Create a stunning seafood dinner in less than 30 minutes with this easy grilled salmon in foil with citrus and herbs.
Disclosure: This recipe was sponsored by Reynolds Wrap®. All opinions are my own.
How to Layer the Flavors
This citrus herb foil grilled salmon recipe is really versatile, and can be adapted based on your tastebuds and the ingredients that are readily available.
Start by laying out a large piece of foil that is about an inch larger than your salmon on all sides. I like using the non-stick foil, because the salmon will slide right off when you’re ready to plate it up. Just be sure to put the dull side of the foil facing up – that’s the non-stick side.
We’re not making foil packets with this salmon recipe. Instead, you’re going to leave the foil open so the top of the salmon is exposed.
The star of this dish is the salmon. I went with two full sockeye salmon fillets. You can go with fresh, frozen, farmed or wild. You can even choose whole fillets like this or smaller pieces, if you’re only serving 1-2 people. Or, you can even use trout, sea bass or any other fish you happen to enjoy.
Place the salmon filets on the foil with the salmon skin down.
After selecting your salmon, it’s time to pick out the citrus. I prefer smaller citrus fruits like lemon, tangerine and lime. If you want to be a little adventurous, try blood oranges or kumquats.
For the herbs, fresh is best, but dry will work in a pinch (pun intended). Oregano, thyme and rosemary are solid choices, but you can’t go wrong with fresh dill, parsley, cilantro or tarragon either.
Lastly, I sprinkle with nuts to add that crunch factor. Pistachios offer a nice contrast in color, but hazelnuts, cashews and almonds work really well, too.
Once you select all of your toppings, drizzle some olive oil over the fillet along with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice. Then, sprinkle simply with salt and pepper.
If you like other seasonings with your salmon, like garlic powder or lemon pepper seasoning, go ahead and add them now, too. This foil recipe is super flexible.
Form a little boat out of the foil by folding up the edges and crimping the corners. That way, the juices will baste the salmon, instead of falling into the grill.
Now, layer on the lemon slices and other citrus, sprinkle on the herbs and finish with the nuts.
PRO TIP: To make it easier to carry out to the grill, you can assemble these on a baking sheet.
How To Cook Foil Grilled Salmon
The assembly steps were incredibly easy. Right? You can even do that in advance and leave the salmon in the fridge, until you’re ready to cook dinner.
Then, once you’re ready, light the grill to medium heat (about 350F degrees). Simply slide the fish-topped pieces of foil right onto the grill grates.
It’ll only take about 10 minutes for the salmon to cook. The internal temp goal is 145F degrees. I use an instant read thermometer and insert it in through the side.
When you start to see white liquid start to seep out of the salmon, you’ll know you’re getting close.
PRO TIP: the thinner portions of the fillet will cook more quickly than the thicker end. That's why I always use a meat thermometer to make sure it reaches that USDA safe zone of 145F degrees.
While the salmon cooks, you can prepare some easy side dishes like grilled zucchini, a spring salad or a side of rice or quinoa.
That’s all there is to it. You can slide these babies right over to the dinner table with a large spatula for an incredible presentation. I like to hit them with a little melted butter, a pinch of cayenne and some flaked sea salt, just to finish them off.
If you like a sweet touch, drizzle with some honey or hot honey.
This method works on any grill or in the oven. It’s especially great at campgrounds or community picnic areas, when you’re not 100% sure about the cleanliness of the grill. The aluminum foil will protect your food, and it makes cleanup as easy as this recipe.
Other Grilled Meals Using Foil
- Grilled Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Asparagus
- Chorizo Seafood Paella Foil Packs
- Smoking with a Wood Chip Foil Pouch
More grilled salmon recipes
- Ninja Grilled Salmon
- Phyllo Topped Crispy Grilled Salmon
- Grilled Salmon with Cherry Glaze
- Smoked Cranberry Salmon
- Bourbon-Glazed Salmon Appetizer
- How to Make Smoked Salmon Candy
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Grilled Salmon in Foil with Citrus and Herbs
Ingredients
- 2 sheets Reynolds Wrap® Non-Stick Foil
- 3 lb salmon fillets
- 2 tsp olive oil
- pinch kosher salt
- pinch coarse black pepper
- 3 lemons
- 3 tangerines
- 2 tbs fresh herbs, (oregano, thyme, rosemary)
- 1/4 cup pistachios
Finishing Touches
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
- pinch cayenne pepper, optional
- pinch flake sea salt, optional
Instructions
- Heat Grill: Heat your grill to medium heat, about 350F degrees.
- Prep Foil: Tear off two sheets of Reynolds Wrap® Non-Stick Foil. They should be about 1 inch larger than your fillet on all sides. Make sure the dull (non-stick) side is up, fold the edges up to form a rim all the way around.
- Season: Place a salmon fillet on each piece of foil. Drizzle olive oil on each fillet. Cut the lemon and tangerine in half. Using just one half, squeeze juice over each fillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Top Salmon: Cut the rest of the citrus into slices. Layer along the salmon. Roughly chop the fresh herbs and add alongside the citrus. Sprinkle the nuts next to those.
- Grill: Place the salmon-topped foil onto the grill. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part reaches 145F degrees.
- Finish: Remove from the grill. For added flavor, you can drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne and flake sea salt.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
