Easy Grilled Salmon
The easiest grilled salmon recipe with a delicious lemon caper sauce. A healthy 10-minute recipe perfect for lunch or dinner served with salad.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Salmon. This recipe will work with any firm fish like Monkfish, Halibut or Yellowtail.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- Fresh lemon juice and zest.
- Parsley.
- Oregano.
- Salt and black pepper. Other spices like smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder or cayenne pepper can all be added.
How to grill salmon
- Marinate the salmon: Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Place the salmon fillets in a suitable marinating dish or Ziploc bag. Pour over the marinade and allow to marinate while you heat the grill. The salmon can also be left to marinate for up to 2 hours in the fridge.
- Get grilling: Preheat an outdoor grill/braai/barbecue on its hottest setting for 5 minutes. Cooking salmon over high heat will ensure crisp skin and flesh that is perfectly juicy and tender. You could do this in a grilling pan over high heat on the stove too. Fold up a few sheets of paper towels then dip into oil and with tongs, rub onto the grill grates. Place salmon skin-side down on the grill. Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes or until the skin is golden and crisp. If the salmon is sticking, allow it to cook a little longer. As soon as it is ready to flip, it will release. The salmon is cooked when the flesh flakes easily or the internal temperature reaches 145°F/65°C on a meat thermometer. Gently flip over and cook for another minute or two then remove from the heat and allow to rest. Serve with your favourite side dishes.
How long to marinate salmon
Fish tends to marinade very quickly. I would suggest allowing salmon to marinade for at least 20 minutes but no more than 2 hours in the fridge.
Can I make this ahead?
The salmon can be marinated or up to 2 hours before cooking. Any leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Serving Suggestions
Grilled salmon filets are fantastic served with a variety of side dishes. We love it with potato salad and vegetables like broccoli and grilled zucchini and corn salad with basil. It’s also great with Air Fryer French Fries or on top of a big Greek salad.
Salmon recipes
Servings: 2
Calories: 381kcal
Ingredients
- 400 g (14oz) salmon fillets I prefer using skin-on salmon. Ask your fishmonger to remove any bones.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp parsley finely chopped
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Lemon-Caper sauce
- ½ cup capers chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon zest + juice
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tsp chives chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Place the salmon fillets in a suitable marinating dish or Ziploc bag. Pour over the marinade and allow to marinate while you heat the grill. The salmon can also be left to marinate for up to 2 hours in the fridge.
- Preheat an outdoor grill/braai/barbecue on its hottest setting for 5 minutes.
- Fold up a few sheets of paper towels then dip into oil and with tongs, rub onto the grill grates.
- Remove the salmon from the marinade and place skin-side down on the grill. Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes or until the skin is golden and crisp.
- Gently flip over and cook for another minute or two then remove from the heat and allow to rest.
- To make the sauce, Combine chopped capers, lemon juice and zest, garlic and herbs in a bowl and add a few tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper then serve with the grilled salmon.
Nutrition
Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 2465mg | Potassium: 1055mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 309IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Hi Ali, You got me on this one as two of my favourites are salmon and lemon and wouldn’t you know it I happen to get the salmon out of the freezer this morning, so it will be on the table tonight. Can’t wait.
🙂
simple quick and delicious. thank you!
Delicious!!! Easy to make!!
Thanks Dorothy!