My husband and I first discovered wild sockeye salmon during a trip we took to Seattle years back when we were dating. Our vacation just so happened to take place in May, right as the wild sockeye season was in full swing.
The difference between wild and farmed salmon:
On the color side, wild salmon has a darker red color over farmed salmon. When you taste wild salmon has a deeper flavor than farmed salmon and nutrition-wise farmed salmon has similar nutritional benefits but is typically fattier.
To our delight, we dined on the most flavorful, rich and tender salmon of our lives. The recipe I’m sharing with you today brings back so many great memories of Seattle.
No sockeye salmon available? No worries – this recipe works well with any type of salmon or fish. When possible, always purchase wild salmon but don’t skip the fatty fish if it’s not available. In fact, studies show that the health benefits of wild salmon outweigh the potential risks of purchasing farm-raised salmon.
What pairs well with grilled salmon:
Your fork is waiting.
📖 Recipe
Grilled Salmon with Lemon Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
- 20 oz salmon cut in 3-4 oz filets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 zest and juice of lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat a grill (or grill pan) on high heat.
- Season flesh side of the salmon with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- When grill is hot, spray with non-stick grilling spray.
- Place salmon on the grill and cook about 5-6 minutes per side until you reach your desired level of doneness. (I like mine a little pink, especially when it's high quality sockeye.)
- While fish is cooking, whisk together olive oil, garlic, lemon juice/zest, parsley, salt and pepper.
- Drizzle sauce over the fish before serving.
Chef's Notes
Can you use halibut with this sauce as well?
Yes!Nutrition
Want more HOT grilled meal ideas? Check out my Pinterest board!
JB
Excellent recipe. I did what another commenter mentioned – using some of the sauce before grilling and the rest after. It was great.
Liz DellaCroce
Great idea!
Sabung Ayam Online
I love Salmon, it is so tasty, thanks
SeaFooD Recipes
Hi thanks for this. I like to grill my salmon, & most fish, on a bed of sliced lemons to add flavour & stop it sticking to the grill.
Liz DellaCroce
Oh that’s a great idea!
Annie Dale
I have be searching and searching for a salmon recipe that doesn’t have soy or teryaki. I have also tried other that don’t include them, but also disappointed. This is the freshest recipe ever. This recipe was nirvana , for my husbank and myself. Fresh not overpowering the fish. Thank you so much, my search has ended.
Liz DellaCroce
I’m so glad you loved it Annie!!!
Loretta Carlson
Can you use halibut with this sauce as well?
Liz DellaCroce
Absolutely!!
Susan
Just finished a yummy dinner starring this grilled salmon. So simple, with brightness from the lemon and parsley. I opted to use half the sauce as a marinade before grilling, and drizzled on the balance before serving. This will become one of my go-to salmon recipes.
Liz DellaCroce
Oh I’m so glad you enjoyed it Susan! Thanks for letting me know!!
Shelah
I love salmon! Alaska has fresh, wild salmon (all 4 kinds).. :) Will be making this for dinner tonight. Thanks for sharing!
Liz DellaCroce
I’m so jealous of Alaska’s salmon!
Breanna
Made this the other night and LOVED it! Also, the sauce has become my go to salad dressing, so easy!
Vicky
This recipe sounds delicious! I have recently started buying wild sockeye salmon instead of Atlantic farm raised and I definitely like it more (though it is more expensive)
The Lemon Bowl
I totally agree!! Sadly, it’s only available certain times of the year around here. I want to look into getting it frozen…