Garlic Honey Salmon Meal Prep
Seared salmon fillets basted continuously in a glossy honey garlic butter sauce, served with fluffy basmati rice and charred broccoli. Restaurant-level results in about 40 minutes.
Baste the salmon continuously while it sears in the sauce, that extra layer of glaze is what gives the fillets their glossy, caramelised finish rather than just plain seared salmon with sauce poured over. Don’t overcrowd the pan with the broccoli either, give it room to actually char instead of steam.
Keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Not recommended for freezing, both the salmon’s texture and the honey garlic glaze suffer once thawed.
Garlic Honey Salmon Meal Prep
SALMON · MEAL PREP · MEDIUM
Glossy, caramelised, genuinely restaurant-quality
Continuous basting while the salmon sears is the technique that makes the difference here, building layer after layer of glaze rather than just pouring sauce over at the end.
You get a real doneness range too, roughly 63°C for well-done or check for the classic flake test, so it's easy to cook the salmon exactly how you like it.
Charred broccoli and fluffy rice round the whole plate out, simple sides that let the glossy salmon be the star without competing for attention.
Garlic Honey Salmon Meal Prep
Ingredients
Salmon
- 5 ml Olive Oil
- 1.25 kg Fresh Salmon, Cut Into 5 Fillets Skin On or Off
- 4 g Garlic Powder
- 4 g Smoked Paprika
- Salt & Pepper
Honey Garlic Sauce
- 28 g Unsalted Butter
- 6 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 30 ml Chicken or Vegetable Stock
- 22.5 ml Light Soy Sauce
- ½ Lemon Zest & Juiced
- 105 g Honey
- Salt & Pepper
Rice
- 350 g Basmati Rice Washed
- 700 ml Cold Water
- Salt To Taste
Broccoli
- 15 ml Peanut Oil
- 2 heads Broccoli Trimmed
- Sesame Seeds Optional
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Method
- In a bowl, add the salmon, olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, and seasoning to taste. Mix to combine.
- Place a saucepan over high heat. Add the basmati rice, cold water, and salt to taste. Mix to combine and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 14 minutes, undisturbed. Turn off the heat but leave the lid on for a final 4 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff up the rice, and set aside.
- Place a large pan over high heat. Add the clarified butter or unsalted butter and allow it to melt. Add the garlic and sauté for 45 seconds, mixing regularly. Add the honey, chicken stock, soy sauce, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix to combine and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the salmon fillets, skin side down (if left on), and sear for 6 minutes. Flip and sear for a further 1 minute, basting the sauce over the salmon continuously, until cooked to your liking or the salmon flakes easily with a fork (roughly 63°C/145°F internal for well-done). Remove and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Place a clean pan over medium-high heat. Add the peanut oil and broccoli, and sauté for 4-5 minutes, mixing regularly, until soft with a slight bite (al dente). Season to taste, remove, and toss through a pinch of sesame seeds, if using.
- Portion the 3 components of the dish across 5 meal prep containers. Dig in.
Why baste the salmon continuously while it cooks?⌄
That extra layer of glaze is what gives the fillets their glossy, caramelised finish, rather than just plain pan-seared salmon with sauce poured over at the end.
What internal temperature should the salmon reach?⌄
Roughly 63°C (145°F) for well-done, or just check that it flakes easily with a fork. Cook it exactly to your own preference either way.
Can I use frozen salmon fillets?⌄
Yes, just thaw them fully in the fridge overnight first and pat them dry before seasoning, that helps them sear properly instead of steaming.
Can I swap the broccoli for a different vegetable?⌄
Sure, green beans, asparagus, or bok choy would all work well with the same quick sauté approach. Adjust the timing slightly for whatever you choose.
