Last updated on August 19th, 2018
I made this sumptuous salmon for dinner the other night, and it was love at first bite. Cloaked in honey and tamari sauce, garnished with toasted sesame seeds and chives, and served on a bed of quinoa, the fillets make a healthy, 5-star main course that comes together in under 20 minutes.
Need some quick-and-easy magic to put on the dinner table tonight? This step-by-step recipe is for you:
To start, prepare the quinoa according to package directions. Quinoa cooks in just 15 minutes.
While the quinoa is cooking, take two 6-ounce skinless, center-cut salmon fillets…
And lightly dust them with kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
Then heat some butter and olive oil in a non-stick (or well-seasoned cast-iron) skillet. The olive oil is there to keep the butter from burning.
When the skillet is hot but not smoking, add the salmon fillets seasoned-side down. Let the fillets cook until richly-browned — about 4 minutes for 1-inch thick fillets.
Then flip ’em over, and brown the other side for just 2 minutes. Transfer the fillets to a plate.
Now add another knob of butter to the pan…
Along with a generous drizzle (about a tablespoon) of local honey…
And an equally-generous drizzle of Tamari sauce. Tamari is a high-quality version of soy sauce. Most varieties are gluten-free, but you should check the label to be sure. That is, if you are allergic to gluten.
Return the fillets to the pan, and baste them with the sticky sweet sauce for 30 seconds or so. As you work, the sauce will turn deliciously dark and thick. Remove the pan from the heat.
For each serving, put a heapin’ helpin’ of hot, cooked quinoa on a plate…
And top it off with a salmon fillet. Drizzle each fillet with the sauce that remains in the skillet.
Sprinkle the tops with toasted sesame seeds…
Scatter some freshly-snipped chives over all…
And then dig right in!
You’re probably wondering what wine you should serve with this sublime dish. I recommend Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Sancerre.
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Here’s the printable:
Cloaked in a sticky-sweet sauce of honey and tamari, these salmon fillets are irresistibly delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 6-oz skinless, center-cut salmon fillets
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 generous tablespoon local honey
- 1 generous tablespoon Tamari sauce
- Toasted sesame seeds and freshly-snipped chives for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Meanwhile, season the tops of the salmon with salt and pepper. Then heat the butter and olive oil in a non-stick (or a well-seasoned cast-iron) skillet over medium heat. When the butter melts and its foam subsides, add the salmon, seasoned-side down. Cook until bronzed and beautiful -- about 4 minutes. Then flip the fillets over, and brown the other side for 2 minutes. Transfer the fillets to a plate.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet, and stir in the honey and Tamari. Return the salmon to the skillet, and baste them with the sticky, sweet sauce -- 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Divide the quinoa between 2 plates, top with a salmon fillet, and garnish each fillet with the toasted sesame seeds and freshly-snipped chives. Serve with chilled Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon blanc, or Sancerre.
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Peter and Shelagh says
Delicious! Sadly Shelagh does not like salmon… Would this work with halibut?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Peter – You could certainly try this with halibut. Let me know how the recipe works out for you!
Brenda Johnson says
“Sweet meets savory” in this delicious meal!! What a grand treatment for versatile salmon!! Love the hit of honey in this – it really elevates the flavors from “good”, to “wow”!! The quinoa was a perfect choice of accompaniment- healthier than rice, great texture, and soaks up the juices from the salmon and glaze so nothing gets left behind!!! A perfect summer lunch!! (Would make a great dinner too of course!!) Thanks for sharing Kevin!!!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Brenda – Thanks for taste-testing. So glad you enjoyed this simple preparation!
Enid says
Saw this recipe this afternoon and realized I had almost all of the ingredients on hand, then sent the link to my boyfriend. I ran outside to clip some chives. He took his phone into the kitchen and started cooking! The clear instructions and pictures really helped. Was delish! Finished with a chilled strawberry rhubarb crisp that we bought at a farm stand near the Vermont border earlier today. A perfect June supper! Keep these simple tasty recipes coming!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Enid – So glad this recipe worked out for you and your boyfriend. Rhubarb crisp seems the perfect finish!
Nancy Robinson says
Oh my goodness, I can’t wait to try this! I don’t really like the taste of salmon, but I know it is so good for us, I wouldn’t hesitate to use this recipe! So happy to find your site. I just joined today for email updates!
Linda Stone says
:Lovely recipe that I will try this weekend, along with some lemon drizzled steamed asparagus ;o)
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Karin says
Oh my goodness.mthis was great. I come from a household that Did Not Do Fish. So I am still not comfortable cooking fish, although I love it. Wanting to eat more salmon, I have been spreading my wings. This is a winner.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Karin – Thanks for writing. So glad you tried — and liked — this dish!
Belinda says
Wow! This seems very like the Salmon I enjoyed at a restaurant just a few days ago. I was hoping for the recipe, and I believe you’ve just supplied it!
Melis says
Can’t wait to try this Salmon recipe, too. I love the poached one and have made it several times – so simple but healthy and delicious. Thanks for all of the great recipes and tips!
Cindi Nicholson says
Yumm..very good indeed..another amazing receipe to use my honey in! Thanks! I LOVE ALL YOUR RECEIPES!
Maggie says
The visuals are amazing! The appetites are raging. if I had Salmon in the house we’d have this tonight! But now we have something to look forward to. Kevin you continue to outdo yourself!
Beverly, zone 6, eastern PA says
That blue plate reminds me of the cornflower blue Bachelor’s Buttons blooming right now in the garden beds. I bought seeds after seeing your close up photo of the annual Centaurea on a post last year. Such a simple flower and so BLUE. Just love gazing at it. And bees are grateful.
LoriGu says
Well. It looks like I’ll have to make a second trip to the grocery this weekend. Must try this!
Julie R says
Everyone at our house loves salmon, so this will be a good new recipe to try. Thanks for explaining Tamari sauce. Love the pretty blue plate in your recipe photos.
Ed Morrow says
Looks wonderful. I’ve just had breakfast and I’m already hungry.
How’s the cookbook coming along? Any takers?
Judith Togher says
This was the most delicious salmon I have ever cooked and we eat a lot of salmon and fish in general. I made it with bok choy and a ginger and sesame rice. Thank you Kevin for another great recipe!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Ed Morrow – I’m still photographing the recipes for the cookbook. Hoping to finish by summer’s end. Thanks for asking!
Hi Judith Togher – Your side dish sounds splendiferous. I’m so glad you liked the salmon!
Jennifer says
Put the ingredients on the shopping list. Husband shopped on the way home. Cooked it up. Utterly delicious!
You are inspiring. Thank you!!!
Sian says
This was completely fabulous. We were licking our plates at the end of dinner. The meal is definitely more than the sum of its parts. And I must say, the quinoa was an unexpectedly wonderful choice. I like quinoa, but hadn’t anticipated how well the nuttiness would go with the sweet/savory sauce. Yum!
Kate says
De-LISH!!!! Thank you Kevin for sharing this Fab recipe – I enjoyed it with a Brown Brothers “King Valley” Prosseco ……Perrr-fect!!
Pat J. says
This was a big hit, Kevin. It fit the category of ‘Something new and Exotic’! My husband’s words…..
The thing I like most about your recipes, Kevin, is that I usually have most of the ingredients on hand. Not so exotic that I switch off at first read. Well, I did have to use regular soy sauce instead of the Tamari but it seemed to work fine.
Thanks you.
Janis says
Dear Kevin
This recipe was so delicious. A nice departure from my usual lemon and dill en papier. The only change I made was adding a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a little kick. It was really nice. Thank you!