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Grilled Salmon Recipe
4.4 from 201 votes

Grilled Salmon Recipe

This grilled salmon recipe uses a simple dry rub of garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and optional cayenne pepper to season a skin-on fillet, brushed with avocado oil before grilling. The salmon is cooked skin-side down over a medium-high grill until the skin crisps and the fish is cooked through. Accompanied by a grilled zucchini tomato salsa with jalapeño, mint, and a lime dressing, the dish offers a balance of smoky, spicy, and fresh flavors suitable for a main course.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 407 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Grilled Salmon:
  • 1½ pounds salmon fillet skin-on
  • 2 Tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/8 to ¼ tsp cayenne pepper optional
  • 1/2 tsp salt sea salt
Grilled Zucchini Tomato Salsa
  • 1 zucchini grilled and chopped, medium
  • 1 yellow squash grilled and chopped, medium
  • 1½ cups cherry tomato halved or quartered
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and chopped
  • 1 clove garlic minced, large
  • 1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
  • 4 leaves mint finely chopped, large
  • 3 Tbsp lime juice
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp pure maple syrup optional
  • salt sea salt

Instructions

Prepare the Salmon:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Brush the grill with a wire brush to remove any food particles. Spray the grill liberally with cooking oil. For a gas grill, preheat the grill to medium-high (400 to 450 degrees F). Note: if using a charcoal grill, heat the grills in a chimney for 15-20 minutes ahead of time, until many of the coals are white.
  2. Mix together the seasoning and salt in a small bowl until well-combined. Drizzle the fish with avocado oil and use your hands to gently coat the full surface of the flesh. Sprinkle the seasoning blend over the fish. NOTE: If you're performing this step ahead of time, store salmon in a seal-able container or plastic bag in the refrigerator until you're ready to grill.
  3. Place the salmon fillet on the hottest part of the grill skin-side down. Ensure the fish is sitting parallel to the grill grates rather than perpendicular. This helps simplify the flipping process.
  4. Cover the grill with the lid. Cook for 3 to 6 minutes, or until the skin is very crispy and fish is opaque. Carefully flip and cook an additional 2 to 4 minutes, or until salmon reaches your desired done-ness. Salmon is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the fish to get an accurate temperature read. For medium-rare salmon, cook about 2 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees F in the center. Adjust the grill time up for salmon fillets that are thicker than 1 inch.
  5. Transfer salmon to a serving platter and serve with grilled zucchini salsa!
Prepare the Salsa:
  1. Grill the zucchini and yellow squash while you're grilling the fish. To do so, cut the zucchini into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick rounds, lightly coat with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  2. Place zucchini on the grill and cook until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip and cook on the other side until grill marks appear, another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and chop when cool enough to handle.
  3. Transfer the chopped grilled zucchini and yellow squash to a mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients for the salsa and toss until well-combined.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1of 4 Calories 407kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 1g (0%) Protein 31g (62%) Fat 29g (45%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 407

% Daily Value*

Serving 1of 4
Calories 407kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 1g 0%
Protein 31g 62%
Fat 29g 45%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.