Grilled Salmon in Foil

Here’s how to make grilled salmon in foil: the easiest way to grill salmon! These tips make a perfectly moist and seasoned fillet.

Want to know the easiest, no-fail way to grill salmon? Make Grilled Salmon in Foil! We love a good crispy-on-the-outside charred fish, so we were a little skeptical at first. But this method results in one delightfully moist, perfectly seasoned fillet of salmon! It tastes completely irresistible, and the best part? It could not be easier. No nervously flipping the fish and worrying about sticking to the grill grates. Place it right in the foil and go!

How to grill salmon in foil: some tips!

All you need to know for this one: what grill temperature for salmon, and how long to grill salmon in foil? 6 minutes with the foil closed, then 1 to 5 minutes with the foil open. Here are the pointers, or jump to the recipe below for all the specifics:

Preheat the grill to medium high: that’s 375 to 450 degrees.
Place the salmon on foil. Brush it with olive oil and season it (more on that below). Close the packet and seal it up.
Grill 6 minutes with the foil packet closed. Then open the foil packet and grill 1 to 5 more minutes with the foil open, until the salmon is tender and pink or the internal temperature reads 125 to 130F at the thickest part.

That’s it! Spritz the salmon with lemon and serve. No flipping, no babying required.

What to expect from grilled salmon in foil (vs on the grates)

Making grilled salmon in foil is by far the easiest method for grilling fish out there. There are a few tradeoffs with Classic Grilled Salmon, where you grill the fish right on the grates. Here’s what to expect:

Classic grilled salmon comes out with a crispy top and charred flavor. If you love a crispy top to your salmon, you’ll want to use this method instead. Cook it right on the grill grates, then flip and finish cooking.
Grilled salmon in foil comes out perfectly moist. The top does not crisp up here, and you won’t get as much charred grill flavor because the foil acts as a barrier. But this method is extremely easy and the fish comes out incredibly tender and delicious!

The difference is almost like the difference between a pan seared salmon and a poached salmon. Cooking in foil makes things moist instead of crispy, but it’s incredibly easy. You’ll see the same interplay between our crispy grilled potatoes vs grilled potatoes in foil, or this charred grilled corn vs grilled corn in foil.

Best ways to season grilled salmon

There are so many ways to season salmon! This recipe has a basic seasoning but it’s incredibly delicious and perfectly salted. Here are a few pointers to note about seasoning salmon:

Use ½ teaspoon kosher salt for every 1 pound salmon. Use a little less if you’re using a seasoning blend with added salt.
Garlic powder, onion powder and cumin add just a hint of complexity (see below).
Spritzing with lemon is a must! You can also top with fresh chopped herbs.
Or, try our Magic Seafood Seasoning. This Salmon Seasoning has incredible flavor, and you can mix up a big batch in advance.

Grill the lemon wedges if you’d like

Want to step up this recipe a bit? It’s not necessary, but we also grilled the lemon wedges right along with the salmon! It doesn’t change the flavor too much, but the charred look on the lemon wedges does add a little bit of fun to the recipe.

That’s it! All you need to know about grilled salmon in foil. We hope you love it: let us know what you think in the comments below!

What to serve with grilled salmon in foil

There are so many great sides to pair with grilled salmon in foil: and since your grill is fired up, why not use it too? Here are a few of our top grilled sides and a few more salad options for a perfect summer dinner:

Corn: Grilled Corn on the Cob or Grilled Corn in Foil are classic
Zucchini, Tomatoes or Mushrooms: try Grilled Zucchini, Grilled Tomatoes or Grilled Mushrooms
Broccoli or Asparagus: opt for Grilled Broccoli or Grilled Asparagus
Potatoes: try Grilled Sweet Potatoes or Perfect Grilled Potatoes
Salads: mix up a batch of Classic Three Bean Salad, Watermelon Salad with Mint, Easy Tortellini Salad, Elote Salad or Quick Black Bean and Corn Salad

More grilled fish recipes

The grill is perfect for seafood in the summer! Here are some top-rated grilled fish recipes:

Make up a delicious fillet of Perfect Grilled Tilapia
Opt for zesty Grilled Fish Tacos
Try classic Perfect Grilled Shrimp or Cajun Grilled Shrimp
Make Shrimp Skewers (and use them on a Grilled Shrimp Salad)
Make quick and simple Grilled Tuna Steaks

This recipe is…

Gluten-free, dairy-free and pescatarian.