recipe but the only frustrating thing is the nutritional facts. The calories and protein just can’t be correct — can this please be updated or share the correct info or can I get a comment with it?

    1. Thanks for pointing that out. That’s done automatically by the nutritional fact plugin and it seems to have read the ingredients wrong. I have updated the info.

  2. 5 stars
    Often worried when trying a new recipe whether it will be liked but, this one was declared delicious by my family. It was quick to prepare and easy to cook. It will become a ‘family favourite’.

  3. Absolutely delicious, all the flavors made my taste buds feel like they were in heaven. 10/10 will be making again,very soon! & recommending this to my friends. Had a perfect balance of sweet& spicy🤤 y’all won’t regret I promise!!!

  4. 5 stars
    I made this last night, and it was AMAZING!! My fella LOVED it. I made it as directed (cut the dry rub in half since I was only making 2) and it was not too spicy. We love spicy food, so I might add more cayenne pepper and red pepper next time. This will become a regular for sure. Thank you for sharing!!