Simple Baked Honey Citrus Salmon Recipe

Whether you like your salmon smoked, baked, cured, or even fried, there are plenty of options for a quick weeknight dinner! Salmon is a great source of protein that cooks quickly (how does 15 minutes sound?) and it's also categorized as a superfood thanks to the high amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help promote heart health. Science aside, salmon is generally a neutral or mild-tasting fish that can even win over picky eaters. 

For this simple baked honey and citrus salmon recipe, you'll only need a handful of ingredients and less than an hour before it's on the table. After a short marination, the salmon is placed on a sheet pan and baked at a high heat, which locks in juice and ensures a fully cooked filet. When the fish is ready, feel free to serve it up how you wish: alongside rice, steamed or roasted veggies, or even cold noodles. No matter which way you choose to serve it, this dish is certain to find its way into your easy weeknight dinner rotation.

You'll only need 10 ingredients to make this simple baked honey citrus salmon. The first three are pretty obvious: honey, citrus, and salmon filets. We've opted for orange in this recipe since it has a less sour profile than lemon or lime. Utilizing the orange zest will pack it with a more citrusy flavor. Other than that, you'll need salt and pepper, paprika, minced garlic, oil, chopped parsley and chives.

Juice and zest orange into a medium-sized bowl.

Add minced garlic, honey, olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir to combine.

Add salmon and turn to coat in marinade. Let marinade soak in for 30 minutes in fridge.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease with cooking spray.

Place salmon and remaining marinade on the baking tray. Bake for 14-16 minutes, until it flakes easily with a fork.

Garnish salmon with chopped parsley and chives and serve immediately.

We have a few suggestions for what you can pair with this simple baked honey citrus salmon! It can truly be served with almost anything since the citrus and honey complements a lot of other flavors. A basic grain side is great to use as a base for this dish, such as brown rice, white rice, quinoa, or couscous. If you're feeling particularly inspired, our recipe for lemon rice pilaf could be the perfect choice! 

Steamed veggies like broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, or leafy greens would go great alongside the salmon. To save time, you could even roast veggies simultaneously while the salmon cooks — just add them to the oven at the same time and keep in mind that certain vegetables (like potatoes or root veggies) will take longer than the salmon, so remove it first to avoid overcooking. This salmon is actually just as good cold as it is warm, so it would be perfect on top of a crunchy kale salad or sprinkled over this colorful sesame noodle salad.

With a little planning, any recipe can be prepped ahead of time, allowing you to save time in the kitchen and use it elsewhere. With fish, though, it can be a little tricky. Typically, salmon will last a few days in the fridge before needing to be frozen. As long as you are within the window of expiration, you can safely consume it. If the fish has been frozen and thawed, it should most likely be cooked within 24 hours. That being said, you can prepare the marinade for this honey citrus salmon up to a day ahead. For the best texture, we recommend marinating for up to 4 hours. Beyond this, the combination of acid and salt could negatively impact the texture of your salmon, changing it from flaky to mushy. 

Besides marinating, this salmon dish can be safely made up to 3 days ahead if fully cooked. Reheat gently in a 300 F oven for 7-10 minutes, or until warmed through. If the salmon is going on a cold salad or similar dish, you can use it straight out of the fridge!