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.
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 air fry it like in this Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon recipe, pan sear it like in this Pan Seared Salmon with Almond Basil Pesto recipe, bake it like this Sheet Pan Salmon recipe, or grill it!
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. Have no fear, friends! Salmon is one of the easiest fishes to cook!
🌟 Why this recipe works
- You just need FIVE ingredients to make this restaurant-quality salmon dish.
- 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.
🍋 Ingredient notes
Salmon - You can use any salmon for this recipe. I find wild-caught Pacific salmon to be more flavorful than farmed Atlantic salmon, but you can use whatever salmon you have available to you.
Herbs - I use dill, but you can either or also use basil, oregano, or rosemary.
✅ Step-by-step instructions
Heat your outdoor grill to medium heat.
- 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.
2. Slowly pour melted butter evenly over the salmon.
3. Sprinkle minced garlic and chopped dill evenly over salmon.
4. Place lemon slices over the salmon.
5. 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.
6. 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 tips
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 in the oven
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.
🍽 Serving ideas
This grilled salmon is absolutely delicious with a variety of summer side dishes!
Try serving it with a side of Grilled Asparagus in Foil or Baby Potato Salad with Bacon.
It's also delicious served with Instant Pot Garlic Rice or Summer Slaw.
🥂 Wine pairings for 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, 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.
More seafood recipes
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Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Herbs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds salmon Chinook, Coho, and event Atlantic salmon all work well
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 Tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large lemon, sliced thinly
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh or dried dill
Instructions
- Heat your grill to medium heat. Season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper.
- 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. And leave a small opening at the top.
- Grill at medium heat for about 15-18 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
This recipe was originally published on August 18, 2017. It was updated with all new photos, additional helpful grilling tips and information, and slightly updated recipe and republishd on July 27, 2022.
Edward 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!
Juilan says
Very delicious recipe, no doubt about it. The mixture dill and lemon are the perfect combination with salmon. Thanks!
Steph 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.
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.