Greek Style Grilled Salmon

Greek Style Grilled Salmon mains This simple to make Greek style grilled salmon is full of flavor thanks to the salmon marinade which actually does double duty here. We reserve some of it and use it as the dressing for the horiatiki salad inspired salsa that we serve with the grilled salmon fillets. summer grilling recipes Greek Style Grilled Salmon Greek, salmon

This simple to make Greek style grilled salmon is full of flavor thanks to the salmon marinade which actually does double duty here. We reserve some of it and use it as the dressing for the horiatiki salad inspired salsa that we serve with the grilled salmon fillets. We garnish with loads of fresh chopped herbs, crumbled feta and serve with an extra squeeze of lemon juice. The salmon tastes light, tender and juicy, slightly herby and lemony perfect for the summer.

Greek Style Grilled Salmon

Greek Style Grilled Salmon Recipe Ingredients

  • SALMON: We like to use center cut salmon. That cut is a uniform, thick portion from the middle of the fillet with a high-fat content, which is ideal for even cooking. We recommend skin on always. See tips below for more details. Where possible, go for fresh salmon. It’s better in terms of taste and texture.
  • OLIVE OIL: We use extra virgin olive oil for the dressing/ marinade.
  • GARLIC: We use 4 cloves of garlic but you can adjust amount to taste
  • LEMON JUICE, LEMON ZEST & RED WINE VINEGAR: The combination of the two acids works really well to balance bright citrus flavour with the deeper flavor of the red wine vinegar.
  • HERBS & SPICES: We keep the fresh herbs - (we use fresh parsley and fresh dill here for those Greek vibes but this would work with basil, chives and cilantro too) for heavily garnishing the fish at the end so the the fresh flavors really come through. If you prefer to add them to the marinade that works well too and adds more herby flavors. We find they get a little charred though on the grill so just keep that in mind if adding the herbs to the marinade. Sometimes if we want to add even more flavor to the salmon fillets we add a dash of lemon pepper to season salmon just before they hit the grill as they are sitting out of the marinade on a plate. This is a great tip for those who really need their salmon covered in seasoning.
  • DIJON MUSTARD: This adds flavor to the marinade/ dressing. If you prefer to use regular yellow mustard or even honey mustard you can.
  • FOR THE SALSA: For the greek style salsa we used the flavors and components of a Greek Horiatiki salad to create a great salsa to top the salmon with or serve it on the side. We included the classic: tomatoes (we chose grape quartered if large - they hold up well), diced cucumber, diced red onion, diced green bell pepper and we added chopped Kalamata olives. We combine those with the reserved marinade and let it all the flavors marry while we grill the salmon.
  • FOR GARNISHING: Along with the fresh herbs we like to garnish with feta and extra lemon wedges or slices. The really finish off the salmon well.

Greek Style Grilled Salmon



How To Make This Greek Style Grilled Salmon Recipe

Cooking salmon doesn’t not have to be boring or complicated. This easy marinade that doubles as a dressing for the salsa is on repeat. An easy and a great dish for having guests over and entertaining. Salmon cooks quickly and you have a great little salsa to serve over top making it fresh and flavorful. Here is how it’s done:

  1. Prepare Marinade/Dressing: Whisk together all the ingredients. Remove 4 tablespoons from the mixture and set it aside to dress the salsa with.
  2. Marinate Salmon: Take remaining marinade and brush or coat salmon with it. Cover and chill for 20-30 minutes.
  3. Make Salsa: In the meantime toss the salsa ingredients together in a medium size bowl with the reserved 4 tablespoons of dressing. Set aside
  4. Grill Salmon: Grill salmon flesh side down a few minutes, flip and finish cooking. Allow to rest a couple minutes after it’s off the grill.
  5. Serve: Squeeze some lemon juice over the grilled salmon and serve with the salsa spooned over top of it or on the side, sprinkle over the fresh herbs and crumbled feta.

Greek Style Grilled Salmon

Greek Style Grilled Salmon

Tips For Grilling Salmon

Type of Salmon Matters

  • Use Centre cut skin on salmon for best results. It holds up better, cooks more evenly and the skin on helps it to hold up better and prevent it from tearing and it adds loads of flavor to it too. It also acts as slight barrier preventing the salmon from burning or overcooking.
  • For best results, opt for salmon fillets that are uniform in size and thickness. Through recipe testing, I found that 1-inch thick fillets are ideal for grilling—the skin gets beautifully crisp without charring and the fish stays super tender.
  • Use Fresh not Frozen if possible for best flavor and texture

Prepare Your Grill

  • Make sure grill is preheated to high heat - noted in recipe. Grease the grill grates well to make them non stick. The best way to oil grill grates is to use a wadded-up paper towel held by a pair of long-handled tongs to apply a thin, even coat of high-smoke-point oil to pre-heated grates.

Use the Right Utensils

  • Use a fish spatula or thin flat flexible spatula to flip the fish over and remove it from the grill, I cannot recommend one highly enough. I actually use two or the edge of my tongs to help guide the flip so that you can do so without it breaking the salmon, tearing it or causing it to fall apart.
  • Use an instant read thermometer (preferably one that is made for the grill with long handle) to ensure proper salmon temperature so you don’t overcook salmon. If you do not have a thermometer you could do the press test. Press down gently on the top of the fillet with a fork or finger. If the flesh easily separates (flakes) and offers a little resistance, it is done. If it feels mushy and springs back, it is still raw.

Grill Skin Side Up or Down?

  • The debate is always - grill skin side up first or skin side down. I will tell you why I prefer skin side down. I find that when I grill it skin side down when it is raw it can easily conform to the grates so you get better grill marks as opposed to starting skin side down. When you start skin side down the salmon flesh firms up and shrinks as it cooks, making it more difficult to have it laying as flat and as close to the grill grates - making it difficult to get those clean grill marks. We use the 70/30 rule for salmon to prevent the fish’s delicate flesh from sticking to the grates. You cook the fillet flesh-side down for 70% of the total cooking time to develop a firm crust, then flip it to skin-side down for the remaining 30%.
  • Want Crispy skin - if that is the case than by all means start grilling the salmon skin side down.

How To Handle The Flames / Flare Ups

  • Flare-up happen sometimes while grilling salmon, if they do quickly move the fish to the coolest part of the grill or a warming rack. Salmon is a naturally oily fish, and dripping fat frequently ignites. Move the food to safety, close the lid to smother the flames, and do not use water on a gas grill. You could lower the heat slightly if needed, once flames have died down return salmon to finish cooking.

Greek Style Grilled Salmon

What To Serve With This Greek-Style Grilled Salmon

Recipe

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

  • 4-6 salmon fillets, skin on preferably (1½ lbs in total)

For the Marinade/Dressing

  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • Juice and zest from 1 lemon
  • 4 garlic cloves minced or grated
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ red pepper flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon lemon pepper (optional)

Horiatiki-Style Salsa

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, (2 cups) halved or quartered if large
  • ½ cucumber, diced small
  • ¼ cup diced red onion or shallot.
  • 1 cup pitted Kalamata olive, rough chopped
  • Small green pepper, diced small

For Garnish

  • ¼ cup Fresh herbs, chopped (we like to do a combo of parsley & dill)
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta
  • Lemon wedges or slices for squeezing over grilled salmon

Directions

Prepare Marinade/Dressing

  1. In a medium size bowl or measuring cup whisk together the marinade ingredients except the lemon pepper, until well combined. Remove approx 4 Tablespoons of the marinade to a separate small bowl for the salsa.

Marinate Salmon & Dress Sasla

  1. Place salmon in a sealable bag or in a bowl and add marinade to the salmon making sure it coats it well. Seal bag or cover bowl and allow salmon to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 20-30 minutes while you make salsa.
  2. In a medius size bowl add all the salsa ingredients, pour over the reserved dressing and gently toss to coat. Chill until ready to serve.

Grill Salmon

  1. Remove salmon onto plate, allowing excess marinade to drain off. Discard remaining marinade. Sprinkle on the lemon pepper if using on all the fillets for an extra flavor boost (optional).
  2. Heat outdoor grill or grill pan to high heat, aiming for a temperature between 450° and 550°.
  3. Grease grates generously with vegetable oil. Use a wadded-up paper towel held by a pair of long-handled tongs to apply a thin, even coat of high-smoke-point oil to pre-heated grates.
  4. Place the salmon on the hot grill flesh-side-down (skin side up) on 45-degree angle on grill grates. Press it down very gently. Cover grill lid and cook 3-5 minutes, or until the salmon easily releases from the grill grates.
  5. Use a fish spatula to flip the salmon and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes (depending on thickness of fillets) with the grill closed, until the internal temperature reaches 125-130°F for medium-rare or 130-135°F for medium flaky salmon. Use a thermometer to ensure salmon is cooked to your liking.
  6. Once done, remove salmon from grill and allow to rest tented with foil for 3-5 minutes. Feel free to remove skin if you wish - it should slide off easily at this point.

Serve

  1. Place Salmon on serving platter or plate and serve with the salsa and garnish salmon with fresh herbs and crumbled feta. I always like to do an extra squeeze of lemon juice - so I serve with lemon wedges too.

Recipe Notes

  • Do not leave salmon in a heavy citrus marinade for longer than 1 hour. For salmon marinades heavy in lemon juice and vinegar like this one, limit marinating time to 30 to 60 minutes. The acidity acts like the citrus in ceviche; leaving the fish to soak for too long will affect the texture, resulting in a tough or mushy texture.
  • Because it is a highly perishable, keep your salmon in the fridge while it marinates to prevent food-borne illness.
  • Store leftovers in and airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat leftovers gently in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave. We like to store leftover salsa separately and keep it chilled - it will keep 1-2 days in the fridge as well but the tomatoes and cucumbers will soften a little but will still be delicious.
  • Cooking times will vary according to size and thickness of your filets. My fillets were on the thicker side. I needed an extra couple minutes per side to fully cook them. Please use a thermometer to ensure proper cooking.
  • For the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the salmon on the baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven until the internal temperature reaches 125-130°F for medium-rare or 130-135°F for medium flaky salmon, 10-15 minutes. Cook times will vary depending on the size of your salmon. Feel free to broil for the last minute or two to allow it brown a little. You can also sear the salmon and cook it in a skillet as well if you prefer. It does really well on a grill pan too.

Greek Style Grilled Salmon