Creamy Honey Cajun Salmon

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS EASY RECIPE

Honey Cajun Salmon is perfect for those crazy evenings when you need a quick and easy meal. Seriously, it’s a flavor bomb that won’t have you stuck in the kitchen for ages because you can have this dinner ready in about an hour. It’s the perfect quick dinner option that doesn’t skimp on flavor. 

Want more cajun recipes? Try our Honey Cajun Smoked Lobster Tails, Maple Cajun Salmon Pinwheels, Honey Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Skewers and Stuffed Cajun Lobster Mac & Cheese.

Honey Cajun Salmon INGREDIENTS

SALMON

• Salmon Filets: Look for four thick fresh salmon filets for this recipe. 
• Canola Oil: Coats the salmon and gives it that nice, crispy skin. 
• Lemon Slices and chopped parsley for garnish

SIMPLE CAJUN SEASONING

• Kosher Salt
• Garlic Powder
• Smoked Paprika: Adds smoky and spicy flavors to the salmon. 
• Brown Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness and creates a caramelized finish on the fish. You could also use maple syrup if you like. 
• Black Pepper
• Onion Powder
• Dried Oregano
• Dried Thyme
• Cayenne Powder: Gives a slight kick of heat.

HOT HONEY CREAM SAUCE

• Bourbon: Brings a rich, deep, and slightly sweet undertone to the sauce.
• Heavy Cream: Creates the creamy base for the sauce. The fattiness from the cream also helps cut through the spiciness from the mustard and hot sauce. 
• Spicy Dijon Mustard: Use any kind you like. Adds a tangy, spicy depth of flavor. 
• Honey: Adds a slight sweetness. 
• Hot Sauce: Adds a kick of heat. Use your favorite hot sauce. 

HOW TO MAKE HONEY CAJUN SALMON 

We start this recipe by cooking the salmon on my Oklahoma Joe’s Judge Charcoal Grill. There are several things I love about salmon outside of the fact that it’s naturally delicious.

One of the main reasons I enjoy salmon is because it’s a really healthy protein to mix into your diet, and the flavoring options are endless. I decided to create my own in-house cajun seasoning for this Creamy Honey Cajun Salmon recipe and was really happy with how it turned out.

Simply pour all the seasonings into a small bowl and then mix thoroughly. Once the seasoning is mixed, sprinkle it all over the salmon. I gave the salmon a generous layer of this seasoning, making sure to also season the sides of the filets. 

From here, you’ll add the salmon to your preheated and oiled cast iron skillet. I wanted to mention that I do add a generous amount of oil to the skillet before cooking with it, especially when I’m cooking fish. This is because I want to ensure that the salmon doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Some people (my wife included) think I use too much oil, but believe me, there is a reason for how much I use. If you don’t believe me, you can use less oil, and you’ll soon understand what I’m talking about. 

The salmon will cook fast, so be ready to go. I placed mine in the skillet, meat side down first, and then flipped them halfway through cooking. Let them finish cooking with the skin side down, then pull them from the grill. Set them to the side, and we’ll begin working on the cream honey sauce. 

CREAMY HONEY SAUCE FOR THE CAJUN SALMON

We’ll start the cream honey sauce with the same cast iron skillet that we used to cook the salmon. I deglazed my skillet with some bourbon (that I may or may not have already been enjoying while I was cooking). Pour about a tablespoon of it into the skillet and whisk it around. Then add all the cream honey sauce into the skillet. 

The key from here is stirring. I actually used a whisk to stir this sauce while it was heating up. We don’t need to bring it to a roaring boil, but we do need to give the cream honey sauce some time to reduce. I brought mine to a light simmer and stirred it throughout the entire process. Remove the skillet from the Oklahoma Joe’s Judge Charcoal Grill once the sauce has reached a consistency of your liking. 

I like to serve this dish straight from the cast iron skillet, so I grabbed the salmon and carefully set each filet back into the skillet on top of the creamy honey sauce we just made. Then, I placed a lemon slice on each filet. Lastly, I garnished the dish with a sprinkle of my cajun seasoning and some chopped parsley.

This Creamy Honey Cajun Salmon was delicious and super simple with Oklahoma Joe’s! Best enjoyed with friends and family. Cheers!

Tips for Honey Cajun Salmon

• Pat your salmon filets dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. 
• Want more heat? Add red pepper flakes to your spicy honey cream sauce. 
• Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the salmon. It should read 140-145F.

How to Store Leftovers & Reheat

Store leftover salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 4-6 months. 

Make sure you let the salmon come to room temperature before reheating.

To reheat:

1. Preheat your oven to 275F.
2. Place leftover salmon on a baking sheet. 
3. Bake for 15 minutes.

You can also reheat your salmon filets in a cast iron skillet on the stove top. Just pop them in the skillet on medium heat, letting them cook until warm. 

More Salmon Recipes

Roasted Salmon with Horseradish Sauce

Salmon Wrapped Shrimp

Planked Salmon

Nashville Hot Cast Iron Salmon

Crab Stuffed Salmon

Salmon Al Pastor Tacos

What to serve with grilled cajun salmon

The best part about this delicious salmon is that you can serve it with a variety of sides, and it’s gonna be freakin’ delicious. If you want to keep things low-carb, you can serve up some green beans, roasted asparagus, or cauliflower rice on the side. On the flip side, if you want to add some carbs, you could also throw in some sweet potatoes or mashed potatoes for the perfect easy dinner. 

Honey Cajun Salmon Recipe FAQs