Honey Sriracha Salmon

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This honey sriracha salmon is a super quick, easy, and healthy recipe for a weeknight meal! The salmon fillet is baked in foil, keeping it tender and moist with a hint of spicy heat from the honey sriracha sauce.

I love cooking fish for dinner and my whole family enjoys eating it, especially, for some reason, my 8-year-old son who is a certifiable fish fanatic. Fish is so versatile, and some of my favorite ways to serve it are with a grain like in these Salmon Quinoa Bowls, or an easy Sheet Pan Fish with Veggies, or this Easy Cajun Blackened Fish.

But when it comes to salmon, THIS recipe, where it’s doused in a simple honey sriracha sauce and baked in aluminum foil to moist and juicy perfection, is preeeetty near the top of the list.

The great thing about cooking fish is that it doesn’t take much time so it’s perfect for those busy weeknights when you don’t want to put in much effort, but still want to put a healthy easy dinner on the table.

Why You’ll Love this Honey Sriracha Salmon Recipe

• It requires simple ingredients. If you’ve got some fish in the freezer, and a lime or lemon in the fridge (or rice vinegar if you don’t!), there’s a good chance you can make this happen tonight.
• Not a lot of cooking time or prep. You only need to make a quick honey sriracha glaze in a pot, drizzle it over the salmon fillets and pop it in the oven. It goes perfectly with baked coconut rice, or plain white rice, and a side of your favorite veggies.
• It has the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors from the combination of honey, lime, and sriracha in the sauce.

Ingredient Notes

Salmon

I use a whole salmon fillet for this recipe and I like to use wild-caught salmon over farm-raised salmon whenever I can, since it’s (arguably) more sustainable and has a slightly better nutritional profile, flavor, and texture. But it does come at a higher price point, so use what you like and what fits your budget.

Any type of salmon will work, including frozen salmon. Just thaw overnight in the fridge before using. I also like to keep the skin on but you can remove the skin or buy a skinless fillet.

Instead of a whole piece of salmon, you can use individually portioned salmon fillets instead if you like, or if that’s what you have on hand.

Butter

The butter is for the honey sriracha glaze and adds rich flavor to the cooked fish. I don’t recommend skipping it, but you can reduce it to 1 tablespoon if you prefer.

Honey

Honey adds the perfect sweet note to this salmon and compliments the heat of the sriracha sauce nicely. It also helps the salmon caramelize beautifully in the last few minutes of cooking. You can use maple syrup instead if you prefer.

Lime Juice

The acidity of the lime juice cuts through the sweetness of the honey and richness of the butter. Lemon works great too. Rice vinegar is also a good option if you have neither.

Sriracha

Another key ingredient – you can use sriracha from any brand you prefer. It adds just the right amount of heat and spice to the fish.

Sriracha has a distinct flavor that contributes to the overall flavor of this honey sriracha salmon, but you can experiment with a different hot sauce, like Frank’s Red Hot, or chili sauce like sambal oelek if you prefer.

Cilantro

I love cilantro, but it’s always optional as far as I’m concerned, since I know some people really dislike it. A sprinkle of sliced green onions, or chives will also work great in this recipe.

Step by Step Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet or pan with a large piece of aluminum foil and lightly brush the foil with olive oil.

1. Place the salmon skin side down in the middle of the foil, and season it with salt and pepper. Then, fold up the foil’s edges around the salmon to create a container for the honey sriracha sauce.

1. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter in it, and then mix in the honey, lime juice, and sriracha, letting it come to a boil. Let the sauce boil for a minute or so to thicken slightly.

1. Drizzle the honey sriracha sauce over the whole salmon filet and cover it with an additional piece of foil and crimp the edges of the two foil pieces together to seal it, ensuring steam stays inside (but leave enough room for air to circulate within the packet).

1. Bake the salmon for approximately 15 minutes before removing the top piece of foil. The salmon should begin to flake with a fork, even if it might not be completely cooked through at this stage. Spoon some of the sauce from the bottom of the foil over the salmon.

1. Switch the oven to broil and broil the salmon for another 4-5 minutes until the edges become crispy and caramelized, and the salmon is fully cooked and flakes easily. Don’t over-cook it though, it should be moist and tender!

1. After broiling, baste the salmon once more with the sauce, garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, and your honey sriracha salmon is ready to serve.

Recipe Variations & Tips

• You can adjust the spice level of the glaze to create your own perfect combination of flavors. If you’d like it sweeter, add a bit more honey, and if you’d like it spicier, add more sriracha, or even some red pepper flakes in the glaze.
• Before cooking the salmon, pat it dry with paper towels so that the honey sriracha sauce sticks well to the filet.
• Salmon cooks pretty quickly so you want to make sure that you’re not overcooking it. Test it to make sure it’s flaking easily with a fork, but is still moist and tender.
• Use good quality salmon! This honey sriracha salmon recipe is pretty simple and straightforward so the quality and freshness of your fish really makes a difference here. Wild-caught salmon is a great choice but comes at a higher price point.

• If you want to, you can also make air fryer honey sriracha salmon with this recipe. Just follow the same instructions and put your foil-wrapped salmon in the air fryer instead of the oven.
• Let your fish come to room temperature for 10-15 minutes after taking it out of the refrigerator, before baking it. This ensures that it cooks evenly and you get moist and flaky fish.

Serving Suggestions

• I like to serve this honey sriracha salmon with white rice like this flavorful baked coconut rice, but you can also do brown rice or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
• Add your favorite roasted veggies, or a salad on the side for a complete meal.
• Cut up the salmon fillets in squares and serve on top of rice and extra sauce to make salmon rice bowls for lunch or dinner.
• Serve with a side of mashed potatoes or these harissa potatoes.

Storage Instructions

Place the leftover salmon in a shallow airtight container to help maintain its moisture and flavor. You can store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To reheat, it’s best to do so gently to avoid drying out the salmon. You can use the oven, microwave, or even stovetop. If using an oven, place the salmon on a baking sheet, add a splash of water or extra sauce to help retain moisture, and cover it with foil.