This Oven Baked Honey BBQ Salmon Recipe is sweet, savory, and ready to eat in less than 30 minutes! Prepare it ahead of time, and serve it with your favorite side dishes for a filling, family-friendly meal full of nutrients.
The Best Baked BBQ Salmon Recipe
We do our best to incorporate salmon into our meals at least once or twice a week with recipes like our sheet pan jerk salmon and maple bourbon glazed salmon. However, when we’re in a pinch for time but still want something tasty, we always reach for this barbecue salmon recipe!
Even better, the salmon cooks on a single baking sheet, meaning cleanup is quick and easy. Prepare a side or two while the fish cooks, and you can have a complete meal on the table in minutes. Plus, it stores well, making it great for meal prep, too.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below is an overview of the ingredients and instructions to make this baked BBQ salmon recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details and nutrition information!
- Salmon Fillets – You’ll need 16 to 18 ounces of salmon for this recipe. Skin-on is best, but any variety such as wild-caught salmon, coho salmon, or Atlantic salmon will work.
- BBQ Sauce – We use our nightshade-free BBQ sauce, hickory BBQ sauce, low-sugar BBQ sauce, or any kind you like best will taste great!
- Apple Cider Vinegar – This adds a nice tang.
- Honey – Use as little or as much as you like to enhance the sweet flavor of the marinade.
- Garlic – Use fresh minced garlic or garlic powder.
- Salt and Pepper – Adjust to taste.
Health Benefits of Salmon
Not only is it extremely nutritious and versatile, but salmon is also full of health benefits, too! For instance, salmon is:
- An excellent source of protein.
- Rich in healthy omega fats.
- Rich in B vitamins and vitamin E
How to Make This Salmon Recipe
- Prepare. Before you begin, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, grease a large baking pan, or line it with parchment paper.
- Dry the salmon. Pat the salmon filets dry with a paper towel. Place the salmon skin side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk the BBQ sauce, vinegar, honey, garlic, black pepper, and salt. Reserve two tablespoons for basting.
- Coat the salmon. Generously spread the salmon marinade over the salmon, coating it completely.
- Bake. Transferring the baking pan to the oven, placing it on the center rack. Let the salmon cook until it is pink and nearly cooked through the thickest part. Be careful not to overcook!
- Broil. If desired, broil the salmon for the last minute or two to create a caramelized edge.
- Serve. Let the baked BBQ salmon rest for at least 2 minutes before serving. Then, brush on the remaining sauce, add a sprinkle of sea salt, and enjoy!
Meal Prep Tips
This recipe works well for meal prep, but there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind:
- If you’re planning on reheating leftovers, cook the salmon until it’s just slightly underdone. As it reheats, it will cook through all the way!
Note: If you’re planning on eating the salmon cold (like on a salad) go ahead and cook it completely the first time around.
- While you can freeze this recipe, it’s best to let it thaw completely in the fridge before reheating. Otherwise, it’s likely to dry out!
- Brush your salmon with extra barbecue sauce before reheating to freshen it back up and prevent it from drying out. It’ll taste as good as new!
More of Our Favorite
Gluten-Free Salmon Recipes
Common Questions
This dish is best served right away. However, if needed, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How should I serve this baked BBQ salmon recipe?
We love to serve this recipe with zucchini noodles for a low-carb meal! However, it’s great with any side dish such as quinoa, rice, three herb tomato and zucchini salad, oven roasted potatoes and leeks, and air fried asparagus.
We haven’t tested it but think it would work! Heat your oven to medium heat, grease the grill grates, and place the salmon on top flesh side up. Close the lid, and cook until the fish is pink and opaque, being careful not to burn.
Baked Honey BBQ Salmon Recipe
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This oven baked BBQ salmon recipe comes together with just 7 ingredients in less than 30 minutes for an easy meal perfect for weeknight dinners and meal prep!
Ingredients
- 16 to 18 ounces salmon fillet or four (4 to 5 ounce) filets (preferably skin on)
- ½ cup gluten free hickory BBQ sauce or other low sugar BBQ sauce
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ to 1 Tablespoon honey, to taste
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt + more for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease a large baking pan or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel and place on the prepared baking sheet. Set aside while you make the sauce.
- In a small bowl, whisk together BBQ sauce and remaining ingredients (vinegar, honey, garlic, black pepper and salt). Reserve 2 Tablespoons for basting.
- With a spoon or marinade brush, generously spread the marinade over the salmon fillets.
- Place the salmon in the oven on the center rack and bake for 11 to 14 minutes or until the salmon is almost completely cooked through at the thickest part. Be careful not to overcook, check salmon at 10 minutes as cooking times will vary based on the thickness of the fillets.
- Optional – Broil 1 – 2 minutes until BBQ sauce is caramelized on the edge of the salmon.
- Remove from the oven and allow the baked salmon to rest for at least 2 minutes to finish cooking.
- Brush additional BBQ sauce on each filet and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt, if desired, before serving.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Notes
Storage Tips – This dish is best enjoyed right away but if you’d like to use the leftover salmon for salads or meal prepping other dishes, first let it completely cool then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: American
Thanks for catching that! I’ll update it to be more thorough. 😉
How long do you recommend reheating in the microwave at work?
I honestly don’t think you need to. But if so, just 45 seconds to 1 minute or 10 minutes in oven at 350F should work!
Great tips on choosing the best salmon; and a great meal prep recipe! My go-to meal prep recipe is either cauliflower rice with some sort of protein; or spiralized veggie “noodles” with pumpkin seeds (it works, trust me).
we are food twins!
Never thought of using BBQ sauce with salmon but so tasty!!
So the zoodles are raw/uncooked in this recipe?
yes, but you can totally bake them for 5-10 minutes to make them less soggy for meal prep. Bake at 400F. Does that make sense?
BBQ salmon is the best!!
YUM!! this is RIGHT up my alley! must make!
So thought of you! also would be good with lamb, right?
All of my favorites in one bowl!!!!
SO in love with these! Salmon, BBQ and bowls? YES.
Yes! BBQ for you! plus who doesn’t love salmon? Gah, my fav!
Loving that flavour combo. And loving that meal prep round up, nice one ☝️
Thanks Kylie! Let me know if you try any!
I need this in my life. I used to be terrified to cook fish… now I’d rather make it than chicken! Love the BBQ idea. My favorite baked salmon was my sriracha grapefruit. Which I need to make again. Along with this.
right? fish i has better texture too. In my opinion. Plus takes like 10 minutes.
I’ve never done BBQ salmon, but it sounds so so good. And it looks like it would really hit the spot especially for those sea food cravings.
oh emily, i think you will love the taste!
I could eat salmon every day of the week and be happy. Love your bowl and totally making it happen because I’m newly obsessed with this meal prep thing too!
me too!! new obsession has commenced!
Love salmon. Love meal prep. Love 30-minute meals. This looks like a winner!
you’re my meal prep inspiration!
Delish! And thanks for the ingredient inspiration–I’ve been doing lots of the same old as of late. Time to shake it up.
you and me both!
Thank you for eminding me how blessed I am to work from home right now! Packing all the food everyday was so much work!
I so agree!! Happy Home work!
What do you do for work?