Grilled Lemon Herb Salmon (Printable)

Fresh salmon with lemon herb marinade, grilled with asparagus and tomatoes

# What You’ll Use:

→ Fish & Marinade

01 - 4 salmon fillets, 5.3 oz each, skin-on or skinless
02 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
03 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
04 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
07 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
08 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
09 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Vegetables

11 - 1 bunch asparagus, approximately 14 oz, woody ends trimmed
12 - 8.8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
13 - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
14 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How-To:

01 - In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, parsley, dill, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix until well combined.
02 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and place them in a shallow dish or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the salmon, turning to coat evenly. Marinate for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature.
03 - Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium-high heat, approximately 400 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
04 - While the salmon marinates, toss the asparagus and cherry tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until evenly coated.
05 - Place the asparagus and cherry tomatoes on the grill using a grill basket or aluminum foil if needed. Grill for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until the asparagus is tender and the tomatoes are blistered. Remove and set aside.
06 - Place the salmon fillets on the grill skin-side down if applicable. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
07 - Transfer the grilled salmon to serving plates alongside the asparagus and cherry tomatoes. Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in thirty minutes flat, which means you can pull off weeknight dinners that actually taste impressive.
  • Your kitchen smells incredible while it's cooking—that combination of lemon zest and grilled herbs is genuinely addictive.
  • No complicated techniques or fussy plating, just honest food that happens to be packed with protein and practically gluten-free on its own.
02 -
  • Don't flip the salmon more than once—every time you move it around, you're interrupting the cooking process and inviting it to stick or dry out.
  • The fish keeps cooking even after you pull it off the heat, so take it off when it's just barely opaque in the center; it'll be perfect by the time it reaches the plate.
  • If your grill isn't hot enough when the salmon hits it, you'll steam it instead of sear it, and that's the difference between beautiful golden skin and pale disappointment.
03 -
  • A pinch of chili flakes in the marinade adds a gentle heat that makes the lemon taste even brighter and the herbs more interesting.
  • If you can't find fresh thyme, dried works fine in a pinch—use half the amount since dried herbs are more concentrated—but fresh is worth hunting for.
  • Those last-minute lemon wedges matter more than they should; squeezing fresh juice over the finished dish brings everything back to life.
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