This Traeger Grilled Salmon recipe is delicious, full of smoky flavor, and perfectly tender. With very little prep, this healthy dish will be on the table in no time and is versatile enough to serve with your favorite sides!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Healthy dinner option - Delicious salmon recipes are such a great choice for a quick, easy, and healthy dinner! This recipe is so versatile and can be served in a variety of ways like topping with this Mango Habanero Salsa.
- It's such an easy recipe! - Using a traeger or other pellet grill is one of the best ways to easily and quickly cook grilled salmon with no mess!
- Delicious smoke flavor - This salmon is packed with great flavor! It is deliciously marinaded and then smoked to perfection. This Smoked Jerk Chicken is another great dish for smokey flavor!
Ingredients Needed
Ingredient Notes
- Salmon Fillet - Wild Caught King salmon and sockeye salmon are great options for smoking and grilling! You can use a whole salmon fillet or smaller individual sized fillets.
- Avocado Oil - Avocado oil can also be substituted for olive oil.
- Coconut Aminos - This is a great gluten free and soy free substitute to soy sauce. Using just a small amount gives this salmon really great flavor.
- Favorite seasoning - Use your favorite seasoning mix here! I love using The New Primal Citrus Herb or Trader Joes 21 seasoning salute. Another great option would be a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, salt and black pepper. Lemon pepper seasoning would be delicious as well!
How To Make This Recipe
- First step; preheat the traeger pellet grill (or other pellet smoker) to 350 degrees F. Then, rinse the salmon fillet and pat dry with paper towels. Place salmon in a large bowl, baking pan, or on a baking sheet.
- In a small bowl mix the oil, coconut aminos, lemon, and spices. Use a basting brush to brush the marinade onto the top of the piece of salmon.
- Place the fillet, salmon skin-side down, straight onto the preheated grill grates, close the lid, and cook until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F, approximately 35 minutes, though the total time will vary based on the thickness of the fillet. (I highly recommend using a meat thermometer for best results and inserting the probe into the thickest part of the salmon fillet.)
- Remove the salmon from the grill and serve with lemon wedges, lemon zest, and fresh parsley if desired, enjoy!
What Is The Best Salmon To Grill?
My favorite salmon to grill is wild caught king salmon. It has the highest fat content of all salmon, meaning the most amount of healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. This also makes it more difficult to dry out. The texture is delicious and this salmon holds up very well through the smoking and grilling process.
Another great option is wild caught sockeye salmon. This type of salmon doesn’t have as much fat as the king salmon so it is a bit easier to dry out but so long as you keep an eye on the temperature, it’s a great healthy choice!
If you're wondering the difference between Atlantic Salmon vs Pacific Salmon, this post contains all the info you need to know!
Wild Caught Salmon vs Farm Raised Salmon
Wild caught salmon (or any fish) simply means that the fish was caught in its natural environment and was living on and had access to a natural diet.
Farm raised salmon means that the fish was raised in pens, cages, etc. that have been submerged in bodies of water (including the ocean). Farm raised salmon typically consume a more processed and unnatural diet.
In general, wild-caught salmon is a more nutritious (and environmentally conscious) option with a higher content of healthy Omega-3 fatty acids.
You can read more about Wild Caught Salmon vs Farm Raised Salmon at these resources:
“Wild for Salmon”
“Wild vs Farmed Salmon: Which Type of Salmon is Healthier?” by Healthline
How To Serve This Recipe
This recipe is so versatile and goes great with a variety of sides and toppings for your fish!
- Mango Habanero Salsa - This fresh, sweet and spicy salsa goes great with both fish and chicken!
- Traeger Asparagus - This is a delicious side dish to cook right alongside your salmon on the grill!
- Teriyaki Sauce (Whole30) - Swap the marinade in this recipe for this teriyaki sauce. Or simply omit the lemon and brush this glaze on the salmon in the final minutes of cooking.
- Broccoli and Bacon Salad - This is a great side dish to serve with this recipe!
- Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes - This is a perfect healthy side to serve with this salmon and a simple green salad!
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes! While you'll be lacking the smoke flavor, salmon is still delicious grilled on a charcoal or gas grill. Simply prepare the salmon as directed and then place directly on the grill grates (salmon skin side down) over medium to medium-high heat. Close the lid of the grill and allow the salmon to cook for approximately 8-10 minutes and then flip the salmon to quickly sear the top for 2-3 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. The cook time will vary based on the thickness of the fillet, so always grill based on temperature rather than time.
Alder is the most traditional wood used for smoking salmon, however, hickory, apple, or cherry are also great options!
The USDA recommends salmon be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, this is a fairly well-done. For a medium degree of doneness, aim for 135 degreees F, keeping in mind that the fish will continue cooking for a couple minutes after removing it from the grill.
Many times you will see salmon being brined in either a dry or wet brine mixture before smoking. Brining not only flavors proteins, but also allows it to retain more moisture and prevents the cut of meat from drying out. A wet brine consists of submerging protein in a mixture of cold water and salt, where as a dry brine often uses a mixture of salt, brown sugar, and herbs.
While you certainly can brine this salmon prior to cooking, if desired, I have never found it to be necessary and enjoy being able to get a quick and healthy meal on the table quickly. Because this salmon is cooked quickly and with a recommended high fat content salmon, I have not had an issue with it drying out when cooked to the recommended temperature.
More Traeger Grill Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Traeger Grilled Salmon
Equipment
- Traeger Smoker or other Pellet Grill
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ lb Salmon Fillet
- 2 ½ tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 2 ½ tbsp coconut aminos
- ½ large lemon juiced
- 1 tbsp favorite seasoning blend
Instructions
- Preheat the traeger (or pellet grill) to 350F. Rinse the salmon fillets and pat dry with a paper towel.
- In a small bowl mix the oil, coconut aminos, lemon, and spices. Use a basting brush to brush the marinade onto the salmon fillets.
- Place the fillets, salmon skin-side down, straight onto the preheated grill grates, close the lid, and cook until the internal temperature of the salmon has reached 140 degrees F, approximately 35 minutes. The time will vary based on the thickness of the fillet. I highly recommend using a meat thermometer and placing it into the thickest part of the fillet.
- Remove the salmon from the grill and serve with lemon wedges and fresh parsley if desired, enjoy!
Notes
- Salmon Filet - Wild Caught King salmon and sockeye salmon are great options for smoking and grilling. You can use a whole salmon fillet or smaller individual sized fillets.
- Favorite seasoning - Use your favorite seasoning mix here or a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, salt and black pepper. Lemon pepper seasoning would be delicious as well.
- Alder is the most traditional wood used for smoking salmon, however, hickory, apple, or cherry are also great options.
- To grill this salmon on a charcoal or gas grill:
- Prepare the salmon as directed and then place directly on the grill grates (salmon skin side down) over medium to medium-high heat. Close the lid of the grill and allow the salmon to cook for approximately 8-10 minutes and then flip the salmon to quickly sear the top for 2-3 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. The cook time will vary based on the thickness of the fillet, so always grill based on temperature rather than time.
- The USDA recommends salmon be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, this is a fairly well-done. For a medium degree of doneness, aim for 135 degreees F, keeping in mind that the fish will continue cooking for a couple minutes after removing it from the grill.
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