Lemon herb grilled salmon topped with lemon juice, fresh parsley, and cilantro. Grilled for 8 minutes for an easy and flavorful salmon recipe, perfect for a quick summer meal.
We have been on a salmon kick this summer! After stocking up with 6 pounds worth from ButcherBox, we usually have it 1-2 times a week. After making this herb grilled salmon multiple times, I finally got around to posting it!
Seafood in the summer is a must for me. We eat it all year round, but in the summer it brings back such good memories. My family has a house in Lewes, Delaware and we grew up going there every weekend. My dad has a boat, so I was immersed with being on the water, fishing, and seafood at a young age.
Living in Austin means that saltwater is about a 4 hour drive away. Luckily there are amazing delivery services like ButcherBox or you can pick some up at your local grocery store. You can also find wild caught seafood in the frozen section at most stores.
You can’t beat fresh, but frozen is cheaper and more convenient for a lot of people. We usually always have our freezer stocked with frozen seafood for quick dinners during the week.
Salmon is one of the healthiest foods you can eat, but I like to make sure we are getting wild caught if we can. Wild caught salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are helpful for your heart and brain health, inflammation, circulation, memory, and blood sugar control.
The kicker is that salmon is packed with all these omega-3 fats because of what they eat! When they’re eating a natural diet in the wild (mackerel, sardines, krill, and other fish), it results in immense amounts of omega-3s. Farmed salmon do not get to eat their natural diet, so their health benefits are not the same.
So if you can, buy wild caught when possible. I also guarantee the taste will be 100x better! I love adding a bunch to our ButcherBox orders – I stock up when they have it on sale!
How to Grill Salmon
With it being 100 degrees here lately, (we have a “cold front” this week – so it’s only in the low 90s 😆) we are cooking with our grill as much as possible. Grilling salmon is so easy and it’s a super quick way to make it. Any kind of grill will work – I used our Traeger, but we have also used the charcoal and gas grill.
Simply heat up your grill to medium-high heat (about 400 degrees Fahrenheit). First, season the salmon. Once the grill is hot, spray the grates with some oil to make sure it doesn’t stick. Then, add the salmon skin side down, cover, and grill for about 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish. The skin helps it not to stick, as it acts as a barrier between the grill and the flesh.
I find there is no need to flip. Therefore, with the lid on, the heat will cook the fish all the way through. Although, if you want to get some char marks on the flesh, you can flip it and grill for another minute, but I don’t find it necessary.
Once the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit (or close to it – the temperature will rise some after you remove them from the heat), it is done! You can also tell when it flakes easily with a fork!
Herb Grilled Salmon
This herb grilled salmon is so easy to make, which has been the name of the game for me recently. There’s no time for 100 ingredients, multiple steps, and hours in the kitchen. Just 5 ingredients and 20-30 minutes depending on what kind of grill you use. Here is what you need:
- Alaskan salmon
- fresh parsley
- fresh cilantro
- lemon juice
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
First, debone your filets. If buying it fresh, I highly suggest asking your fish monger to do it for you. If using frozen, it will already be deboned. Next, light your grill to high heat. While the grill is heating up, mix up the parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
When the grill is hot, add the herbs over the flesh of the salmon. Place on the grill and grill for 6-8 minutes, until salmon can easily be flaked with a fork. Let it rest for a minute and then serve with your favorite sides or store in the fridge for meal prep! I love flaking it and using the leftovers for quick salads during the week.
Best Herbs for Salmon
The beauty of this grilled salmon is you can totally change up the herbs to easily change the flavor profile or substitute one if you don’t have both. Here are the best herbs that go with salmon:
- parsley
- cilantro
- dill
- chives
- rosemary
- mint
- basil
- thyme
What to serve with Herb Grilled Salmon
Here are some of my favorite things to serve with this grilled salmon:
- healthy broccoli salad with honey mustard dressing
- grilled sweet potato fries with parsley tahini
- raw summer corn salad with tomato & avocado
- grilled cabbage steaks
- coconut cilantro lime rice
- air fryer crispy garlic rosemary potatoes – leave off the rosemary if you like!
More Healthy Salmon Recipes
Harissa Salmon Burgers with Harissa Aioli
Meal Prep Salmon and Veggies Bowl
Cranberry Balsamic Roasted Salmon
Meal Prep Smoked Salmon Breakfast Bowl
Herbed Grilled Salmon
ingredients
- 4 filets skin on wild caught Alaskan salmon (about 5 ounces each)
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- fresh lemon wedges, for serving
instructions
- Heat grill to medium-high heat.
- Mix together lemon juice, parsley, cilantro, olive oil, and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Once grill is hot, rub the mixture on the flesh of salmon fillets (skinless side).
- Spray grill grates with oil. Place salmon skin side down directly on grill. Cook for 7-8 minutes until fish is done and can easily be flaked with a fork. Time will depend on how thick your filets are.
- Squeeze with frseh lemon juice, serve with some veggies/carbs, and enjoy!
nutrition
This recipe was previously posted and was updated this year!
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GiGi Eats says
I would be nothing without salmon! NOTHING I tell you! I eat it on the daily. It’s VERY rare that I go a day without it and if I do…. I feel EMPTY and NAKED lol
Kelly says
Haha lucky! It is so good and I need to start eating it more often.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Salmon is a weekly MUST for my brother and I. The best!!
Kelly says
So good right!? I need to start eating it more often.