Simple Grilled Salmon fillets. The buttery flavor of salmon shines when flavored with butter and dill, this is an incredibly easy Summer grilled salmon dinner recipe.
This recipe was first published July of 2013 and updated August 2021 with step by step photos and instructions.
Serving salmon topped with lemon, dill and butter is a classic combination. Where ever butter goes, it brings a richness to any food it hangs out with. And dill brings a fresh citrusy grassy layer of flavor that just works so well with salmon.
This combination is most certainly Summer on a plate. I like to serve this meal with a Creamy Cucumber Salad and simple grilled vegetables. You’ll find instructions for the grilled vegetables below.
For dessert? there’s nothing better than Peach and Blueberry Cobbler. Topped with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. Out-of-this-world.
Now that we’ve got this easy summer menu planned, let’s talk about this simple grilled salmon recipe that is simply perfect for dinner on the patio.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Salmon Fillet: A nice fillet of salmon. About 1/2 pound per person. King, coho, sockeye or Copper River are types of salmon choices.
- Garlic Salt
- Butter: Unsalted. Professionally I use unsalted butter so that I can control the amount of salt in any dish. I recommend that you do too.
- Fresh Dill. Dill is very easy to grow, using fresh is recommended. The baby dill purchased in the plastic packages in the grocery store, I find to be almost flavorless. Or purchase dill at your local farmer’s market.
- Lemon
- Step 1: Bring the butter to room temperature. Chop the fresh dill as small as you can.
- Step 2: In a small bowl, and using a fork, mix the softened butter with the fresh dill until well combined.
- Step 3: Prepare a charcoal grill, or heat your gas grill to 500 degrees. Clean and oil the grates of the grill. I also like to brush the top of the salmon fillets with olive oil. Season fillets with garlic salt, salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Sprinkle some of the fresh dill on top if you’d like. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees and place the salmon skin side down on the sizzling grates. Keep the lid down, checking on the salmon every few minutes.
What Temperature is Grilled Salmon Done?
- Cook 15-20 minutes without turning. Check doneness after 15 minutes by pressing on the top of the salmon with a fork. Once the salmon separates easily, then it’s done.
- If you’d like to test the salmon temperature with a meat thermometer, it should be cooked to 145 degrees.
- PRO TIP if you start see albumin seeping out of the flakes of fish, that means the salmon is done. Albumin is the white protein that exists in the raw salmon fillet. When the salmon starts to cook, the albumin becomes semi-solid and turns white. It’s also an indicator that the salmon is cooked.
Why Grill Salmon With The Skin Down?
Grilling salmon is actually very easy. But do you leave the skin on? Yes! When you grill salmon, keep that skin on.
It provides a safety layer between the flesh and the hot grill. And it makes it much easier to slide a spatula under the salmon skin to remove once its cooked. Easy!
Do You Have To Flip Salmon On The Grill?
You can, but you don’t have to. And I don’t. Again, the skin acts as a barrier between the heat and the flesh of the salmon. I simply cook the salmon skin side down keeping the lid of the grill closed.
If you want those beautiful grill marks, flip the salmon the last couple of minutes of cooking. If your grill is well seasoned, the salmon shouldn’t stick to the grates.
For The Grilled Vegetables
Fresh grilled vegetables are a beautiful side for this simple grilled salmon recipe. Here’s what I did.
- Slice zucchini and summer squash about a quarter of an inch thick. Slice them on an angle.
- Clean and trimmed green onions.
- Thick sliced some red onion.
- Half a few mini bell peppers.
- In a large bowl, toss them all with some olive oil. Season them lightly with salt and pepper and let the smoky flavors from grill do the rest.
- Put them on the grill at the same time as the salmon. Carefully turn them several times, watched them closely so they didn’t burn and make sure you have some lovely grill marks. Easy!
To Serve
To Serve: Place cooked salmon fillets on a plate and immediately place a generous dollop of the dill butter on top. Scatter some of the grilled vegetables around the grilled salmon and dig in.
Recipe for Simple Grilled Salmon with Dill Butter
I hope you give this simple grilled salmon dinner recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating, and leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.
And if you have a favorite easy grilled salmon recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
More Easy Salmon Fillet Recipes
- Peach Jam Glazed Salmon
- Lemon Lime Salmon with Lemon Butter
- Maple Mustard Glazed Salmon
- Spice Rubbed Salmon with Cilantro Lime Butter
- Grilled Teriyaki Salmon
- Crispy Seared Salmon with Spring White Bean Ragout
And if you’re looking for more seafood recipes, don’t miss my Seafood Category, nor the most popular recipe Heavenly Halibut.
Simple Grilled Salmon Fillets with Dill Butter
Ingredients
- 2 Salmon Fillets 1/2 pound per person
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons butter room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon fresh dill chopped
Instructions
- Bring butter to room temperature. In a small bowl, combine softened butter with dill.
- Spray grill with cooking spray or rub the grates with oil.
- Light grill and preheat to 500 degrees and then turn down to 350
- Season fillets with onion powder, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. And coarse ground fresh cracked pepper is good here.
- Place fillets on hot grill, skin side down. Cook 20 minutes without turning. Check doneness after 15 minutes by pressing on the top of the salmon with a fork. Once the salmon separates easily, then it's done.
- Transfer the salmon to plates and top with a healthy dollop of the dill butter.
- Grilled vegetables are a simple side for this grilled salmon dinner.
Notes
- Cook 15-20 minutes without turning. Check doneness after 15 minutes by pressing on the top of the salmon with a fork. Once the salmon separates easily, then it’s done.
- If you’d like to test the salmon temperature with a meat thermometer, it should be cooked to 145 degrees.
- PRO TIP if you start see albumin seeping out of the flakes of fish, that means the salmon is done. Albumin is the white protein that exists in the raw salmon fillet. When the salmon starts to cook, the albumin becomes semi-solid and turns white.
- Slice zucchini and summer squash about a quarter of an inch thick. Slice them on an angle.
- Clean and trimmed green onions.
- Thick sliced some red onion.
- Half a few mini bell peppers.
- In a large bowl, toss them all with some olive oil. Season them lightly with salt and pepper and let the smoky flavors from grill do the rest.
- Put them on the grill at the same time as the salmon. Carefully turn them several times, watched them closely so they didn’t burn and make sure you have some lovely grill marks. Easy!
Nutrition
Simple Grilled Salmon …It’s What’s for Dinner
