This Marinated Grilled Salmon is a flavor powerhouse that transforms fresh fish into a restaurant-quality meal right in your own backyard. Soaked in a savory-sweet marinade of soy sauce, honey, and lemon, the salmon develops a rich, caramelized glaze as it grills.
With a smoky, charred exterior and a tender, flaky interior, this dish is the ultimate way to enjoy salmon during grilling season.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: A perfect balance of savory umami from soy sauce, sweetness from honey, and brightness from fresh lemon juice, all enhanced by the smoky char of the BBQ.
- Texture: The high heat of the grill creates a crisp, golden exterior while keeping the inside buttery and moist.
- Time: 10 minutes prep, 1-3 hours marinating, 10 minutes cook time.
- Difficulty: Easy. The key is patience with marinating and watching the grill heat.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a ziplock bag for marinating and a small saucepan to reduce the leftover marinade into a sticky glaze. A BBQ grill (gas or charcoal) is essential for that signature smoky flavor. The ingredients are simple pantry staples that come together to create a complex, delicious sauce.
Ingredient Notes
- Salmon Fillets – Use fillets with the skin on. The skin acts as a protective layer during grilling, keeping the fish moist and preventing it from falling apart.
- Soy Sauce – Low sodium soy sauce is recommended to control the saltiness, allowing the other flavors to shine.
- Honey – This adds sweetness and helps the salmon caramelize on the grill, creating those beautiful grill marks.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice adds acidity to balance the rich fish and sweet honey.
- Garlic – Fresh minced garlic provides a punch of aromatic flavor that infuses the fish during marinating.
- Olive Oil – Used in the marinade to keep the fish moist and for cooking to prevent sticking.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Ginger – Fresh grated ginger added to the marinade would give it a fantastic Asian-inspired zest.
- Spice – A pinch of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of Sriracha in the marinade adds a nice kick of heat.
- Citrus – Lime juice or orange juice can be substituted for lemon juice for a different citrus profile.
How to Make Marinated Grilled Salmon
- Marinate: Place the soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, olive oil, and minced garlic in a ziplock bag and mix to combine. Add the salmon fillets and massage gently to coat. Marinate in the fridge for 3 – 24 hours (1 hour minimum for decent flavor).
- Prep for Cooking: Take the salmon out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking to bring it to room temperature. Remove the salmon onto a plate, allowing the excess marinade to drain off (do not discard the marinade!).
- Make the Sauce: Pour the remaining marinade from the bag into a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes until it reduces and becomes syrupy. Pour into a bowl or jug (set some aside for basting and some for serving).
- Preheat BBQ: Brush the BBQ grills with oil. Preheat to medium (or medium-low for strong BBQs).
- Grill Side 1: Drizzle the salmon lightly with oil, then place onto the BBQ flesh side down (skin side up). Cook for 3 minutes or until golden and it releases easily from the grill.
- Flip and Baste: Use tongs to carefully turn the salmon over. Brush the flesh generously with the reduced Sauce, then close the BBQ lid.
- Grill Side 2: Cook for 3 – 4 minutes, basting one more time halfway through. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 50C/120F (medium rare) or 55C/130F (medium).
- Serve: Transfer the salmon to a plate and serve drizzled with the remaining Sauce. Garnish with herbs and lemon slices if desired.
Pro Tip: Don’t throw away the used marinade! Because you boil it for several minutes to reduce it into a syrup, it becomes safe to eat and turns into the most incredible sticky glaze for the finished fish.
Recipe Tips
- Clean Grates: Make sure your grill grates are super clean and well-oiled before adding the fish. This is the #1 way to prevent sticking.
- Flesh Side First: Grilling flesh-side down first gives you those beautiful grill marks. Once you flip to the skin side, the skin protects the meat from overcooking while you glaze it.
- Don’t Overcook: Salmon continues to cook slightly after you take it off the heat. Pull it off when it is just starting to flake to keep it juicy.
FAQs
- Can I bake this instead? Yes, you can bake the marinated salmon at 400°F for 12-15 minutes. You won’t get the smoky char, but the glaze will still be delicious.
- Can I use skinless salmon? You can, but handle it very carefully on the grill as it is more delicate. You might want to use a grill basket or foil.
- How long can I marinate? While 3 hours is great, you can go up to 24 hours. The soy sauce cures the fish slightly, giving it a firmer texture the longer it sits.
Serving Suggestions
- Rice: Serve over jasmine rice or coconut rice to soak up the extra sauce.
- Greens: Grilled asparagus or bok choy makes the perfect vegetable side.
- Salad: A refreshing cucumber salad balances the savory richness of the salmon.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Marinade: You can mix the marinade days in advance and keep it in a jar.
- Marinating: Start the marinating process in the morning so the fish is ready to hit the grill the moment you get home from work.
Marinated Grilled Salmon
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Description
This Marinated Grilled Salmon is a flavor powerhouse that transforms fresh fish into a restaurant-quality meal right in your own backyard. Soaked in a savory-sweet marinade of soy sauce, honey, and lemon, the salmon develops a rich, caramelized glaze as it grills. With a smoky, charred exterior and a tender, flaky interior, this dish is the ultimate way to enjoy seafood during grilling season.
Ingredients
The Salmon
- 4 salmon fillets (approx. 6 oz each), skin-on preferred
- Olive oil (for grilling)
The Marinade & Glaze
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Serving Options
- Fresh parsley, chives, or green onions, finely chopped
- Lemon slices
Instructions
Marinate
In a large zip-top bag, combine the soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, olive oil, and minced garlic. Squish to mix. Add the salmon fillets and massage gently to coat. Seal and refrigerate for 3 to 24 hours (1 hour minimum).
Prep
Remove the salmon from the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking to bring it to room temperature. Remove fillets from the bag, allowing excess marinade to drip off. Do not discard the marinade.
Make the Glaze
Pour the used marinade into a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes until reduced and syrupy. Pour into a small bowl/jug. Reserve half for basting and half for serving.
Preheat BBQ
Brush the grill grates with oil to prevent sticking. Preheat to medium heat (or medium-low for very powerful grills).
Grill Side 1
Drizzle the salmon lightly with oil. Place onto the grill flesh-side down (skin-side up). Cook for 3 minutes or until golden and the fish releases easily from the grates.
Flip and Baste
Carefully flip the salmon over using tongs. Brush the flesh generously with the reduced glaze. Close the grill lid.
Grill Side 2
Cook for 3–4 minutes, basting one more time halfway through. The fish is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 120°F (medium-rare) or 130°F (medium).
Serve
Transfer to a plate. Drizzle with the remaining reserved glaze. Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.
Notes
Safety First: You must boil the used marinade for several minutes to kill any bacteria from the raw fish. Once boiled and reduced, it transforms into a safe, sticky, delicious glaze.
Skin-On is Best: The skin acts as a heat shield. By flipping to the skin side for the second half of cooking, you protect the delicate meat from drying out while the glaze caramelizes.
Clean Grates: The number one reason fish sticks is a dirty grill. Clean your grates well and oil them right before adding the fish.
Oven Option: If you don’t have a grill, bake at 400°F (200°C) for 12–15 minutes. Brush with the reduced glaze halfway through cooking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner / Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American / Asian-Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Fillet
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: grilled salmon marinade, soy honey salmon, bbq fish recipes, healthy summer dinner, glazed salmon, easy seafood recipes, grilled fish
