This is the easiest oven baked Hot Honey Salmon, made with four simple ingredients and ready in under 20 minutes. After initially baking the salmon, it is drizzled with hot honey and put under the broiler making it sweet and spicy with a savory caramelized top.
Serve it with Hot Honey Brussel Sprouts, Pull Apart Dinner Rolls, or alongside a Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Balsamic Dressing.
I have used this method for cooking salmon dozens of times. For many years, I experimented with cooking salmon with various techniques including pan frying, grilling and baking, but never with consistent results.
I finally landed on this method of oven baking with a quick finish under the broiler. It comes out perfectly every time.
🛒 Ingredients
Below are the ingredients needed to make Hot Honey Salmon.
- Salmon: I’ve had good luck buying salmon at Trader Joe’s and Costco, and inconsistent results at Whole Foods. I've also made this with trout, which was equally as delicious.
- Olive Oil: Use as little as possible to brush the top of the salmon.
- Salt: Just a pinch to bring out flavor.
- Hot Honey: I like using Mike’s Hot Honey, but you can also make a simple hot honey with honey and red pepper flakes. If you have extra hot honey, try Hot Honey Pizza or Crispy Hot Honey Chicken.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
✏️ Tips For Baking Salmon:
- Use Fresh Salmon: I’ve had the best results when cooking salmon the day that I purchase it, rather than freezing it and thawing it at a later time.
- Thaw Thoroughly: If you need to thaw the salmon before cooking it (its not always practical to buy it and cook it the same day), be sure that it has thoroughly thawed. If it is frozen in the center it will cook unevenly.
- Thick Cut: If you are working with a relatively thick cut of salmon, you may need to add 2-4 minutes of baking time before broiling.
- Broiling: Watch closely when broiling as you can go from perfect to burnt very quickly. Though I find that there is more buffer room when broiling salmon, compared to broiling desserts like meringue or Mini Basque Cheesecake.
- Doubling the Recipe: This recipe can easily be doubled by using 2 pounds of salmon each cut into a ½ lb filet. If ordering at a counter at the grocery store or fish monger, ask them to cut the salmon into ½ lb pieces. They have very sharp knives and it makes the process much easier on you.
📝 How to Make Hot Honey Salmon
Below are the step-by-step instructions and photos for how to make Hot Honey Salmon.
*Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.
Prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Step 1. Rinse and Prep: Ensure the salmon is cut into ½ lb filets. Rinse the salmon and pat dry. Place the filets in a baking dish. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Set 2. Bake: Place the baking dish with the salmon into the fully preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes.
Step 3. Hot Honey: Remove the salmon and drizzle each filet with hot honey.
Step 4. Broil: Place the salmon back in the oven and set the oven to broil. Broil for an additional 4 minutes. Remove, drizzle with additional hot honey if desired, and serve warm.
Tip: Adding the hot honey after the salmon bakes but before it is broiled prevents the hot honey from burning and allows it to caramelize under the broiler.
If you prefer even more caramelization, you can add a couple minutes under the broiler but be sure to watch carefully so that it does not burn.
💖 For More Dinners You May Love, Try These:
If you tried this Hot Honey Salmon or any other recipe on my site, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I'd love to hear from you!
Hot Honey Salmon (Oven Baked)
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon cut into ½ lb filets
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- pinch salt
- 1-2 tablespoon hot honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Rinse the salmon and pat dry. Brush each filet lightly with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Bake in the oven at 400°F for 12 minutes. Remove the salmon from the oven and drizzle each filet with about ½ a tablespoon of hot honey.
- Return the salmon to the oven. Switch the oven to broil. Then bake for an additional 4 minutes on the broil setting. Watch closely to ensure that the salmon or the honey do not burn. Remove, drizzle with additional hot honey if desired, and serve.
Notes
- Use Fresh Salmon: I’ve had the best results when cooking salmon the day that I purchase it, rather than freezing it and thawing it at a later time.
- Thaw Thoroughly: If you need to thaw the salmon before cooking it (its not always practical to buy it and cook it the same day), be sure that it has thoroughly thawed. If it is frozen in the center it will cook unevenly.
- Thick Cut: If you are working with a relatively thick cut of salmon, you may need to add 2-4 minutes of baking time before broiling.
- Broiling: Watch closely when broiling as you can go from perfect to burnt very quickly. Though I find that there is more buffer room when broiling salmon, compared to broiling desserts like meringue or Mini Basque Cheesecake.
- Timing:Adding the hot honey after the salmon bakes but before it is broiled prevents the hot honey from burning and allows it to caramelize under the broiler. If you prefer even more caramelization, you can add a couple minutes under the broiler but be sure to watch carefully so that it does not burn.
- Doubling the Recipe: This recipe can easily be doubled by using 2 pounds of salmon each cut into a ½ lb filet. If ordering at a counter at the grocery store or fish monger, ask them to cut the salmon into ½ lb pieces. They have very sharp knives and it makes the process much easier on you.
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