Grilled Salmon With Lemon and Dill Sauce

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/6/21
Grilled Salmon With Lemon and Dill

Annabelle Breakey / Digital Vision / Getty Images
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Marinate: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
825 Calories
58g Fat
1g Carbs
70g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 825
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 58g 74%
Saturated Fat 18g 91%
Cholesterol 250mg 83%
Sodium 153mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 70g
Vitamin C 5mg 26%
Calcium 50mg 4%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 938mg 20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Salmon, lemon, and dill are a classic combination, adding brightness and earthy flavor to this rich-tasting fish. In this recipe, the fish is marinated before being grilled, basted while cooking, and finished with a sauce to complete the dish.

This easy grilled salmon can be prepared with either fillets or steaks. The marinade is a simple mixture of lemon juice and zest, fresh dill, garlic, and vegetable oil and works triple duty as a marinade, basting sauce, and finishing sauce; the mixture is boiled before using as a sauce to be sure there are no contaminants from the raw fish and so it thickens up a bit.

Plan to let the salmon marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours before cooking. A gas grill, charcoal grill, or stovetop grill pan will all work for this recipe. If you don't have fresh dill, you can use dried dill; just reduce the amount to one teaspoon as dried herbs have a much more concentrated flavor than fresh.

This fish dish becomes a fabulous meal when served with steamed broccolini and grilled potatoes in a packet. You can also place the fish and sauce over hot cooked rice.

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Ingredients

  • 4 salmon fillets or steaks

For the Marinade:

  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

  • Juice of 2 lemons, about 1/4 cup

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

  • 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Place the salmon in a shallow, nonreactive dish.

  3. In a bowl, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, vegetable oil, dill, and garlic. Whisk to combine and emulsify.

  4. Pour the marinade over the salmon. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. 

  5. Preheat a grill to medium and lightly oil the grates to prevent the fish from sticking. Remove the salmon, reserving the marinade, and place the fish on the grill.

  6. Pour the marinade into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.

  7. Cook the salmon for about 4 minutes on each side or until the fish flakes easily, basting with the boiled marinade.

  8. To serve, spoon a little sauce on top of each fillet or steak and enjoy.

Tip

When a recipe calls for both citrus zest and juice, it is much easier to zest the fruit before cutting and juicing it. This way, you can hold the lemon, lime, or orange in your hand while zesting, and then cut and squeeze out the juice.

Recipe Variations

  • If you'd rather not grill the fish, you can bake it for 10 minutes or so at 400 F. Skip the basting and just serve the sauce on top of the fish.
  • Add a teaspoon of capers to the sauce after it has boiled.
  • Us chopped shallots in place of the garlic.