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Honey Mustard Salmon

This Honey Mustard Salmon uses a delicious tangy honey mustard marinade to flavor the fish. It is then grilled to create a crispy outer layer and a tender inner piece of salmon. Pair this with a summer side side and fresh vegetables for a deliciously easy weeknight meal.  

Honey Mustard Salmon over rice on a white plate.

HONEY MUSTARD SALMON

Salmon is such a delicious fish and is one of those seafood options that the whole family can get on board with, especially children.

My kids love salmon and I know it is a healthy meal for them so I try to mix up the salmon recipes to keep them interested.

Today’s Honey Mustard Salmon is one of our favorite salmon recipes.

We also enjoy this Mediterranean Salmon, Air Fryer Salmon Bites, Mediterranean Salmon Bowl, Easy Lemon Salmon Kabobs or this Hawaiian Grilled Salmon.

It is delicate and subtle in fish flavor and takes on other seasonings and marinades so well. This honey mustard version is especially delicious. 

Sweet with subtle spice and warmth the honey mustard is an easy marinade to bring together and works really well with salmon filets.

Grilling the salmon helps create a crispy outer layer and a tender inner piece of flaky salmon. It is my favorite way to make salmon. You can also bake or air fry this recipe.

You don’t need to marinade the salmon for long, meaning this can be a quick and easy dish to make.

Honey Mustard Salmon multiple pieces on a platter.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

  • Easy to make – The marinade only requires a few simple ingredients and doesn’t need too long to create a delicious flavor on the salmon. You can have this salmon on the table in under 30 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner or special occasion.
  • Perfect for summer – This delicious and light salmon dish is a perfect summer recipe. Ideal to serve with summer salads and fresh vegetables. 
  • Control the flavors – You can control the flavors of this marinade suiting to to your own tastebuds and preferences.  If you like more of the honey flavor add more honey. If you like more of the citrus flavor you can add more lemon juice.

Honey Mustard Salmon ingredients.

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED FOR THIS HONEY DIJON SALMON:

FRESH SALMON

SEA SALT 

GROUND BLACK PEPPER

HONEY

DIJON MUSTARD

LEMON

PAPRIKA

CAYENNE PEPPER

GARLIC

Honey Mustard Salmon on a bed of lettuce.

HOW TO MAKE THE HONEY MUSTARD SALMON

Now that you have all your ingredients to hand it is time to make the simple and tasty salmon dish. 

PREPARE THE SALMON MARINADE:  One of the first things to do would be to add your fillets to a shallow bowl or baking dish. In a small mixing bowl add the salt, pepper, honey, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and garlic.

Whisk all of the marinade ingredients in a small bowl together and then pour the mustard mixture on the salmon.

Honey Mustard Salmon marinade in a bowl.

Flip the salmon over to ensure it is coated in the marinade. Cover the dish with a plastic wrap and marinade for 30 minutes.

Honey Mustard Salmon in the marinade.

GRILL THE SALMON: Pre-heat your grill. I ensured my grill was very hot with a temperature of 450-500f. Brush the grill grates with oil.

Grill the salmon for about 6-8 minutes on one side and 2-3 minutes on the other side with the BBQ lid closed. The salmon is done when it reaches a temperature of 130 degrees F. 

SERVE: Remove the salmon off of the grill and let rest for 5 minutes tented with aluminum foil before serving. Place salmon on a plate with lemon slices, salad, green beans and rice.

Honey Mustard Salmon on the grill. RECIPE NOTES AND TIPS FOR THIS EASY SALMON RECIPE

While I try and provide step-by-step instructions with the method, often there are recipe notes and tips that help you make the most out of the recipe. Here are some of the essential tips and tricks to help you make this tasty honey mustard salmon. 

  • It is a good idea to leave the salmon marinating for 30 minutes. This will help to add to the flavor. I wouldn’t do much longer than 30 minutes as it begins to break down the salmon.
  • Leave the salmon on the grill for about 6-7 minutes before flipping. This helps the salmon release from the grill after it starts to cook. Then you will typically cook it for another 3-4 minutes. 
  • Using the grill and ensuring that it is a high temperature will help to cook the salmon perfectly. It leaves it juicy on the inside and a crispy outer layer. 
  • Checking the internal temperature will help you to ensure that it isn’t overcooked. A temperature of 125-130 F is advised and then let it rest for 5 minutes. 
  • Make sure to brush oil on the grates of the grill to help keep the salmon from sticking to the grill. 
  • Grill the salmon with the first skin side down which helps provide a layer between the grill and the salmon.
  • Make sure to not keep lifting the lid on the grill. This helps to keep the cooking temperature of the grill the same. 

Honey Mustard Salmon over rice.

WAYS TO MODIFY THE HONEY MUSTARD SALMON

Many recipes have substitutions and variations that help you customize your salad:

Things you can add or little changes to make it more suitable. So here are some of the best variations you might want to consider:

  • This marinade will work perfectly with chicken, with breast, thigh, or even chicken wings. 
  • You could use this marinade with vegetables and grill or roast them. The honey and mustard lends itself well to all sorts of vegetables. 
  • The marinade is easy for you to control the flavors. So you can add a little extra spice with the cayenne pepper or reduce if you prefer it to not have a kick. 
  • Instead of dijon mustard this marinade will also work well with wholegrain mustard. 
  • Fresh lemons will work well with this recipe but you can also use bottled lemon juice if needed. 
  • I enjoy the sweetness of the honey but you could also add sweetness to this marinade by adding brown sugar.
  • You can use another type of mustard like whole grain mustard instead of dijon mustard. 
  • Add fresh herbs to the marinade. Try cilantro or parsley. 

Honey Mustard Salmon on the grill.

HOW DO I STORE THE HONEY MUSTARD SALMON?

If you have any leftover salmon let it cool completely before adding to an airtight container. You can then store in the refrigerator for up to five days. 

HOW DO YOU REHEAT SALMON?

When you are ready to reheat the salmon you will want to do so low and slow to make sure it doesn’t dry out. It is best to reheat it slowly, at a low temperature.

Put the fish on a rimmed baking sheet and warm it a 275°F oven for about 15 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F to 130°F. 

CAN I FREEZE SALMON?

Yes! You can freeze this honey mustard salmon. Follow all the instructions for cooking and allow to cool completely. Wrap the salmon in parchment or wax paper and place in a ziplock bag. Put in the freezer for storage.

The salmon fillet will keep for up to 3 month. To re-heat the salmon remove the salmon place in the fridge
to thaw. Warm in a hot oven or in the microwave. 

Honey Mustard Salmon with fork.

WHAT SHOULD I PAIR WITH THIS SALMON RECIPE?

I love pairing a light salad with salmon. A few favorites are this Lemon Arugula Salad, Easy Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing or this Chickpea Salad

Potatoes are always a nice addition to any meal. I love these Paprika Roasted Potatoes, Spicy Lebanese Potatoes or these Lemon Cilantro Potatoes

Other side dishes I like with this salmon is a batch of Easy Lebanese Hummus, this Tahini Sauce for drizzling on the salmon and this White Bean Artichoke Dip

OTHER SEAFOOD RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

EASY CRAB CAKE RECIPE

LEMON GARLIC HALIBUT

PAN SEARED GREEK SALMON 

PAN FRIED GARLIC BUTTER COD

BLACK SEA BASS 

EASY BLACKENED FISH

BAKED COD WITH LEMON 

Honey Mustard Salmon with logo.

WHAT SHOULD I PAIR WITH THIS SALMON RECIPE?

I love pairing a light salad with salmon. A few favorites are this Lemon Arugula Salad, Easy Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing or this Chickpea Salad

Potatoes are always a nice addition to any meal. I love these Paprika Roasted Potatoes, Spicy Lebanese Potatoes or these Lemon Cilantro Potatoes

Other side dishes I like with this salmon is a batch of Easy Lebanese Hummus, this Tahini Sauce for drizzling on the salmon and this White Bean Artichoke Dip

OTHER SEAFOOD RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

EASY CRAB CAKE RECIPE

LEMON GARLIC HALIBUT

PAN SEARED GREEK SALMON 

PAN FRIED GARLIC BUTTER COD

BLACK SEA BASS 

EASY BLACKENED FISH

BAKED COD WITH LEMON 

Honey Mustard Salmon

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Marinade Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

This Honey Mustard Salmon uses a delicious tangy honey mustard marinade to flavor the fish. It is then grilled to create a crispy outer layer and a tender inner piece of salmon. Pair this with a summer side side and fresh vegetables for a deliciously easy weeknight meal.  

Ingredients

  • 4 salmon fillets, boneless, skinless or on {6-8 ounces}
  • Olive oil for brushing on the grill
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsps. honey
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper {optional}
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

    1. Add salmon fillets in a large shallow bowl.
    2. In a small bowl, whisk salt, pepper, honey, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, paprika, cayenne pepper and garlic. Pour on the salmon.
    3. Flip salmon with a tong to coat well with the marinade.
    4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Marinade in the fridge for 30 minutes.
    5. Preheat the grill to 450 F - 500 F. Brush the grates with oil.
    6. Place the salmon on the grill with the skin side down. You can brush more marinade on each of the pieces of salmon if you like.
    7. Grill the salmon for about 6-7 minutes on one side and carefully flip and grill for another 2-3 minutes on the other side with the lid closed.
    8. Remove when the internal temperature is 125 F - 130 F. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley.

Notes

HOW DO I STORE THE HONEY MUSTARD SALMON?

If you have any leftovers or you have created a bigger batch of this salmon recipe then let it cool completely before adding to an airtight container. You can then store in the refrigerator for up to five days. 

HOW DO YOU REHEAT SALMON?

When you are ready to reheat the salmon you will want to do so low and slow to make sure it doesn’t dry out. It is best to reheat it slowly, at a low temperature.

Put the fish on a rimmed baking sheet and warm it a 275°F oven for about 15 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F to 130°F. 

CAN I FREEZE SALMON?

Yes! You can freeze this teriyaki salmon. Follow all the instructions for
cooking and allow to cool completely. Wrap the salmon in parchment or wax paper and place in a ziplock bag.
Put in the freezer for storage.

The salmon will keep for up to 3 month. To re-heat the salmon remove the salmon place in the fridge
to thaw. Warm in a hot oven or in the microwave. 

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Pam

Sunday 12th of November 2023

This recipe is making me salivate. If I were to oven bake this instead of grilling it, do I use the same temperature and baking time?

Julia

Sunday 12th of November 2023

Hi there- for baking I would preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place salmon, skin side down on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake the salmon for about 12-14 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.

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