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Here’s how to make the absolute best grilled salmon! It’s perfectly tender and flavored with a magic seasoning blend that takes it to new heights.
Want to grill salmon to perfection? Salmon is notoriously easy to overcook and under-season. We’ve had our share of sub-par salmon experiences, so we set about to find a no-fail way to grill salmon.
Meet the perfect grilled salmon! It’s our tried-and-true easy method that comes out tender with a lightly crisp crust. Even better, it’s sprinkled with our tasty magical seasoning blend. This salmon seasoning tastes so good, you’ll want to put it on everything—you might never make salmon without it again. We love it in our house and we hope you will too!
Ingredients for grilled salmon
Let’s break down the ingredients for grilled salmon, shall we? You only need a few quality ingredients to make the very best grilled salmon:
- Skin-on salmon fillets: Try to find wild-caught if you can: it tastes better and is most sustainable. Skin on is important because it acts as a barrier between the fish and the grill while cooking.
- Olive oil & salt: You’ll just need a bit for rubbing and sprinkling.
- Seafood seasoning: Our favorite way to season grilled salmon is this homemade seafood seasoning! It brings unreal savory flavor to this fish. There’s a little smoky, savory, and salty, with some intrigue from a hint of celery seed and allspice. You’ll need smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, celery seed, cumin, and allspice.
How to grill salmon: step by step
Some people swear by cooking grilled salmon in foil. But we think the very best way is right on the grill grates. This way, you get all that smoky flavor and a crispy exterior. Here are the main steps for how to grill salmon (or see the full recipe below).
Step 1: Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (375 to 450°F). Pat the salmon dry with a clean towel. Rub it generously with oil and sprinkle it with the kosher salt and the seafood seasoning (or simply salt and pepper).
Step 2: Grill the salmon skin side up for 3 to 5 minutes until grill marks appear and it releases from the grates. Flip and cook another 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness, until flaky and just pink at the thickest portion and the internal temperature is between 125 to 130°F.
Step 3: Remove from the grill to a baking sheet and allow to rest for a few minutes, then serve.
Optional: brine the salmon
An optional first step it to bring the salmon: simply placing the salmon in a salt water solution while the grill preheats. It makes for perfectly moist salmon, and also helps the salmon come to room temperature which makes it cook more evenly. You can also marinate the salmon as an alternate option: go to Marinated Grilled Salmon.
Two ways to prevent sticking to the grill
Some people complain about salmon sticking to the grill. The biggest cause of that problem? Don’t try to turn it too soon! When the salmon is cooked just enough, it releases from the grill grates, making it easy to flip. Touch it before that time and it can stick and break apart. You don’t need to oil the grill grates, either. Lightly oil the fish, then when cooking wait until the salmon is easy to release, after cooking about 5 minutes.
Also, make sure to cook with skin on salmon, which helps it to stay together on the grill. Salmon with the skin off easily sticks to the grill.
Alternate method: grilled salmon in foil
Another great way to prevent sticking to the grill is to make grilled salmon in foil. Here are the pros and cons to this method:
- Grilled salmon in foil eliminates the need to flip the fish on the grill, since the fish cooks right on top of aluminum foil.
- However, the texture is softer and the top doesn’t get crispy like in this grilled salmon method. Also, the fish doesn’t pick up as much of the charred grill flavor. If you’d like to try this easy method, head to our grilled salmon in foil recipe.
Also try marinated salmon
Another option is grilling marinated salmon! This infuses big savory, moist flavor into the salmon fillets. It’s one of our favorite ways to make this recipe. Here are the pros and cons:
- The salmon marinade adds complex, savory flavor to the fish fillets.
- It takes at least 30 minutes to marinade the salmon. However, half of this is your preheat time, so it only adds 15 minutes to the overall recipe timing! You can also marinate the salmon for up to 3 hours refrigerated, then pull it out 30 minutes before grilling.
Variations for seasoning salmon
There are lots of ways to season salmon! Once you’ve tried it with seafood seasoning, you might want to change it up a bit. Here are some more ideas on seasoning:
- Cajun salmon: Try it with Cajun Seasoning (hot) or Blackened Seasoning (mild), to taste.
- Fajita-seasoned salmon: Use Fajita Seasoning and and Cilantro Lime Crema.
- Teriyaki salmon: Paint with the sauce from Teriyaki Salmon before grilling and again after.
- Bourbon glazed salmon: Make the glaze from Salmon with Bourbon Glaze.
Sauces for grilled salmon
What sauces pair with this fish to make it a meal? Step up your grilled salmon with a few of these favorite sauces for salmon:
- Butter sauce: This lemon garlic butter sauce or garlic butter sauce are dreamy.
- Lemon pepper sauce: Try this zingy lemon pepper sauce.
- Yogurt sauce: Go for tzatziki, dill sauce or lemon dill sauce.
- Mustard sauce: Try mustard sauce or honey mustard.
- Caper sauce: Make the caper butter from salmon with capers.
- Pesto: Make pesto salmon with basil pesto.
- Chimichurri: Try zingy Argentinian chimichurri sauce.
- Remoulade: Mix up classic remoulade sauce or easy tartar sauce.
- Aioli: Go for garlic aioli or truffle aioli.
What to serve with grilled salmon
Enough about cooking it: let’s talk about eating! Try using the rest of the grill grates for some grilled veggies, or pair grilled salmon with a summer salad. Here are some ideas to build out your meal:
- Try green vegetables like grilled asparagus, grilled green beans, grilled broccolini, or grilled broccoli.
- Opt for grilled potato wedges, baked potatoes on the grill, or grilled sweet potatoes.
- Celebrate the season with grilled corn or grilled corn in foil, or mix up elote or grilled corn salad.
- Try other grilled vegetables like grilled zucchini, grilled onions, grilled eggplant, or grilled peppers.
- Go for a strawberry salad, cucumber salad, French potato salad or orzo pasta salad.
- End the meal with grilled apples a la mode, or grilled pineapple.
Dietary notes
This grilled salmon recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free and pescatarian.
More grilled fish recipes
If you love grilled salmon, you might like some of our other grilled fish recipes! Here are a few more ideas to try:
- Make grilled shrimp or grilled scallops
- Fire up the grill for grilled cod or grilled halibut
- Try amazing grilled ahi tuna that tastes like steak!
Frequently asked questions
For perfectly cooked salmon, aim for a medium-high heat grill, around 375°F to 450°F (190°C to 230°C). This ensures a nice sear on the outside while keeping the inside moist and flaky.
Grilling time depends on the thickness of your salmon fillets. Cook the salmon for 3 to 5 minutes skin side up until grill marks form and it releases from the grates, then 2 to 5 minutes skin side down, depending on the thickness.
The most reliable way to check for doneness is to use a meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the fish. It’s safe to eat when the internal temperature reaches 125 to 130°F (54°C). The key is to cook until the salmon is opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork.
Marinating is not essential, but it can add extra flavor and moisture. Try our Salmon Marinade.
No, leaving the skin on makes the salmon easier to grill and adds extra flavor. It also keeps the salmon moist.
Make sure your grill grates are hot before placing the salmon. Avoid moving the salmon too early until it has a good sear and releases easily from the grates.
Overcooking is the most likely culprit. Salmon cooks quickly, so be mindful of the cooking time. Additionally, marinating can help keep the fish moist.
Yes, you can! Thaw frozen salmon completely in the refrigerator before grilling. Pat it dry thoroughly before placing it on the grill to avoid sticking. You may need to adjust the cooking time slightly for thicker frozen fillets. Typically we like the flavor of fresh salmon, but there are some high quality brands of frozen salmon.
The options are endless! We recommend our homemade Seafood Seasoning blend. Another idea is the lemon and dill (see this Lemon Salmon recipe). You can also get creative with fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, or fresh herbs like parsley and cilantro. Or add a sauce (see these top sauces for salmon).
Grilled Salmon (Perfectly Seasoned!)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Here’s how to make the absolute best grilled salmon! It’s perfectly tender and flavored with a magic seasoning blend that takes it to new heights. Or, try our Marinated Grilled Salmon with a quick marinade.
Ingredients
- 4 4-ounce salmon fillets, skin on (wild caught if possible)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons Seafood Seasoning*
Instructions
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (375 to 450 degrees).
- Brine the salmon (or go to Marinated Salmon to marinade): While the grill preheats, in a shallow dish mix together 4 cups room temperature water and 3 tablespoons kosher salt. Place the salmon in the water and wait for 15 minutes (this should be about the time it takes to preheat).
- Pat the salmon dry with a clean towel. Rub it generously with oil and sprinkle it with the kosher salt and the seafood seasoning (or simply salt and pepper).
- Grill the salmon skin side up for 3 to 5 minutes (where the flames aren’t directly touching the fish), until grill marks appear and it releases from the grates. Flip and cook another 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon, until flaky and just pink at the thickest portion and the internal temperature is 125 to 130 degrees. (Salmon varies in thickness, so the cook time is different based on each piece of fish.) Allow to rest for a few minutes, then serve.
Notes
*We highly recommend making this homemade seafood seasoning! To make a quick version just for the salmon, mix 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon cumin.
**To marinade the salmon, mix up a simple marinade of soy sauce (or tamari), olive oil, rice vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, and garlic and allow to stand for 30 minutes before grilling. Go to Grilling Marinated Salmon.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: Seafood
- Diet: Gluten Free
You’re tips helped out a bunch I’ve been wondering though how it would do on a George Foreman grill but thanks for the good tips
WOW!!! The BEST salmon I have ever had! Delicious!!
So glad to hear it!
Love all your recipes!
This was the best salmon I’ve grilled in a long time. This is a fantastic and wonderful recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I’m confused. Trying this recipe tonight. Most other recipes say “skin side down first.” You say skin side up twice. Which is better?
Thanks!
We fixed the typo, sorry! We prefer skin-side up first, until you get nice grill marks on the salmon and then flip and cook until done.
Still confused. You grill flesh side down first and then the skin side? Thanks
Start with the salmon “skin side up”, so the flesh is touching the grill! Then flip and finish it fresh side up.
I have grilled salmon plenty of times but never knew about brining it. I tried this for our dinner tonight and WOW! The salmon just melted in our mouths! It was fantastic and my husband said it was better than any salmon he has gotten in restaurants in the past. Thank you!