Grilled Salmon with Garlic Butter takes just thirty minutes to prepare and is always a huge hit during the warm summer months! Juicy, flaky salmon fillets are grilled to perfection with a very simple garlicky herb butter. I’ve included plenty of tips and tricks to help you achieve the very best results every single time!
Fire up the grill for more of my favorite salmon recipes like grilled salmon with brown butter citrus sauce and cedar plank grilled salmon.
Table of Contents
This grilled salmon recipe combines two of my favorite types of things: salmon and a super easy dinner! It only takes about 15 minutes to prepare the coals and less than 15 minutes to cook salmon, so this dish falls right into my favorite 30 minute dinner category. It’s a great recipe for when you’re hungry and you want dinner on the table fast.
I have a lot of different methods of cooking salmon that are great, but there’s something special about grilling it. Besides the ease of the process, the smoke infused taste of grilled salmon taste just can’t be beat. When grilled, salmon soaks up that wonderful smokey flavor which enhances the taste of herbs, garlic, butter, and fish itself.
The herb butter really sends this salmon over the top. Butter is enhanced simply with fresh garlic, parsley, and dill weed. It infuses the salmon with garlicky, herbaceous flavor without overpowering the natural flavors of the flaky fish. I love that there are no frills to be found here with these ingredients – just the essentials!
Ingredient Notes
Salmon – Make sure the skin is on, and decide whether you’d like king salmon, sockeye salmon, or Atlantic salmon. They’ll all work well with this easy recipe!
Butter – I like to use salted butter that’s softened to room temperature.
Garlic – Use fresh garlic only! Pre-minced or paste garlic won’t lend the right flavor.
Fresh Herbs – Fresh parsley and dill weed create the very best herbaceous flavor here.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Grilled Salmon
Prepare garlic butter: place cold butter into a small bowl and let it warm up at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Make sure the butter is softened before adding garlic and herbs. Add pressed garlic and minced herbs and mix it all very well (1).
Prepare the grill: Prepare the coals for the grill until ashed over and make sure to clean the grill grate. Set the coals to the lowest level away from the grill grate.
Prepare the salmon: While the grill is preheating, pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel. Season each fillet with salt on all sides and coat each piece with softened herb butter (2).
Start grilling the salmon. Place each salmon fillet on the grill skin side up first. Close the lid and cook salmon for 3-4 minutes before flipping (3).
PRO TIP: Salmon will release once it’s cooked enough, so DO NOT try to mess with it or move it too soon.
Flip and keep cooking. Flip each fillet using a fish spatula, close the grill, and let it cook for another 4-6 minutes. A 1 1/2 – 2 inch salmon fillet will take 8-10 minutes to cook.
Check the temperature. You can also use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the thickest part of the fish. Salmon is done when reaches 145°F. Take it off the grill when it is about 142°F and let it rest to get to temp all the way.
Tips for the Best Grilled Salmon
- Make the butter ahead of time. You can easily prepare herb butter ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator. Let butter soften on the counter first or microwave it for just a few seconds at half the power. The goal it get it soft not melted.
- Don’t add oil. Since salmon is coated in butter, there is no need to add any oil to it. If you just do not trust your grill, you can lightly brush the grill grate with some oil.
- Be patient. Remember not to mess with the fish once you place it on the grill and after you flip it. Fish and other meats naturally release off the grill once it’s 50-60% cooked. So if you try to tug at it or move too soon, it will break apart. So just place on the grill, let it cook, flip, and let it cook again.
- Use a thermometer. If you’re not sure about your salmon being done, use a meat thermometer and remember to take the temperature at the thickest part of the fillet.
How to Reheat Salmon
First of all, salmon doesn’t always need to be reheated! Cold salmon is perfect in a salad or a wrap sandwich, just flake it apart and use it cold.
If you definitely want it hot, there are two methods that I use to reheat salmon. You can reheat it in a pan or in the oven.
To preserve the crispy skin, reheat salmon in the pan. Preheat the pan oven medium heat and place salmon skin side down. Close the lid and let it heat through.
Salmon can also be reheated in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F, loosely wrap each filet in foil, and reheat for about 15 minutes. Reheating salmon in the oven will help keep it more juicy.
Recipe FAQs
Once the salmon has cooled to room temperature, you can store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
There are SO many options. Because the herb butter lends a more subtle flavor to the salmon, you can really have fun with your side dishes! You can stay on the lighter side with something like cucumber salad or Caesar salad. Or, make your plate even heartier with sides like creamy parmesan rice or roasted fingerling potatoes.
YES! It’s always best to leave the skin on the salmon when grilling. It protects the fish from falling apart, makes it juicier because of the fat content, and makes the fish easier get off the grill.
Enjoy More of the Best Salmon Recipes
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Grilled Salmon with Garlic Butter Recipe
Ingredients
Garlic Herb Butter:
- 6 tbsp salted butter softened
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp fresh minced parsley
- 1 tbsp fresh minced dill weed
Salmon:
- 2 lbs salmon fillets with skin on
- salt
Instructions
Garlic Herb Butter:
- Take butter out of the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to soften.
- Add butter to a mixing bowl and add pressed garlic and herbs. You can either use a blender or simply mix it with a fork. Mix it until all ingredients are incorporated throughout the butter.
Grilled Salmon:
- Prepare the coals for the grill until ashed over and make sure to clean the grill grate. Set the coals to the lowest level away from the grill grate.
- Pat salmon fillets dry with a paper towel.
- Season each fillet with salt on all sides. Use most of the butter to coat each piece and set some aside to top off salmon after it is cooked.
- Place each salmon fillet on the grill skin side up first. Close the lid and cook salmon for 3-4 minutes before flipping. Salmon will release once it’s cooked enough so don’t try to mess with it or move it too soon.
- Flip each fillet using a fish spatula, close the grill, and let it cook for another 4-6 minutes. A 1 1/2 – 2 inch salmon fillet will take 8-10 minutes to cook.
- You can also use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the thickest part of the fish. Salmon is done when reaches 145°. Take it off the grill when it is about 142° and let it rest to get to temp all the way.
- Top each piece of salmon with a teaspoon or so of herb butter while still hot.
Video
Notes
- Make sure to use skin-on salmon: It’s always best to leave the skin on the salmon when grilling. It protects the fish from falling apart, makes it juicier because of the fat content, and makes the fish easier get off the grill.
- Be patient! Remember not to mess with the fish once you place it on the grill and after you flip it. Fish and other meats naturally release off the grill once it’s 50-60% cooked. So if you try to tug at it or move too soon, it will break apart. So just place on the grill, let it cook, flip, and let it cook again.
- Reheating: First of all, salmon doesn’t always need to be reheated! Cold salmon is perfect in a salad or a wrap sandwich, just flake it apart and use it cold. If you do want it hot, there are two methods that I use to reheat salmon. You can reheat it in a pan or in the oven.
- To preserve the crispy skin, reheat salmon in the pan. Preheat the pan oven medium heat and place salmon skin side down. Close the lid and let it heat through.
- Salmon can also be reheated in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F, loosely wrap each filet in foil, and reheat for about 15 minutes. Reheating salmon in the oven will help keep it more juicy.
Pam R says
I have made this numerous times – always delicious! A family favorite – even among those who are less than enthusiastic fish eaters…
LyubaB says
I am so pleased you all like it, Pam! Thanks for stopping by to let me know! 🙂
Mojoblogs says
I love that this is so easy to make. Few ingredients yet very delicious. Thank you so much for sharing this 🙂
Kelly says
This is my favorite salmon recipe EVER! My 6-year-old daughter and I gather herbs from our garden and she requested this for her recent birthday dinner she loves it so much. We have baked it in the oven when we don’t have time to fire up the grill and it’s (almost!) just as yummy. Thank you!
LyubaB says
Hi Kelly,
This made my day! I am so glad she likes it so much! Thank you for taking the time to let me know!
Katie says
Can you do this with skinless salmon?
LyubaB says
Hi Katie,
You could use skinless salmon but I would recommend cooking it on a cedar plank to hold it together and stop it from burning or you could make it with the skin on then pull it off once it’s cooked, it will easily come off.
Embeya grill says
I think I will look for these and try your recipe this weekend. Thank you for sharing!
LyubaB says
Hope you like it!