Hot honey is more than just a trendy ingredient. Traditionally infused with chili peppers, honey brings sweet and spicy flavor to your plate. From a side dish for roasted vegetables to summer grilled dishes, these dishes prove that a drizzle of this complex condiment is worth the buzz. Recipes like our Hot Honey Parmesan Carrots and Crispy Hot Honey Salmon Bites will make hot honey your new favorite staple.
Crispy Hot Honey Salmon Bites
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
These sweet and spicy salmon bites are seasoned with a hot honey and lemon glaze that pairs well with seared salmon. Serve this easy appetizer with wooden picks at your next party. Serve over brown rice and roasted vegetables as a main dish or add it to your favorite salad or grain bowl.
Hot Honey Cheese Zucchini
Photographer: Stacey K. Allen, Props: Christina Brockman, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling
These cheesy baked zucchini slices are topped with creamy feta and melted mozzarella, then finished off with a drizzle of hot honey for a sweet finish. Cut the zucchini on a diagonal to maximize the surface area for the cheese. If your zucchini slices are too crowded on your baking sheet, it’s best to bake them on two baking sheets, searing each slice at a time to ensure they cook evenly.
Hot Honey Parmesan Carrots
Photographer: Bree Goldman, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
This sweet side dish gets extra flavor with hot honey and lots of crispy Parmesan chips. To make your own hot honey, bring honey and crushed red pepper to a boil over low heat in a small skillet. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Stir in apple cider vinegar to taste. Try this easy method with other vegetables like beets, turnips, and Brussels sprouts.
Hot Honey Chicken & Pineapple Kebab
Photographer: Stacey K. Allen, Props: Christina Brockman, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
These grilled chicken kebabs are sweet and tangy thanks to the hot honey, juicy pineapple chunks, and the grill itself. The grill caramelizes the peppers, onions, and chicken to perfection and smokiness. Because the glaze (and pineapple) is sweet, the kebabs can burn if you leave them in the same place for too long. Make sure to move the kebabs off the hot part of the grill and only apply the glaze during the last few minutes of grilling.
Ricotta toast with plums and hot honey
You can make this hearty ricotta toast all year round by varying the fruit: try apples and figs in the fall, pomegranate seeds and pears in the winter, or fresh berries in the spring.
Mashed Brussels sprouts with goat cheese and hot honey
Jacob Fox
The sprouts are simmered until tender, mashed to increase surface area, then finished in the oven with creamy goat cheese and sweet hot honey, and if you like an herbal flavor, garnish with fresh chopped rosemary just before serving.
Hot Honey Grilled Shrimp
The shrimp are bathed in a sweet heat thanks to the hot honey and sriracha, but if you want something a little less spicy, use plain honey instead.
Baked Feta Dip with Hot Honey
Served hot straight from the pan, this Baked Feta Dip with Honey is perfect for your next party. It’s salty, sweet, and spicy all in one dip, and is full of the fresh flavors of tomato and basil.
Peach bruschetta
Hot honey adds a sweet and tangy kick to this peach bruschetta. Basil gives bruschetta a timeless flavor, and mint adds an unexpected coolness. Feel free to use either (or both), or try delicate herbs like tarragon or chives. Ripe but firm peaches are perfect for this recipe because they’re easier to cut.
Smashed beets with goat cheese and hot honey
Jacob Fox
In this sweet and savory side dish, beets are sliced and simmered in water with a splash of vinegar until tender, then topped with tangy goat cheese and baked crisp in the oven. Hot honey adds spice and thyme adds a fresh, herbal aroma.
Whipped Feta with Pomegranate, Pistachios and Honey
This easy and quick appetizer is perfect for any get-together. Blend the feta and cream cheese together until it has a smooth texture and forms ribbons, which helps break down the feta pieces and avoids a grainy texture. A drizzle of hot honey adds a nice spice that pairs well with the salty pistachios, but you can also use regular honey or date syrup if you prefer.
Honey garlic chicken thighs cooked in a frying pan
This one-pan honey garlic chicken recipe is the perfect quick weeknight dinner. It’s sweet and sour with the perfect amount of heat from the hot honey. A little butter helps smooth out the sauce and enhances the flavor.
Hot Honey Corn Salad
Sweet corn and hot honey combine to create a delicious summer side dish with the perfect balance of hot and sweet flavors. Serve this easy salad with grilled chicken or steak, or discard the bottom leaves and enjoy the corn mix as a topping for tacos or burrito bowls.
Crispy Hot Honey Sesame Fetavite
Photographer: Robbie Lozano, Food Stylist: Julia Levy, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This warm feta is covered with toasted sesame seeds and drizzled with spicy-sweet honey. It’s an easy and delicious appetizer. Pat the feta dry to prevent the sesame seeds from sticking so the egg will stick to it. The feta will hold its shape while cooking, but a delicate touch is required when flipping it over and transferring it to a plate.
