This grilled salmon is coated in a flavorful marinade then grilled until golden brown. A super easy dinner option that will earn you rave reviews! This salmon can also be baked, broiled or pan seared.
My grill is one of my favorite cooking devices, I regularly make grilled chicken tenders, steak kabobs and this sweet and savory grilled salmon.
There are so many different ways to prepare salmon – it can be baked, broiled, pan seared, steamed, you name it. In my opinion, the best recipe for this fish is grilled salmon, especially when there’s a flavorful marinade involved!
SALMON INGREDIENTS
This recipe calls for salmon fillets, as well as marinade ingredients including olive oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, lemon zest and herbs.
HOW DO YOU MAKE GRILLED SALMON?
This recipe starts with a simple marinade that includes olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, herbs and spices. Whisk all the ingredients together, then add the salmon to the bowl. The salmon should marinate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours. The salmon can then be removed from the marinade and placed on the grill. Grill your fish until it’s done, then serve with lemon wedges and enjoy.
TIPS FOR GRILLED SALMON
- This marinade can be made up to 3 days before you plan to use it. Simply store the marinade in the fridge until you’re ready to add your salmon.
- You can use the marinade to flavor small salmon fillets, or try marinating a larger side of salmon. If you’re planning to cook a large piece of salmon, I’d recommend cooking it in foil since it will be difficult to flip on the grill.
- I typically grill my salmon outdoors when the weather is nice, and indoors on a non stick grill pan on cold days. Either way will work just fine!
FLAVOR VARIATIONS
This recipe is great as-is, but you can add other flavors to customize the dish to your tastes.
- Herbs: Try swapping out the parsley and thyme for other herbs such as basil, chives or dill.
- Spicy: If you like a little kick to your salmon, feel free to add your favorite hot sauce or red chili flakes to the marinade.
- Garlic Lover’s: Increase the amount of garlic in the recipe to 1 tablespoon.
- Protein: This marinade will also work with other types of seafood including shrimp, halibut and swordfish.
INGREDIENTS
- 6 salmon fillets 4-6 ounces each
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon parsley leaves chopped
- 2 teaspoons thyme leaves chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
INSTRUCTIONS
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Place the olive oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk to combine.
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Reserve 1 tablespoon of the marinade in the refrigerator for later use. Add the garlic to the bowl.
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Add the salmon to the bowl of marinade. Spoon the marinade over the salmon and cover the bowl.
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Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
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Remove the salmon from the marinade and scrape off any excess bits of herbs or garlic (otherwise they could burn on the grill!).
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Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan over medium high heat. If you’re using an outdoor grill, be sure to thoroughly coat your grill grates with vegetable oil.
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Add the salmon fillets and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side or until salmon is opaque throughout.
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Brush the reserved marinade over the salmon fillets, then serve.
NOTES
- This marinade can be made up to 3 days before you plan to use it. Simply store the marinade in the fridge until you’re ready to add your salmon.
- You can use the marinade to flavor small salmon fillets, or try marinating a larger side of salmon. If you’re planning to cook a large piece of salmon, I’d recommend cooking it in foil since it will be difficult to flip on the grill.
