Honey Ginger Salmon Recipe

Name: Honey Ginger Salmon
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: ½ cup honey; ¼ cup less-sodium soy sauce; 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger; 2 cloves minced garlic; 4 6-ounce filets salmon

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Combining a few Asian ingredients with everyone’s favorite fish is a surefire way to not only get a quick and easy dinner on the table but also a quick and easy fish dinner that everyone will love. If you have time to marinate the salmon, great. If not, just let it soak up the marinade for 20 minutes at room temp while you preheat the oven, and it will still be delicious.

Getting more fish on the table is always high on the list of parent dinnertime goals. This salmon dish, kissed with honey and ginger, was met with an emphatic wave of enthusiasm in my house the first time I made it — and an enthusiastic encore every time since. This easy, five-ingredient Asian salmon recipe is one of those amazing dinners you can make any night of the week with just a handful of pantry ingredients that you probably have on hand already.

Serve this with Thai Green Beans or green beans drizzled with a little bit of chili crunch sauce. Or try Chili Crunch Brussels Sprouts, Simple-Stir Fried Vegetables, or Simple Stir-Fried Broccoli.

Ingredients
How to Cook Honey Ginger Salmon
Tips
FAQs
What to Serve With Honey Ginger Salmon
More Easy Asian Salmon Recipes
Honey Ginger Salmon Recipe

Honey Ginger Salmon on green and yellow plates.

This salmon would be great served over rice (whether it be brown, white, Jasmine, or even Texmati), quinoa, bulgur wheat, or another grain. Mom tip: This dish makes for a good moment to let your kids pick out the grain of their choice, help prepare it, and start their first adventure into the wide world of whole grains!

5-Ingredient Honey Ginger Salmon: A handful of ingredients and under 30 minutes of time gets you to a delicious dinner that the whole family can get behind.
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Ingredients

Salmon – You can use salmon with skin or without for this recipe. See Tips below for more details on how to cook salmon fillets with skin.
Honey – Adding a bit of sweetness to a marinade works wonders in terms of increasing the kid-likability factor, especially when it comes to fish. Here natural honey does just that, and the balance of salty and sweet is a great complement to rich, buttery salmon.
Ginger – The fresh ginger is essential here for that sharp, fresh gingery kick.
Soy sauce – Soy sauce acts as salt here but with deeper flavor.
Garlic – Just a touch to put a little bit of heat into the dish.

How to Cook Honey Ginger Salmon

Prep the kitchen: Preheat the oven to 400 degreess. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix the marinade: In a small saucepan, blend together the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring until the honey is melted. Cool to room temperature.
Coat the salmon and marinate: Place the salmon in a glass square baking pan and pour over the marinade. Turn the pieces to coat the fish completely. Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, or in the fridge, covered, for 1 – 2 hours.

Two Honey Ginger Salmon filets in a baking dish.

Bake: Transfer the salmon to the rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, or until it is done to your liking.

Baked honey-ginger glazed salmon on foil-lined baking sheet.

Tips

You can use salmon filets that come with or without the skin attached. If they have skin, you have two choices: You can cook them skin-side-down or skin-side-up. If you choose to cook the salmon skin-side-up, the skin should crisp up nicely, thanks to the honey in the glaze in particular. If you opt for the other method, once the salmon is cooked, slide a thin metal spatula under the fish, separating it from the skin, and leave the skin behind in the pan.
I’ve given you two marinating options here. The first marinating option is for when you are in a rush: The fish can sit in the marinade for a quick soak at room temp before cooking. The second option is for when you are a bit more organized and can afford the 2 hours of marinating time. A longer marinating time isn’t necessary, but it will deepen the flavor of the fish. Preheat the oven when you are ready to cook.
If you want a more glazed top, just before the fish is fully cooked, switch the oven to broil and broil for 1 to 2 minutes.

Honey and ginger glazed salmon filets on plates.

FAQs

Do you need to wash salmon before cooking?

No, you don’t need to wash the salmon before you cook it! I understand where you’re coming from — concerned that there might be bacteria on your salmon. But in reality, the best way to get rid of bacteria is by cooking it off.

If you wash your salmon before using it, unless you dry it thoroughly, it makes it hard for the marinade to stick to the fish. More importantly, it increases the risk of spreading bacteria around your kitchen because the sink and surroundings might get contaminated.

Should you always marinate salmon?

You don’t always have to marinate salmon. I get it…sometimes you don’t have the time! You can always just use the marinade as a sauce and use it add it you cook. But give it at least 20 minutes or so; your fish will end up with a much deeper, more satisfying taste if you do choose to marinate. (So what if dinner ends up being a little later?)

Do you have to flip the salmon fillets?

You do not need to flip the salmon fillets for this recipe. Leaving the same side up results in a more caramelized, glazed top.

What to Serve With Honey Ginger Salmon

Simple Stir-Fried Crispy Tofu and Vegetables

Simple Stir-Fried Broccoli

How to Cook Perfect Rice on the Stove

Honey Ginger Salmon on plates near a plate of rice and green beans.

More Easy Asian Salmon Recipes

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