Easy Foil Packed Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Herbs is a super simple, easy recipe that packs an amazing amount of flavor. It's fast too: make enough salmon to feed 4 to 6 people in less than 30 minutes!
As a Pacific Northwest girl to the core, I have had a long love affair with salmon.
King (Chinook) Salmon. Sockeye Salmon. Coho Salmon.
Gimme ALLLLL the salmon, and I am a happy, happy Oregon girl.
Many people have told me that they don't cook a lot of salmon at home because they aren't sure how to cook it. Yet salmon is one of the easiest fishes to cook with, in my opinion.
Salmon is an extremely versatile pink fish. It can be paired with a variety of different flavor profiles, and cooked in many ways. It is delicious whether you grill, air fry, roast, bake, slow cook, or pan fry it.
Today, I'm sharing one of my favorite ways to cook salmon: on the grill, in foil.
This recipe is one that home cooks who have never attempted to cook salmon before can easily make. And it's also a recipe that experienced salmon aficionados can make and enjoy.
How to grill salmon in foil
Grilling fish in foil packets creates a full infusion of flavor into the fish. And, it makes clean up a breeze!
The foil helps seal in the seasonings, citrus, and herbs throughout the salmon, making it even more flavorful and tender.
- Heat grill to medium heat. Salt and pepper both sides of the salmon.
- Place salmon onto a large sheet of aluminum foil that is large enough to wrap around the salmon. Bring the sides of the foil up to create a barrier so that the next few ingredients won't spill out.
- Slowly pour melted butter evenly over the salmon. Sprinkle minced garlic and chopped dill evenly over salmon. Place lemon slices over the salmon.
- Fold up foil edges and corners gently around the salmon. You don't want to pack it in tightly - just lightly so that the entire salmon is covered but has a little bit of breathing room between the meat and the foil.
- Grill at medium heat for about 15-18 minutes. The salmon should just be cooked through, so feel free to check on it at about the 13-14 minute mark by carefully pulling back an edge of the foil.
Safety tip
Never stick your face right over the foil packet when you open it, because HOT steam will be released! To check on doneness, carefully use tongs to slowly peel one side open and then the other, keeping your face at a safe distance.
Salmon FAQs
Yes! Salmon is an amazing, delicious source of so many beneficial vitamins and minerals. It's a fantastic protein source, and is high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon is also an excellent source of Vitamin B, potassium, and selenium.
I used dill for the recipe, but you can easily use basil. You can also tarragon or rosemary. However, both are heartier, richer herbs, so I suggest using less tarragon or rosemary if you go with those instead of dill, which is more delicate.
Yes! Especially when grilled or seared, salmon skin can be so flavorful, crispy, and full of extra nutrients.
Atlantic salmon is farm-raised while Pacific salmon is wild-caught. Being a Pacific Northwest girl, I have a strong preference for wild salmon. I find that it has a lot more flavor than Atlantic salmon. On the other hand, Pacific salmon is seasonal, whereas Atlantic salmon, because it's farm-raised, is available year-round.
There are five main types of Pacific salmon: Chinook salmon (also known as king salmon), coho salmon, sockeye salmon, chum, and pink salmon.
How to bake salmon
If you've already put the grill away for the season, you can still enjoy this dish by baking it in your oven.
The ingredients and most of the cooking instructions are the same. The main difference is that you will place the foil-wrapped salmon onto a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 15-17 minutes.
Wine that pairs well with salmon
Depending on how it's prepared and the flavors you add to it, salmon can be paired with a variety of different wines. I've even paired a deliciously decadent salmon pasta with an Oregon Pinot Noir.
For this lighter, brighter Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Herbs dish, try pairing a stainless steel Chardonnay or a Pinot Gris. Look for a fresh and lively white wine, with light citrus notes that bring out the lemon and herbs in the salmon.
Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Herbs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds salmon Chinook, Coho, and event Atlantic salmon all work well
- salt & pepper
- 4 Tablespoons butter ½ stick, melted
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 thinly sliced large lemon
- 3 Tablespoons finely chopped dill de-stemmed
Instructions
- Heat grill to medium heat.
- Salt and pepper both sides of the salmon.
- Place salmon onto a large sheet of aluminum foil that is large enough to wrap around the salmon.
- Bring the sides of the foil up to create a barrier so that the next few ingredients won't spill out.
- Slowly pour melted butter evenly over the salmon.
- Sprinkle minced garlic and chopped dill evenly over salmon.
- Place lemon slices over the salmon.
- Fold up foil edges and corners gently around the salmon. You don't want to pack it in tightly - just lightly so that the entire salmon is covered but has a little bit of breathing room between the meat and the foil.
- Grill at medium heat for about 15-18 minutes. The salmon should just be cooked through, so feel free to check on it at about the 13-14 minute mark by carefully pulling back an edge of the foil. Don't stick your face right over it though, because HOT steam will be released! Just peek at it to see if it's just cooked through.
Notes
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Denay DeGuzman says
Mmmm...your grilled salmon with lemon and herbs looks so incredibly delicious! We're getting together with friends this weekend and firing up the BBQ. I'd love to give your wonderful recipe a try. :-)
lindsay says
I love all things salmon, and that salmon recipe looks super yummy! I'm definitely going to try it. Great recipe😊
Melissa Chee says
This looks super delicious!!! :)
Catherine @ Ten Thousand Hour Mama says
I'm with you—I love salmon! One of the things I most love about it is how simple it is to cook. All you need is lemon, salt and pepper, plus a bit of fresh herbs—and you have a stunning meal. Yum!
Alicia Taylor says
I love Salmon! It's actually what I was planning on having for dinner tonight. I haven't ever had a Pinot Gris. Wine is always a great finisher with salmon.
Meg says
This looks so good! I am going to get my salmon share (CSF) in early September and I will be giving this recipe a try. Normally I cook my salmon in parchment in the oven, but I really want to try it on the grill. Thanks for the inspiration!
Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh says
As a girl from the gulf coast of Florida, I'm not a salmon fan. :-/ My husband and girls love it though!
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
Oh, I'm with you! All the salmon! I love grilling salmon and we do eat a lot of it. Look forward to trying your recipe!
Mira says
It looks so tender! Salmon is definitely our go to fish around here, I'll have to try this
Cait Weingartner says
I'm with you, Salmon is my favorite fish! This recipe looks amazing and has given me a serous craving for a delicious salmon dinner tonight!
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says
Salmon and dill is such an GREAT pairing. We love salmon, and eat it all the time. This is such and easy and delicious recipe...perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Wine....well that is a must with a great dinner like this.
Veena Azmanov says
Salmon dill and lemon - now there's a combination you can never go wrong with. Just made for each other flavors..Love that you grilled it. Sounds perfect
Noel says
I was looking at salmon at the grocery this week. My husband doesn't care for it ... but I love it. I'll pick some up next week and try this recipe. Why? ...because now I'm really craving it and the heck if he doesn't like it. More for me!
Christine - Jar Of Lemons says
Always love grilled salmon for dinner! This recipe looks SO delicious. Saving for later!
Mama Munchkin says
This looks delicious. I just found out my cholesterol is high and one of the recommendations was the Mediterranean Diet which of course is full of salmon. I will definitely be trying this recipe out :)
Swathi says
Delicious I cook salmon as curry or fry never grilled it. I think grilling with lemon and herbs will enhance the flavor more. Love this simple recipe. Fish and Pinto Noir goes well.
Sheila says
I love this. I am a huge fan of salmon and this recipe blew me away. It was so delicious that I shared this post with all my mommy friends.
Grill Trip says
Fantastic recipe, turned out delicious. It serves very well with rice. I believe I used salmon steaks that were larger than 5 oz, per steak, so there was a longer cooking time.
Juilan@topleafkratom.com says
Very delicious recipe and no doubt about it. The Mixture of salmon dill and lemon are the perfect combination and already I have tried it by myself. I hope that next time it would be better getting help from here for sure. Thanks a lot
Edward Felici @ Foodaciously says
Great article, Had to come back here and leave a comment because this technique to cook salmon is amazing!
If I may, I would suggest to completely wrap the salmon so to keep all the juices from evaporating and leaving you with the most tender and flavourful result! Both ways are going to give a great result but I found this latter to make the 'meat' softer.
Thanks a lot for sharing this!