Grilled salmon fillets are flaky, tender, and full of flavor from a five-ingredient curry sauce. You'll love this simple recipe for backyard cookouts or just getting a delicious dinner on the table during warmer weather. Let me show you how easy it is to whip up!
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my quick curry shrimp, too!
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❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Quick & Easy - This no-marinade grilled salmon recipe comes together in just about 20 minutes! You don't have to be a pitmaster to get great results using my pro tips below. And you probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen already.
Layers of Flavor - I like strong garlicky flavor for salmon, no matter how I cook it, because they just go together so well, don't they? This grilled salmon fillet sauce recipe builds on that with a truly delectable grilling sauce that's bright, smoky, savory, and sweet.
Even as a recipe developer, I sometimes need dinner inspiration STAT. If you're stuck in a rut with your fish dishes, try my baked crispy fish tacos, garlic tomato skillet salmon, salmon pasta with spinach and mushrooms, or Nigerian red stew with salmon next!
What You'll Need for this Recipe
Skin-On Salmon works beautifully here, and you can use pre-portioned fillets, cut up a side of salmon yourself, or cook it as one grilled salmon large fillet. Feel free to use whichever salmon is available to you, including wild-caught, farmed, Sockeye, Atlantic, etc.
Oil is key to preventing the skin from sticking to the grill grates! I recommend avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or another oil with a higher smoke point to prevent a burnt taste and smell.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
From Frozen - You can use previously frozen salmon for this recipe, but for the best results, I recommend fully thawing it before cooking.
Sweetener - Feel free to sweeten your grilling sauce with the liquid option of your choice, including honey, maple syrup, date sweetener, or something zero-sugar like stevia or monk fruit.
Citrus - I use lime juice in the curry sauce, but you can also use another type of citrus, such as sour orange or lemon, for similar zesty flavor.
How to Cook Salmon Fillets on the Grill
- Step 1: Light/preheat the grill and mix up the curry powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, ginger, honey, lime juice, and garlic.
- Step 2: Pat the salmon fillets dry, then sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.
Pro Tip #1
You can make this dish on a charcoal or gas grill or a wood smoker (I originally developed the recipe on my Traeger). On a gas grill, I recommend lighting two-thirds of the burners to medium-high for indirect heat.
- Step 3: Brush oil on the skin side of the fillets. If using salmon without skin, you can skip this step.
- Step 4: Place salmon on the grill skin side down, then spoon the sauce over top, and allow to cook.
Pro Tip #2
How long to grill salmon? The general rule of thumb is to grill fish for 8-10 minutes per inch of thickness. This is the total grilling time, so cook for half this time on one side, then repeat on the other. And use a food thermometer to be sure.
- Step 5: Flip the salmon, then cook a few more minutes.
How to know when salmon is done on the grill?
You can tell salmon is done by pressing on it lightly to see if it flakes. If so, you're good to go. Compared to uncooked salmon, cooked salmon should be opaque rather than slightly translucent, pink rather than a deep coral, and should reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keeps for up to four days.
Yes, you can; however, the texture once thawed will be much softer--like that of smoked salmon. So keep that in mind for how you plan to use it. To freeze, allow the salmon to come to room temperature, then wrap each portion snugly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Keeps for up to three months.
What to Serve with Grilled Salmon
Because the grilled salmon sauce packs so much flavor, it plays well with a variety of side dishes--you almost can't go wrong!
Starchy Sides: Complete your al fresco dinner vibe with some homemade yellow rice, black eyed pea salad, crispy roasted red potatoes, or garlic parm sweet potato fries.
With Vegetables: We love stewed okra and tomatoes, brown butter green beans, or healthy broccoli salad with the dish.
More Favorite Grilling Recipes
Looking for more like this one? Try these:
I hope you'll enjoy this yummy grilled salmon recipe soon and very soon. And sharing is caring, so be sure to pin this easy grilled salmon recipe on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Grilled Curry Salmon Fillets
Equipment
- 1 smoker grill charcoal, gas, or wood
- 1 spoon
- 1 pastry brush optional
- 1 food thermometer optional
Ingredients
- ½ lime
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 pound salmon fillets
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or oil of your choosing
Instructions
- Prep the Ingredients: Preheat smoker to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (if using a gas grill see notes section). Mix lime juice, garlic, honey, curry powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and ground ginger in a bowl until uniform.½ lime, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon curry powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- Season the fleshy side of the salmon with salt and pepper. Flip and brush a thin layer of oil onto the skin side.
- Grill the Fish: Place salmon filets, skin side down on heated grill and spoon curry sauce over top. Cook for about 6-8 minutes or until the salmon easily releases from the grill grates. The flesh of the salmon will start to turn opaque and lighter pink.
- Flip and cook flesh side down for 6 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Jen says
I've been eating so much salmon lately but I have never tried it with curry sauce. The curry sauce added rich delicious flavors to the salmon. I served it with rice and veggies and it was a hit!
Kate says
My salmon turned out perfectly flaky and delicious! I am certainly making this again!
Jessica says
We eat a lot of salmon so I'm always looking for new and exciting ways to mix it up. This was absolutely delicious! Will definitely be adding to the rotation.
Cheryl says
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe. I love salmon and this seasoning combination is amazing. It's too cold to grill outside where I am, but this was perfect in the oven.
Robin says
I eat quite a bit of salmon but surprisingly, I'd never grilled it before trying this recipe - the flavor was a definite game changer!
Crystal says
Stumbled across this salmon recipe because I had a brain fart on what to make for dinner. The garlic curry sauce for this was AMAZING! I doubled up on it because I like to drown my food, but also used it on my rice.
Marta says
I have NEVER had salmon with curry and I'm kind of annoyed I've been missing out. Your instructions helped me make the juiciest, more flavorful salmon I've had in a long time.
Kim says
Salmon is always in rotation at my house and this was a nice shake up from the normal plain grilled salmon I usually make. Loved the curry and garlic flavors. I added just a touch of cinnamon and it was delicious!
Lilly says
Thank you for the great recipe! The salmon cooked perfectly and I loved the flavor of the curry sauce that was spread on the salmon while cooking! It brought the entire dish to life!
Tamara says
Oh my goodness! This curry garlic sauce is so delicious! I could definitely eat it on anything. My family devoured this salmon- so needless to say, I’ll be making it again soon!