Perfectly grilled salmon with smoky, charred lemons makes for an unbeatable combination of flavors all enhanced by cooking on the grill.
Why is this Grilled Salmon Recipe the absolute best on the internet?
Grilling is a great way to impart smoky and charred flavors into food, but grilling fish can be tricky because of the delicate nature of the protein and the propensity to stick to the grates. But we’ve got a solution for you! We’ve tested out several different grilling methods, and the secret to perfectly grilled fish every time is to do the majority of the cooking atop some thick sliced lemon slices. This infuses the salmon with the lemon flavor, helps distribute the heat, and combats the fish getting stuck to the grill grates, and (on top of all of that) you get the tastiest grilled lemons to serve alongside your salmon after cooking.
Grilled Salmon Ingredients
You just need a few fresh ingredients to make this simple and flavorful grilled salmon. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 4 salmon filets, 3-4 ounces each
- 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ teaspoons of flaky sea salt
- 4 lemons, sliced into ½ inch thick rounds
Ingredient Modifications
I love a really simple seasoning on salmon (salt with a squeeze of lemon is wonderful!), but you can definitely play with this recipe to add different flavors. Here are some ideas for how you can change things up:
- Add spices – add garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika for a simple rub.
- Top with fresh herbs – once your salmon is finished grilling, top it with fresh herbs like thyme, parsley, dill, or chives.
Supplies Needed to Make this Recipe
- Gas or Charcoal Grill
- Metal Spatula
How to Make Salmon on the Grill
- Preheat the grill. Preheat the grill to medium heat, rub the salmon filets with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Cook on one side. Put the lemon slices directly on the grill and top with the salmon filets, skin-side down. You’ll use about one lemon or 2 large slices per filet. Close the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Flip and cook on the other side. Flip the salmon, sprinkle a little more sea salt on the skin side, close the grill, and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until the salmon has started to turn light pink in color.
- Crisp the skin. Turn the heat up to high and flip the salmon filets skin side-down directly on the grates for 1-2 minutes, until crisp, then carefully remove them from the heat.
- Serve and enjoy! Serve alongside the grilled lemon slices and enjoy!
Grilled Salmon Frequently Asked Questions
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Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets – 3-4 ounces each
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons flaky sea salt
- 4 lemons, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium heat and rub the salmon filets with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Put the lemon slices directly on the grill and top with the salmon filets, skin-side down. You’ll use about or lemon or 2 large slices per filet. Close the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Flip the salmon, sprinkle a little more sea salt on the skin side, close the grill, and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until the salmon has started to turn light pink in color.
- Turn the heat up to high and flip the salmon filets skin side-down directly on the grates for 1-2 minutes, until crisp, then carefully remove them from the heat.
- Serve alongside the charred lemons and enjoy!
Nutrition
