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The Best Grilled Salmon

Grilled salmon with crispy skin and tender, flaky flesh using a quick olive-oil, lemon, garlic, and Dijon marinade. Medium-high heat grilling with an undisturbed first side creates strong grill marks and reliable doneness.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
marinating 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salmon marinade
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 garlic minced
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.5 salt to taste
  • 0.5 pepper to taste
Salmon
  • 4 salmon fillets 6 oz each, skin-on
Serving
  • 0.25 fresh dill for serving
  • 0.5 lemon wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the marinade
  1. In a bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until combined and smooth.
  2. Brush the marinade over the salmon fillets so the skin is evenly coated.
Marinate
  1. Let the salmon sit for 15 minutes at room temperature while the grill preheats.
Grill the salmon
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates well to prevent sticking.
  2. Place the salmon skin-side down on the grill, laying fillets flat with space between them.
  3. Grill for 6-8 minutes skin-side down without moving, until the skin is crisp with visible grill marks.
  4. Carefully flip the salmon and grill for 2-3 minutes, until cooked to your desired doneness and the flesh flakes easily.
Serve
  1. Transfer salmon to plates and serve immediately with fresh dill and lemon wedges.

Notes

For the crispiest skin, keep the salmon skin-side down and resist flipping during the first 6-8 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid drying out. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. For a lower-sodium option, use reduced-salt Dijon and reduce added salt to taste.