Grilled Salmon with Lemon Dill Seasoning
On September 10, 2019 (Updated May 10, 2024)
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Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Dill Seasoning is a fresh and bright way to boost the flavor of your grilled salmon. Just a few ingredients and a hot grill are all you need for the best salmon you’ll ever have!
Grilled Salmon
Salmon is a mild fish with a great amount of flavorful fats. It taste great grilled, and I love creating recipes to complement what is already working in the salmon’s favor. Lemon dill is the perfect salmon pairing because it is light and acidic, which means the flavor of your salmon will be enhanced, not covered up. Once your fish is seasoned well, sticking it on the grill is the perfect way to cook this salmon. It’ll be juicy, delicious, and cook in a flash.
My favorite way to make this seasoning includes using olive oil as a base to combine the spices because it seems to spread the flavor more evenly across the salmon. If you have the time, you can spread on the seasoning and marinate the salmon in a zip top bag for 2-4 hours before grilling. The lemon dill seasoning is ideal for the grill because there are no sugars to burn and stick to the grates during the cooking process.
How to Grill Salmon
It is relative easy to grill salmon. All you need is some well-seasoned salmon, a seasoned grill, and a few times of your time.
- Preheat the grill. Preheat your preferred grill to High heat (400 degrees F) for 2-zone grilling.
- Make the lemon dill seasoning. Combine all ingredients for the seasoning in a small bowl and spread it evenly on the salmon (except for the skin).
- Grill the salmon! Place the salmon fillets on the grill grates on the indirect heat side of the grill. Close the lid and cook for 8 minutes.
- Get some grill marks. Add some fresh squeezed lemon juice over the salmon. For grill marks and added car, flip the salmon over and cook it on the direct heat side of the grill for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the salmon from the grill when the internal temperature reads 145 degrees F. If you do not want additional char, simply cook on the indirect side of the grill for around 2-4 minutes until your meat reaches 145.
- Rest and serve. Remove the salmon from the grill. Allow it to rest for 4-5 minutes before serving with additional lemon slices. Add additional salt to taste.
Tips for Cooking Salmon on the Grill
Here are my top tips to keep in mind when cooking salmon on the grill. By following these, you can guarantee your salmon won’t dry out and it’ll taste amazing when it’s done.
- Start with skin on salmon. This is crucial to achieving the best flavor and most even cook on your salmon while preventing sticking.
- Lightly oil your grates. Oil your grates with vegetable oil prior to grilling if they aren’t already well seasoned. I do this with a paper towel saturated with oil, swiped lightly on the grates.
- Preheat your grill for two zone cooking. This means you have direct heat (burners or charcoal running) on one side of the grill, and no heat, or very low heat on the other side. This allows you to roast your salmon without risk of burning on direct heat. You can also move the salmon to direct heat, if desired, and get nice grill marks on top without overcooking.
- Use a meat thermometer. Most recipes recommend cooking “until salmon is flaky and opaque” but that could mean very overcooked salmon and you often break your beautiful filets apart on the grill while checking for doneness. I use a digital instant read thermometer (like the Thermapen MK4) to track my temperature. FDA recommends 145 degrees F for cooked salmon. If you prefer a medium to medium rare cook, pull the salmon off at 125-130 degrees F.
How Long to Grill Salmon
With your grill preheated to around 400 degrees F, it will take about 10-12 minutes to grill a 1 inch thick, skin-on salmon filet. Remember, you will be using indirect heat to roast the salmon skin side down. If you want grill marks, flip the salmon over onto the direct heat side of the grill for the last 1-2 minutes of grilling.
Don’t forget to use that meat thermometer to keep an eye on your salmon’s internal temperature! You want to grill your salmon until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. As always, cook to temperature and not to time.
More Salmon Recipes
Salmon is one of my all-time favorite fish to make, especially on the grill. If you’re also a big salmon lover, you’ve got to check out more salmon recipes from Hey Grill Hey. Here are a few favorites:
Sweet and Smoky Salmon Seasoning
Cedar Plank Salmon with Mango Salsa
Smoked Maple Glazed Salmon
Grilled Salmon Recipe
Watch the video below and I’ll show you how I make this grilled salmon with lemon dill seasoning at home. I’m here to help you make better BBQ, feed the people you love, and become a backyard BBQ hero. Check out more of my smoking and grilling recipe videos on YouTube, Instagram, or our Facebook Page.
Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Dill
Video
Ingredients
- 4 skin-on salmon filets
Lemon Dill Seasoning
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons dried dill weed
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 lemon zested
Instructions
- Preheat your grill for two-zone heat, meaning the high heat is on one half of the grill and the other half of the grill has no or very low heat. The overall temperature of the grill with the lid closed should be around 400 degrees F.
- Combine all ingredients for the lemon dill seasoning in a bowl and spread on all sides of the salmon filets, except for the skin.
- Place your salmon filets on the indirect heat side of the grill (no flames underneath) and close the lid. Cook for 8 minutes.
- Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the salmon filets. If you want some char and grill marks, at this point, flip the salmon over and cook on the direct heat side of the grill for 2 minutes more, or until the internal temperature reads 145 degrees F. Or leave on the indirect side of the grill, close the lid again, and cook for 2-4 more minutes or until desired temperature is reached.
- Remove the salmon to a serving platter. Rest for 4-5 minutes. Serve with additional lemon slices, if desired. Add additional salt to taste.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
**This post was originally published November 2018. It has since been updated with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.
Good but waaay too salty! Use 1tsp or 1/2tsp instead of 1 tbsp.
WOW! Amazing Salmon. The whole family loved this recipe. We’ll be cooking this again. Great recipe Susie!
Absolutely love this recipe and I am not a fish lover! I only gave it 4 stars because in the written recipe, which I followed, there was WAY to much salt and pepper. When going back and watching the video she says only 2 tsp each of salt and pepper. Definitely going to try that next time. Either way another great recipe Susie!!
Great recipe my wife and I loved it and I totally forgot the salt, but didn’t miss it. Super quick and easy. Will definitely put this on our must make again and again recipes. Thanks
Like other commenters, I would also use much less salt – probably half or less of what the recipe calls. Otherwise, this was delicious! Great flavor, very tender. Served well with a greek yogurt and dill pasta salad.
Also to note – I started with frozen fillets and cooked in the cast iron skillet. Both worked fine.
Excellent! We cooked it inside on stove top in an iron skillet in olive oil. Good to the last bite. Still thinking about it!
Thanks for sharing… it’s a keeper!
Incredibly easy and delicious!
Loved the dill with the salmon…next time I would use much less salt. I halved the recipe for 3 salmon portions. Would probably be plenty for 4 pieces. Will make again thanks!
Great recipe, and if you are on a low sodium diet, just be a little more generous with the lemon juice and you can totally get by without the salt being added. I found my fillets needed about 2:30 on the direct heat side to reach 140.