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    Home » Recipes » Seafood

    The Easiest Spicy Lime Grilled Salmon

    Published: Aug 15, 2017 · Modified: Feb 28, 2023 by Jessie · This post may contain affiliate links; if you buy something we'll earn a commission at no cost to you.

    Jump to Recipe

    This easy grilled salmon is bright and delicious with a two-minute marinade - perfect for summer grilling and busy weeknights alike!

    This post is sponsored by my friends at Frontier Co-op as part of their #CookWithPurpose and #GrillTheGoodness campaign.

    Grilled salmon fillet on a slate serving platter with lime wedges. this recipe

    Busy weeknights, meet RIDICULOUSLY SIMPLE GRILLED SALMON.

    Red pepper flakes spilling out of a bottle onto a light grey table.

    We're working with a two-minute marinade here: olive oil! lime! soy sauce! garlic! crushed red chili pepper! salt and pepper! BOOM. End of list.

    There's a little heat. A little zing. A little garlicky zip! My faaaaaaaave.

    And, okay, I am the ACTUAL WORST at flipping fish on the grill. I have no patience for the whole "waiting for it to cook" thing. But even I, terrible-grilled-fish-flipper, am about to put this grilled salmon on REPEAT.

    Serve it with a drizzle of cilantro yogurt sauce and a quick arugula side salad for a fresh, easy meal!

    Grilled salmon fillet on a stone serving plate with lime wedges.

    (Orrrrrrrrrr, you could totally just bake this and skip the grill altogether. If you're into that sorta thing).

    Grilled salmon fillet on a slate serving plate with small bowls of spices and several lime wedges.

    Also, can I fangirl over my spice besties at Frontier Co-Op for a second? Because I am in loooooooove with them. For the following reasons:

    • They're a co-op! That means they're member-owned (in this case, by their wholesale customers).
    • They take environmental stewardship seriously. Hip hooray for sustainably sourced, organic spices produced in energy efficient facilities!
    • They work personally with as many of their growers as possible to build sustainable partnerships that support communities around the world.
    • They love their farmers! Frontier has helped their farm communities dig wells, send kids to school, feed hungry children, and build training programs to help farmers learn and grow.

    PS - Unrelated, but is it me, or are crushed pepper flakes just the most beautiful things ever? I mean, COME ONNNNN:

    Red pepper flakes pouring out of a bottle tipped on its side.

    YUP.

    Glass jar of Frontier Co-Op red pepper flakes in front of a black wall.
    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Close up of the grill marks on a grilled salmon fillet.

    The Easiest Spicy Lime Grilled Salmon

    ★★★★★ 5 from 7 reviews
    • Author: Jessie
    • Prep Time: 5 min
    • Cook Time: 15 min
    • Total Time: 20 minutes
    • Yield: Serves 4
    • Category: Seafood
    • Cuisine: American
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    An easy weeknight salmon recipe with just a few ingredients!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 lime
    • 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
    • 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 1.5 lbs. Wild Alaskan Salmon (I used sockeye salmon!)
    • (optional) extra lime wedges, for serving

    Instructions

    1. Use a microplane to zest the lime and toss the zest into a small mixing bowl.
    2. Juice the lime, adding the lime juice to the lime zest.
    3. Add olive oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to lime juice and whisk to combine.
    4. Lay salmon in a small baking dish (I like to use a glass container with an airtight lid) and pour the marinade over the fish. Turn the salmon to coat and make sure it's covered in marinade. If you have skin on the salmon, place the filet skin side up so that the marinade can soak in.
    5. Cover salmon with the airtight lid and store in the fridge for thirty minutes to an hour or until you're ready to eat.
    6. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat until it's piping hot (you could also use your outdoor grill). Use a heat-resistant pastry brush to brush olive oil over the grill grates to prevent the fish from sticking.
    7. Remove fish from marinade and place it on the hot grill pan. Let it cook - without touching it! - for 5-7 minutes (see recipe notes) until salmon has lightened in color. Use a thin spatula to pick up the fish and flip it over on the grill. (If you've oiled your grill, the salmon shouldn't stick too much once those nice grill marks have developed). Cook for another 5-7 minutes until fish is cooked to your desired level of doneness.
    8. Remove salmon from the grill and serve immediately with extra lime wedges (optional). You could also add an extra sprinkle of flaky salt or red pepper flakes to the fish if you like.

    Notes

    Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your fillet - look for a piece of salmon that's uniform in thickness to help it cook evenly, and don't be afraid to cut into the fillet to take a peek at the fish! If you are cooking your salmon in small portions as opposed to one large fillet, you may want to decrease the cooking time.

    This marinade is also great on shrimp and chicken!

    Taste the marinade before you add too much salt here - soy sauce and salmon are naturally a bit salty, so taste and add seasoning as necessary!

    Don't be alarmed if your salmon lightens in color a bit after you've let it soak in the marinade - that's just the acidity of the marinade at work!

    You could also marinate the salmon in a large ziploc bag if you like, or use plastic wrap to cover the baking dish if you don't have a lid.

    No grill? Roast the salmon in a 400 degree F oven for 12-15 minutes or until it's cooked to your desired level of doneness.

    I choose Wild Alaskan Salmon because it supports family fishermen and comes from a sustainably-managed fishery.

    For a spicier salmon, add more red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to your marinade (I like Sriracha). For a milder flavor, use fewer red pepper flakes.

    Add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup to your marinade for a hint of sweetness if you like.

    I don't like to marinate my salmon much longer than an hour, because I like to let the natural flavor of the fish shine through. If you'd like to make a component of this dish ahead of time, you can mix the marinade and store it in the fridge on its own until you're almost ready to cook the salmon.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 6 ounces
    • Calories: 425
    • Sugar: 0.4 g
    • Sodium: 356.5 mg
    • Fat: 29.7 g
    • Carbohydrates: 2.7 g
    • Protein: 35.6 g
    • Cholesterol: 93.5 mg

    Keywords: seafood, dinner, fish

    Tag @lifeasastrawberry on Instagram to show us what you're cooking! Nutrition information is calculated per serving; it is approximate and will vary based on many factors.

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    More Easy Seafood Recipes

    • Smoked Salmon Corn Chowder
    • Smoked Salmon Scrambled Eggs
    • Easy Balsamic Salmon with Strawberry Salsa
    • Easy Homemade Crab Cakes

    I'm Jessie, and I like to talk about food. Tag your recipes #LifeAsAStrawberry on social media to share your creations! Learn about our team!

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    Reader Interactions

    Discussion

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    1. Nick Swanson

      October 28, 2022 at 7:14 pm

      My goodness, this was so delicious. I used no salt, just the soy sauce with the rest of the ingredients. The best compliment I can give you is my wife used no tarter sauce. That never happens. Lol. Will be making this again.

      Reply
      • Team Life As A Strawberry

        October 31, 2022 at 1:40 pm

        WAHOO! We're so happy you and your wife loved the salmon!

        Reply
    2. robbi

      July 04, 2022 at 11:27 am

      Thanks for the heads up on Frontier.co op - I feel the same and the same can be said for Megafood supplement company. We need more companies to turn toward helping farmers - health wealth and happiness to you all!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Team Life As A Strawberry

        July 05, 2022 at 10:17 am

        We're so happy this post resonated with you!

        Reply
    3. Jocelin

      November 02, 2020 at 1:04 pm

      Subbed coconut aminos for the soy sauce. Really good! Good flavors with a nice little kick and so simple!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Team Life As A Strawberry

        November 02, 2020 at 3:49 pm

        We're SO happy you enjoyed it, Jocelin!

        Reply
    4. Lucinda

      May 10, 2020 at 10:36 am

      We found this recipe amazing and super delicious alternative to our usual grilled salmon. Definitely a keeper. Thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Jim

      July 21, 2019 at 1:42 pm

      Thanks for the recipe, it's the closest I've seen for what I want to do. I'm thinking I'll add some cilantro or parsley too. (I'm making it for the first time today and grilling the Alaskan wild sockeyes). : )

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Jackie @ Life As A Strawberry

        August 01, 2019 at 2:18 pm

        Hey Jim - Great!

        Reply
    6. Tin

      January 31, 2019 at 12:27 am

      Hi Jesse! Can I use lemon instead of lime? 🙂

      Reply
    7. MJ

      September 03, 2018 at 10:31 pm

      Great recipe!!! Super easy, super tasty!! Also my new favourite salmon recipe.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Jackie @ Life As A Strawberry

        October 01, 2018 at 8:24 pm

        Hey MJ - Awesome News! Thanks!

        Reply
    8. Diane T Froelick

      August 11, 2018 at 9:24 pm

      Simple to make and delicious! The red pepper flakes add a subtle amount of heat. This has become my favorite salmon marinade.

      Reply
      • Jackie @ Life As A Strawberry

        August 28, 2018 at 4:26 pm

        Hi Diane! Thank you for the compliment, so glad to hear you have a new favorite! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Pat Masters

      August 04, 2018 at 8:37 pm

      I'm celiac and always looking to modify so in this case I'm going to use gluten free soy sauce. Ta da...its gluten free grilled marinated salmon. Quick hint for removing salmon skin...the last salmon surface to be on the grill is the skin side. Slide a large flat spatula just under the flesh all down the length of the fillet...you may have to use more than one spatula, lift, plate and the skin is left on the bbq. Pat

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Jackie @ Life As A Strawberry

        August 28, 2018 at 4:18 pm

        Hey Pat! Thanks for this comment! It's wonderful to hear how a recipe can be easily changed to fit your dietary needs! This is also beneficial for other readers.

        Reply
    10. Linda

      August 18, 2017 at 10:46 am

      Haven't grilled salmon before. Will have to try it. My husband will love the spice.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Jessie

        August 20, 2017 at 3:03 pm

        Thanks, Linda! I hope you love it!

        Reply
    11. Jenny

      August 17, 2017 at 2:48 pm

      I can't wait to make this recipe this weekend! It looks delicious!

      Reply
      • Jessie

        August 20, 2017 at 3:02 pm

        Thank you so much, Jenny! I hope you love it!

        Reply
    12. Dawn

      August 17, 2017 at 1:42 pm

      Definitely have to try this. Loving the heat!

      Reply
      • Jessie

        August 20, 2017 at 3:01 pm

        Thanks, Dawn!

        Reply

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