Honey Mustard Baked Salmon

This flaky honey mustard salmon is perfectly baked till tender and will impress the whole family! It’s an easy dinner for any weeknight – the sweet-and-savory sauce with paprika and garlic is pure dynamite!

Why You’ll Love This Baked Honey Mustard Salmon Recipe

This tender salmon will become a regular weeknight dinner because it’s easy to prepare and requires simple ingredients.

• Full of pantry staples. You’ve probably got most of the ingredients needed to make the sauce at home already.
• Great for weeknights. Everyone has 25 minutes to throw dinner together, especially if you can walk away once it’s in the oven.
• Easy clean-up. Once you’re done with dinner, scrunch up the foil and toss it away to reduce clean-up.
• Made in the oven. If you hate standing over the stove, this baked salmon recipe is for you!

What You’ll Need

Stone-ground mustard adds a tangy, robust flavor-base that regular mustard can’t achieve. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities.

• Salmon – Use fresh or frozen.
• Stone ground mustard – Feel free to use Dijon. Avoid American mustard.
• Honey – Maple syrup or agave nectar work too.
• Smoked paprika – Use your favorite kind of paprika.
• Dry basil – Go for fresh basil if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
• Red pepper flakes – You can use cayenne pepper instead.
• Garlic cloves – Garlic powder is a good swap.
• Salt and pepper – I prefer kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper.
• Lemon – Lime juice can be used as well.
• Chives – Fresh parsley is another garnish option.

How To Make Honey Mustard Baked Salmon

The honey mustard sauce needs to be well combined so that the salmon can absorb the flavors evenly. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more detailed instructions.

• Prep the oven. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil. You can also use parchment paper.

• Make the honey mustard sauce. Combine the mustard, honey, smoked paprika, basil, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic in a small bowl until smooth.
• Coat the salmon. Pour the honey mustard mixture over the salmon. Rub it all over.

• Bake it. Pop it into the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the salmon reaches your desired doneness.
• Broil it. Remove the salmon from the oven. Turn on the broiler. Place the salmon under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to caramelize the honey on top.
• Serve it. Remove it from the heat and top the salmon with chives or parsley. Serve and enjoy.

Tips & Variations

As long as it’s well thawed and baked at the correct temperature, this baked honey mustard salmon will come out perfectly.

• Marinate it. Refrigerate the salmon in the honey-mustard mixture for 30 minutes or up to an hour for more flavor.
• Check the temperature. To prevent the salmon from drying out, use an oven thermometer to confirm you’re baking at the right temperature.
• Thaw it. Never bake salmon straight from frozen. It needs to thaw. Frozen salmon that isn’t properly thawed will release lots of moisture and actually dry out the fish because the baking time is longer.
• Add nuts. After adding the honey-mustard mixture, top the fish with a layer of chopped pecans or almonds for some nutty crunch.
• Swap the fish. Halibut and tilapia are great swaps for salmon in this recipe.

What to Serve with Honey Mustard Salmon

This honey mustard salmon is a great dinner with veggies sides, salad, and pasta. Try my Air Fryer Asparagus or Green Beans for veggies. For salads, prepare my Italian Grinder Salad or Simple Arugula Salad. If you’re looking for a pasta idea, go for my Butternut Squash Pasta with Bacon.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

This baked salmon isn’t freezer-friendly because it’ll change texture once thawed and over-cook when reheated.

• Fridge: Place it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep it in the back of the fridge where it’s coldest because salmon is very sensitive to temperature changes.
• To reheat it: Pop it into the microwave in 30-second intervals until warm. You can also place it in a pan over medium heat with the lid on for 8-10 minutes. The oven at 350F for 15-20 minutes works too.

More Easy Salmon Recipes

• Maple Dijon Salmon
• Whole30 Salmon Recipe in Garlic Cream Sauce
• Blackened Grilled Salmon Salad
• Salmon Tacos with Creamy Slaw
• Salmon Cakes with Lemon Dill Yogurt Sauce

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