Grilled Salmon with Garlic Lime Butter
Grilled Salmon with garlic lime butter is the BEST grilled salmon recipe you’ll ever try! The crisp and flaky texture mixed with the garlic lime butter is simply irresistible. The garlic lime butter is so good, we even used it on Grilled Corn on the Cob! Just wait until you see why we are so obsessed with this salmon recipe.
In just 30 minutes or less, you’ll have dinner on the table for a simple weeknight meal everyone will enjoy. Serve it with a few sides like Grilled Vegetables, and Creamy Mashed Potatoes to complete the meal.
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Grilled Salmon Recipe:
Break out the BBQ for this Grilled Salmon with Garlic Lime Butter and eat like you’re on vacation! Cooking salmon on the grill adds incredible smoky tones to salmon and the flavored butter takes it over the top with fresh summer flavor.
Your dinner guests will be humming over this salmon recipe. It will become your go-to for grilling season and you’ll make it again and again!
This grilled salmon recipe is easy-easy-easy with just 15 minutes of marinating time. It’s quick and incredibly flavorful since you’ll use more of that sauce while it is sizzling on the grill, and then drizzle the reserved sauce just before serving which gives it unbelievable flavor!
Ingredients for Grilled Salmon with Garlic Lime Butter:
No need to go to a million different stores on a wild goose chase for any oddball ingredients for this recipe! Simple yet flavorful is the motto here! Just grab a few basic ingredients and you’ll be ready to get grilling your salmon.
- Unsalted butter
- Garlic smashed (NOT PRESSED)
- Lime juice plus lime wedges to serve
- Fresh dill
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Salmon filet (skin-on)
Tools for Grilled Salmon:
This recipe is simple and does not require any fancy equipment. Here are the tools we use to make it easier and safer to grill salmon.
- A long pair of Tongs to flip salmon
- A grilling spatula (or heat proof spatula)
- An oven mitt (for safety!)
- Saucepan and silicone brush to apply butter
- How to Make Garlic Lime Butter:
1. In a small saucepan, melt butter and add smashed garlic, salt and black pepper. Simmer until fragrant then add dill and lime juice and remove from heat. Transfer half the sauce to a bowl and set aside remaining sauce in saucepan to brush the finished salmon.
How to Grill Salmon:
1. Brush tops of salmon filets with 1/2 of the sauce from the bowl. Marinate in the refrigerator while preheating the grill.
2. Preheat grill to medium/high (350˚F-400˚F) and oil the grates. Place salmon onto grill, skin-side-down. Cover and grill over medium/high for 3 minutes.
3. Loosen salmon with a spatula if needed, then carefully flip over, cover and cook another 2 minutes. Flip again and brush tops with the remaining sauce in the bowl. Cover and continue grilling just until salmon is flaky and cooked through (another minute, or according to grilling chart below).
4. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with sauce reserved in the saucepan (if butter has hardened, heat just until melted). Garnish with fresh dill and serve with lime wedges.
Salmon Grilling Tips:
- When grilling salmon, be sure to buy skin-on salmon fillets. Salmon is very tender and flaky and the skin helps keep it together on the grill without falling through the grates.
- The butter in this recipe makes the salmon juicy and rich in flavor – don’t worry about the amount as some of it is lost on the grill.
- When flipping salmon, wear an oven mitt and start with the filets at the back in case of flare ups.
How Long Do You Grill Salmon?
So you know how long to cook salmon on the grill, we created this salmon grilling chart. Follow these salmon grilling guidelines for med/high heat (350˚F):
- 1″ thick fillets = 3 minutes per side
- 3/4″ thick fillets = 2-3 minutes per side
- 1/2″ thick fillets = 2 minutes per side
Like Salmon? Try Our Top Salmon Recipes!
Don’t get stuck in a salmon rut, there’s so much you can do with it meaning the recipe options are endless! Get started on the options now by trying some of my all-time favorite salmon recipes. Each one is even better than the next!
- Baked Salmon – with homemade garlic and dijon sauce
- Salmon and Asparagus – A great one pan meal
- Smoked Salmon Spread – Ideal way to impress a hungry crowd
- Grilled Salmon Skewers – The perfect party food
- Avocado Salmon Salad – Excellent with lemon dill dressing
Grilled Salmon with Garlic Lime Butter
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (8 Tbsp)
- 4 cloves garlic smashed (NOT PRESSED)
- 2 Tbsp lime juice (from 1 lime)plus lime wedges to serve
- 2 Tbsp dill chopped, plus more to garnish
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 lbs salmon filet skin-on, cut into 6 (6-oz each) portions
Instructions
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In a small sauce pan, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Smash 4 garlic cloves with the flat of a large knife and to saucepan with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Simmer 2 mins or until fragrant. Add chopped dill and 2 Tbsp lime juice then remove from heat. Transfer half of sauce to a small bowl. Reserve and set aside remaining sauce in the pan to use for serving.
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Arrange salmon fillets on a platter skin-side-down and brush tops with 1/4 of the sauce from the bowl. Let salmon marinate in refrigerator 15 mins while grill preheats.
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Preheat grill to medium/high (350˚F to 400˚F). Brush the hot grill clean and oil the grates**. Place salmon onto preheated grill, skin-side-down. Cover and grill over medium/high (350˚F) heat undisturbed, about 2 minutes on the first side.
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Carefully flip salmon over (it helps to have a spatula to loosen it and tongs to flip it over), cover and cook another 2 minutes. Flip again and (while wearing the oven mitt and starting with the filets at the back), brush tops with 1/4 of remaining sauce from the bowl. Cover and continue grilling just until salmon is flaky and cooked through (another minute, or according to grilling chart below depending on salmon thickness).
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Remove salmon from grill and drizzle with sauce reserved in saucepan (if butter has hardened, heat just until melted). Garnish with fresh dill and serve with lime wedges to squeeze over salmon if desired.
Recipe Notes
***Salmon Grilling Chart for med/high heat (350˚F):
1″ thick fillets = 3 minutes per side
3/4″ thick fillets = 2-3 minutes per side
1/2″ thick fillets = 2 minutes per side
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
My entire family really enjoyed this salmon. My 2-year old was surprised by the taste at first (must have been the fresh lime that excited her taste buds) but she enjoyed it also! That is just the best feeling when your kids happily eat something you make and especially when salmon is full of brain and heart boosting Omega 3 fatty acids. YES!!
natashaskitchen
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Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
We love salmon and this is the only way I’ll make it now! So tender, flaky, delicious, and FAST! I use ghee in mine and it’s perfect. I brush the mixture on the skin side as well so it doesn’t stick to the grill. Thanks for the recipe and tips!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I believe your temp. Setting is not good. I tried and it didn’t worked. Maybe you should specified distance from the burners or coal to the salmon. I end up using 500 degrees in the second rack. The upper rack for about three minutes each side.
Hi Ricardo, 500 degrees is too hot for salmon. As a general rule of thumb, medium heat = 350, medium/high = 400, and high heat = 450-500. At 500, you would definitely want them on the upper rack or they would burn. I had the temperature in the recipe card, but will update that in the post to specify and thank you for pointing that out.
As always, this recipe is so delicious!!
Thank you for that great review!
Question: Do you think it would still be tasty to substitute EVOO in place of butter for someone on the Mediterranean diet following heart surgery?
Hi Libby, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
My husband is not a very good cook but he made this Salmon recipe and we were all shocked it turned out so well. Luckily he grilled it on a piece of foil since it did kind of fall apart but it was still delicious. I had the leftovers in a salad for lunch today. He followed the recipe but we didn’t have dill.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Susan!
Hi Natasha my name is Emely and I’m sure I’m just a kid but I love all your recipes can you please tell me which one is the easiest .
Hi Emely, thank you for taking the time to write in! If you follow this link here about halfway down the post you will find some of our popular and easier recipes. I hope this helps!
Question how do you “smash” garlic ?
Hi Jen, I smash it with the blunt end of a knife, just crush it so it can release flavor and so you can fish it out of the butter easily later.
This was incredibly good and so easy to make! Love it!
I’m so happy to hear you loved grilled salmon recipe! Thank you for the awesome review and have a great 4th of July week!
This salmon looks so delicious! I can’t wait to make it soon!
I hope you love it! We look forward to your feedback.
Easy to make and so delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Melissa!
So excited that I have everything to make this! Loving this all summer long.
That’s the best! Thank you for that awesome review, Jen!
Can I make this in the oven? I don’t have a grill 🙁
Hi Michelle, yes you could bake this in the oven instead following these baking instructions.
Thanks for the tip about the oven. Love you and your recipes.
You’re welcome!
Such a great idea to use skin on salmon for grilling. It was always frustrating for me when pieces of the salmon would break off and fall through the grate. This is my new favorite way to grill salmon!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Kara!
nice food i loved it
I’m so happy you are enjoying that! Thank yoU!
Just made this salmon tonight and everyone absolutely LOVED it!!! Thank you for the amazing recipe!
That’s so great Miriam! I’m happy you all enjoyed that!
This looks amazing!!! Can I use lemon instead of lime? If so same amount?
Hi Natasha, yes lemon would still work well here 🙂
I love it so much. Mouthwatering food.
I totally agree Ellie! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
I love it so much. Mouthwatering food. Its the bright color of salmon. Cant wait to try it….
It is so easy to make and so delicious too! Please let me know what you think!
Why unsalted butter. Just healthier or does it affect taste?
Hi Mark, I always purchase unsalted butter for cooking and baking so I can control how much salt goes into the recipe. You can absolutely use salted butter but you probably want to cut back on the salt in the recipe if you do that.
just love the recipe… awesome
I’m glad you like it Lena! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I made this today and it was to die for! So so flavorful and fresh tasting with the lime. I baked it because it didn’t have the time to grill, and it was amazing. Thank you!
You’re welcome Ema! I’m glad to hear you love this recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
My husband and I recently changed our diet to mostly seafood, and sometimes baked or grilled chicken. I really appreciate this recipe. It looks like it will be divine!!! Can’t wait to get the grill going tomorrow! What sides do you suggest?
Hi Jessica, my favorite thing to serve with salmon is asparagus and here is our go-to recipe. Rice or potatoes would also be very good. It’s really hard to narrow it down wit this one because it pairs well with so many different dishes.
Awesome recipe. I tired it and it was really so great. I have even suggested it to my cook.
I’m happy to hear you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your great review! 🙂
No grill here, any chance this can be baked in the oven, with a similar outcome?
Hi Sharon, yes you could bake this in the oven instead following these baking instructions.
Can’t wait to try it out! Your other oven baked salmon recipe is my go to recipe when cooking salmon. But will try this out for sure! Actually all I ever do is look at your site for recipe ideas. Never been disappointed! Love them all. Thank you very much for making me a better chef 🙂
Thank YOU Greg for following! Please let me know what you think of this recipe when you decide to try it!
Great! i must commend this meal. would love to add this to my rice in the evening. great recipe natasha.
I hope you love it!
It was classy! You are a good Chef.
Thank you so much!
Hi Natasha,
Just from looking at the pictures i imagine how it smells right from grill, and that is exactly how i prefer to eat salmon.
Trying this recipe tomorrow!
Great pictures, as always! What camera do you use and what lens? Is that same that you use for photographing your children?
Hi Olga! I do love how salmon smells on the grill. It’s tantalizing!! I use a canon 6d and for food I use a 100mm lens. For kids I use a 50mm lens more. 🙂 I have more info on these in the resources section of my blog.
Another great recipe. I wish I could hire you to be my chef. I love your recipes
I’m happy to hear you love them! Thanks for following Vicki and sharing your great review!
OMG, I’m going to eat my laptop, it looks soo delicious!! How did you take that picture with fire without actually burning the salmon? 🙂
Ha ha!! That happens to me all the time late at night when I’m hungrily looking at pictures of food. It was a good catch with the photo – right as the flame shot up between the salmon filets. The flame died down quickly 🙂
This looks so delicious!!
Thank you Sara! 🙂
Your garlic lime butter sounds fantastic! In the past, my fish tastes, how do I say this…?!? Hmmm. Fishy. You know. Not very good! But if you’re 2-year-old eats it, that’s good enough for me because I’m as picky as a 2-year-old.
Yes!! I completely agree!
My mouth is watering for a this – especially that juicy second photo!! I love the combo of lime and dill.
Oh it is so delicious. The flavors work really well together, especially on salmon! Thanks Natalie!