You, too, can make the absolute BEST Grilled Salmon in foil on the grill. This salmon has a slightly sweet and smoky flavor and is grilled to perfection in just around 15 minutes!

During cooking, the marinade creates a nice glaze so that the salmon filets end up with a slightly crisp outside and light flakiness inside. This simple grilled salmon is not only delicious, but it is extremely easy to prepare.

The marinade is mixed up right in a ziplock bag and the fish is grilled in little aluminum boats placed right on top of the grill grates making clean up easy!

My family agrees that this is the salmon recipe ever, and I think yours will, too!

The BEST Grilled Salmon

Grilling is practically a year-round thing at our house. Early Spring until late Fall, you’ll find John flipping burgers, chops, steaks—well, just about anything, really—at least two or three times a week.  

Lately, we’ve been adding thisbgrilled salmon recipe to our regular grilling rotation. What’s surprising about that is for the longest time John believed he didn’t even like salmon — until we tried this recipe!

That’s a big win for me because I love salmon. Now he’s the one who suggests we pick up salmon for the grill. You know what they say, “happy wife, happy life”!

We first made this recipe over two years ago and my family whole-heartedly agrees that this truly is the BEST salmon they’ve ever eaten.

Step-by-step instructions

It starts with the marinade

Combine the grilled salmon marinade ingredients in a single gallon-size zip lock bag (no need to dirty up a bowl). Add the salmon, and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to penetrate the fish.

Make aluminum foil boats

After soaking up all that flavorful marinade, the salmon fillets are grilled in little aluminum foil “boats”. I use heavy duty non-stick aluminum foil and just fold up the sides a couple of times to make a lip.

Grill the fish

Place the filets on the foil skin side down, then pour some of the marinade over the top. The best part is that after grilling, you just toss the foil!

The salmon is perfectly cooked after just 15-18 minutes on the grill with the lid down. Be careful that you avoid overcooking or the salmon will become too dry. The salmon should lift away from the skin easily with a flat spatula.

How do you know when it’s done?

Fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork in the thickest part of the filet. The color should change from red to pink, but may still look a little translucent.

Which side do you cook first?

Always start cooking with the skin side down (for any recipe) as the fish will be easier to flip. Otherwise, the fish may stick to the grill grates and flake away.

Can you eat the skin?

Yes, you absolutely can eat the skin. With this recipe, however, I usually serve the salmon without the skin because it does not get crispy with this particular cooking method and I eating the skin if it has been pan-fried.

Should you wash fish before cooking?

It’s always a good idea to rinse any meat under cool running water and dry with paper towels before cooking. Always remember to sanitize your sink and counter tops after this process, though, to avoid any splattered bacteria.

Side dish suggestions

I like to serve this healthy grilled salmon with a baked sweet potato and my 20-minute oven roasted Brussels sprouts. Other options include:

• Pasta or rice pilaf
• Steamed broccoli
• Roasted asparagus

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Related recipes

Cooking dinner on the grill gets everyone involved in preparing the meal at our house. We love being outdoors and grill as often as the weather cooperates — sometimes even three or four times a week.

Here are a few of our favorite grilling recipes:

• Easy Grilled Steak Fajitas for Two — A red curry paste marinade and fresh avocado crema make for tasty and easy grilled steak fajitas at home!
• Country-Style Ribs and Grilled Sweet Potatoes & Chow Chow — Tender, juicy country-style pork ribs are grilled up with sliced sweet potatoes and garnished with a slightly sweet chow chow mix of corn, onion, sweet bell peppers, and jalapeño.
• Mongolian Glazed Grilled Steak — This steak has a light, crispy coating and a tangy barbecue glaze. It’s so unexpected and so phenomenal!
• Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Blueberry Salsa — Easy enough for  weeknight grilling or fancy enough for your next Summer dinner party!
• Grilled Steak Salad with French Vinaigrette — A lite French Vinaigrette works perfectly with the tender grilled steak, juicy pears, and blue cheese on this entrée salad. 
• Chili-Orange Glazed Pork Tenderloin — Easy preparation and simple ingredients combine to create a flavorful meal of Chili-Orange Glazed Pork Tenderloin with roasted sweet potato wedges.

I seriously can’t even count how many times we’ve used this recipe to grill salmon. The marinade is so flavorful, the salmon is tender and flaky, and clean up is a breeze.

This recipe is always a winner with our crowd and has become one of our go-to options because it is SO easy and SO tasty!

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