Salmon Marinade Recipe - Savory Nothings (2024)

This easy Salmon Marinade is made with simple ingredients to add so much flavor to your fish. It’s a family favorite for summer grilling!

We love salmon around here – most of the year, I stick to our reader-favorite Oven Baked Salmon. But during the summer? It’s grilled salmon all the day! And there’s nothing better than marinating it first.

I like to keep my summer cooking very simple, so there’s nothing complicated going on here. Just a very straight-forward marinade to infuse your fish with all the flavor!

Ingredients you’ll need

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!

Ingredient notes

• Salmon: Most of the time, I prefer using a whole 1.5-2lb side of salmon with the skin on. It just stays juicier to me and we are very fortunate to have a great selection of fish in a large grocery store in town. But you can absolutely use 4-6 ounce portions if you prefer and if that’s more readily available to you!
• Soy sauce: Use regular or reduced sodium, whichever you prefer.
• Honey: I recommend a clear, mild, runny honey for this recipe.
• Brown sugar: I like the depth this adds, but feel free to skip it.
• Garlic: If you don’t have any fresh available, feel free to use ½ – 1 teaspoon dried garlic powder.
• Other flavor: Try orange juice and orange zest in place of the lemon – tastes amazing! Cut the honey and sugar in half when using orange, as it has a natural sweetness. My husband loves adding some freshly minced ginger to the marinade, and red pepper flakes. Not for small kids or adults who detest spicy food, though ?

How to marinate salmon

1. Start by patting dry your salmon fillet. If you buy fresh, I recommend to gently feel it over with clean hands. Remove any fish bones that were overseen when cleaning the fish.

2. Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a medium measuring jug. Whisk well to combine.

3. Place the salmon in a large zip-top bag (mine was 3 quart and on the snug side). Pour the marinade on top. Remove excess air from the bag and zip it close.

4. Place the bag in a dish, then place it in the refrigerator (I highly recommend using a dish to avoid any accidental spills of fishy marinade). Marinate for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.

5. Once ready, remove the fish from the marinade. Discard the remaining marinade and bag. Cook your salmon using your preferred method until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F – I like grilling best for marinated fish!

Recipe tips

Marinating time: Salmon does not need a lengthy time to marinate! I recommend going for at least 20 minutes, 30-60 minutes is ideal.

Due to the nature of salmon, it starts breaking up in contact with acid. This marinade is not highly acidic and is mostly oil/soy sauce based. If you cannot avoid it at all, you may leave the salmon in marinade for 4-6 hours. It’s not ideal, but it’s doable. Any longer than that and it may turn out mushy – which is something you’ll really want to avoid!

No matter how short or long you choose to marinate your fish, always keep it refrigerated!

Freezer tips: You can freeze marinated salmon for easy dinners. Marinate it for 30-60 minutes in the fridge, then drain off the marinade. Let out any excess air and label the bag with the name and use-by date. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrost in the fridge for about 6-8 hours before cooking.

Different uses: You can use this marinade for a whole side of salmon, for individual salmon fillets… Or you can use cubed salmon to make salmon kabobs! Just marinate 2-inch cubes of salmon for 30 minutes in the marinade, then thread on soaked wooden skewers alternating with thinly sliced lemon. They grill quickly, so watch them closely!

Serving ideas

Since we usually eat this on hot summer days, I like my side dishes to reflect this! Simple salads, vegetable dishes and easy sides are what we usually have with our grilled salmon:

• Greek Orzo Salad or Mediterranean Couscous Salad
• Potato Salad
• Summer Corn Salad
• Grilled Corn on the Cob (or Air Fryer Corn on the Cob)
• Strawberry Spinach Salad
• Pineapple Coleslaw
• Avocado Mango Black Bean Salsa or Easy Pineapple Salsa
• Air Fryer Asparagus

PSIf you try this recipe, please leavea review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along onPinterest,FacebookorInstagram.

Printable recipe

More easy marinades