The Best Grilled Salmon
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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 this is the best salmon recipe ever, and I think yours will, too!
How to make the best grilled salmon
STEP 1 | Marinade the salmon
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.
STEP 2 | 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.
STEP 3 | 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.
Frequently asked questions
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.
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.
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.
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.
Serving 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
This salmon recipe is by far the best I’ve had! 5 stars for sure!
— Lynn
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.
- Grilled Sirloin 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.
Grilled Salmon in Foil: behind the recipe
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 this 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 delicious grilled salmon recipe!
That’s a big win for me because I love salmon. Now my hubby’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.
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!
Best Grilled Salmon
Ingredients
Marinade
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup lite soy sauce
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 4 6-oz. Salmon filets
Instructions
- Place all marinade ingredients into a gallon size zip lock bag and seal. Squeeze gently to combine ingredients, then add salmon fillets. Seal and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours to allow flavors to penetrate the fish.
- Preheat grill to medium high heat. For each salmon fillet, take a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and fold into a "dish" with sides. Place a salmon fillet into each dish skin side down. Add a little of the marinade on top and place the entire dish on the grill.
- Grill for 15-18 minutes with the lid closed. Flip the salmon onto the grill to sear the top, about 1-2 minutes. Carefully scrape off the skin (it should lift right off) and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
About Sheila Thigpen
Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer
Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.
Thank you for this recipe. It is my go to for grilled salmon. I did a few changes, however. I omit the water as I see no point in watering down the amazing flavors. I also omit the salt and use regular soy sauce instead of low sodium. Lastly, I add fresh ginger, grated. Equal parts of ginger and garlic. I marinate for 4 hrs or longer. The salmon comes out amazing and is a family favorite!
It really is the best and so easy. I make this a lot! I hate cooking so love how simple this is. I have tried many salmon recipes and always come back to this one.
Best ever!!! Thank you!
One of our favorites! Has anyone cooked this on a pellet grill? Temp?
Love how it comes out on the grill
No grill here, live in a condo. Can it be baked in foil? Temp and length of time? Spouse would be happy to have new salmon recipe.
Try baking the salmon at 425 degrees for 12-13 minutes and very carefully turn on the broiler at the end of cooking to sear the top.
Can this marinade be for chicken thighs too? It was soooooo delicious !
I haven’t tried the marinade on chicken thighs, but I agree that sounds delicious!