The Perfect 15-Minute Grilled Salmon

There’s no healthier, easier, or faster summer entrée than a perfect piece of grilled salmon. This 15-minute recipe is a staple in our regular dinner routine, and I’m so excited to share my tips with you today! Serve the moist, tender fish with a simple green salad, rice, and a crusty loaf of bread.

How to Grill Salmon | 1-Minute Video

Simple Grilled Salmon

Aside from pizza and spaghetti, I’d say that this particular grilled salmon recipe is one of the meals that I prepare most frequently for my family.

It’s my easy go-to when I feel like we need something nutritious, but I don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen. Every boy in my house will clean his plate — no questions asked — which is certainly not always the case with other dinners that I serve.

Any mom that’s trying to please a family of 5 opinionated eaters can understand that it’s a true GEM when you find a healthy recipe that appeals to the whole crew!

Grilled Salmon Seasoning

This is the KEY to the perfect piece of grilled fish, my friends! I never prepare our salmon without using my mom’s all-purpose “House Seasoning,” which is just a simple blend of herbs and kosher salt that works like magic in this recipe.

I have provided the instructions to make your own batch of seasoning, which you can use in this grilled salmon recipe, as well as in a variety of other dishes. We use the seasoning blend on chicken, steak, pasta, green salads, pasta salads, roasted vegetables, homemade Tzatziki sauces, and more!

Trust me and make yourself a big batch so that you can continue to enjoy it with grilled salmon and almost everything else that you prepare this season. Once you have a batch of the all-purpose seasoning sitting on your counter, the rest is easy-peasy!

How to Grill Salmon

An easy grilled salmon fillet is ready from start to finish in about 15 minutes!

1. Slice your salmon fillet into individual pieces before grilling. That will make it much easier to flip! I find that sharp kitchen shears work much better than a knife for cutting through the fish skin.
2. Preheat coals for an outdoor charcoal grill, gas grill, or indoor grill pan to medium heat. I find that cooking the salmon over medium heat (about 350°F-400°F) gives it that delicious, charred exterior while keeping the inside moist and tender.
3. Rub the salmon with olive oil, then sprinkle with the seasoning. This will prevent the fish from sticking to the grill, and it helps to create a crispy exterior.
4. Grill the salmon for about 5 minutes per side. The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

Grilled Salmon Temp

While the FDA recommends cooking fish to 145°F, for a flakier, more moist and tender salmon filet, many chefs find that it’s best enjoyed when it’s cooked to medium – 125°F. We don’t usually use a thermometer, but instead look to see that the texture of the fillet flakes easily with a fork and the inside changes from translucent (red or raw) to opaque (pink).

What to Serve with Grilled Salmon

Pair the grilled fish with just about any of your favorite sides. Here are a few options that go well with the seafood supper:

• A loaf of crusty No-Knead Bread, Soft Dinner Rolls, French Baguette or Homemade Focaccia
• Mashed Potatoes, Baked Potatoes or Grilled Potatoes
• 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, or Easy Drop Biscuits
• Macaroni Salad
• Tomato, Cucumber and Onion Salad or Tomato Salad with Basil and Balsamic
• Rice Salad with Corn, Bacon and Pimentos or Rice Pilaf
• Garlic Oven Roasted Broccoli
• Southern Succotash or Fried Corn
• Amish Green Beans with Brown Butter, Southern Style Green Beans or Green Beans with Brown Butter
• Skillet Cornbread or Corn Muffins
• Couscous Salad
• Sauteed Spinach or Sauteed Zucchini
• Wedge Salad, Caesar Salad, Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette or House Salad

Storage

Leftover grilled salmon will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. 

Cooked salmon can also be frozen for 4-6 months, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Thaw cooked salmon in the refrigerator or immersed in cold water. Use cooked, thawed salmon in salads or as a substitution for canned salmon in casseroles, pasta dishes, sandwiches or wraps.

Recipe Variations

• Instead of the all-purpose seasoning blend shown here, you can season the fish with just kosher salt and black pepper, a little bit of garlic powder, blackened seasoning, or a bbq rub.
• Scale the recipe to serve your family, cooking as many salmon fillets as you need. For instance, double the ingredients and cook about 3 pounds of fish. When you have a batch of seasoning prepared, it’s easy to make a larger meal.
• Season the fish with fresh herbs, if available. For instance, instead of dried parsley flakes and dried basil, use minced fresh parsley and fresh basil.
• Use the same ingredients, but bake the salmon in the oven using these instructions.
• Prepare grilled salmon sandwiches by serving the fillets on griddled buns with tartar sauce, lettuce and tomato.

Tips for the Best Grilled Salmon Recipe

• Keep a close eye on the salmon while it cooks, since the total cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your fillet, as well as the temperature of your grill. You’ll know that the fish is done when the flesh flakes easily with a fork. You don’t want to overcook it or the salmon will become dry.
• While the FDA recommends cooking fish to 145°F, for a flakier, more moist and tender salmon filet, many chefs find that it’s best enjoyed when it’s cooked to medium – 125°F. We don’t usually use a thermometer, but instead look to see that the texture of the fillet flakes easily with a fork and the inside changes from translucent (red or raw) to opaque (pink).
• Grilling the salmon over medium heat (about 350°F-400°F) gives it that delicious, charred exterior while keeping the inside moist and tender.
• Leave the skin on the salmon when grilling. This adds flavor and moisture, and helps hold the fillets together. It will peel off easily before serving.

More Easy Salmon Recipes to Try

• 4-Ingredient Brown Sugar Dijon Roasted Salmon
• Baked Salmon Fillet
• 4-Ingredient Baked Salmon
• Garlic & Herb Salmon Marinade
• Easy Salmon Patties
• 5-Ingredient Blackened Salmon

This post was originally published in May, 2018. The photos were updated in September, 2021.

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