This Cilantro Lime Salmon is an easy and healthy recipe with a delicious yet subtle flavor that can please almost anyone. The grill makes the salmon exceptionally tasty because of the smokiness it adds to it.
If you love salmon, you should try this Pesto Salmon and Cedar Plank Salmon.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I love this amazing Cilantro Lime Salmon – the summer flavors are fresh and delicious, And the fillets are grilled to flaky perfection, making them perfect for backyard barbecues and parties.
- TASTE: This Cilantro Lime Salmon has plenty of flavor. Tangy, salty, savory, and marinated in ginger and garlic, it’s finished with a smoky flavor from the grill.
- TEXTURE: These salmon fillets are tender and juicy thanks to the marination. The grill gives the skin a little crisp that you’re going to love.
- TIME: This dish takes an hour to marinate, but less than 10 minutes to cook, and it needs very little prep time
- EASE: This recipe is really simple. Most of the ingredients are in the marinade and grilling these salmon fillets is easy.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Salmon- I used King salmon fillets for this recipe. Look for deboned cuts that still have the skin on so the salmon will have a deliciously crispy outside when grilled.
- Cilantro- This fresh herb has a distinct earthy flavor that is perfect for seafood. Use fresh cilantro rather than dried for the best flavor.
- Lime- We use both the lime juice and zest for this salmon dish to get the maximum flavor. Fresh limes are a must as concentrate doesn’t taste quite the same.
- Garlic- This pungent ingredient adds lots of great flavor. Grate fresh cloves if you can. The pre-minced type in the jar isn’t as good.
- Ginger- Freshly grated ginger has a strong taste and is just what you want in your marinade. If you have extra ginger root, just freeze it in a ziplock bag for next time.
- Brown sugar- The sweetness of this ingredient will counterbalance the tangy, salty, and umami tastes of the others.
- Rice wine- This is also known as sake, a Japanese alcohol that is made with fermented rice. It provides a strong flavor that can be sweet with a little burn.
- Soy sauce- I used low sodium soy sauce so we could get the umami flavor without as much salt.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Make this without sake- If you prefer not to use any alcohol, you can make this dish with mirin, which is a non-alcoholic rice wine. Rice wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar can also be substituted.
- Substitute salmon without skin- If you only have skinless salmon fillets, you can also use these with this recipe. The cook time is the same.
- Cook this recipe in other ways- If you haven’t got a grill, you can still make this Cilantro Lime Salmon. Cook it in a pan on the stove, bake it in the oven, or make it with an air fryer.
- Substitute honey- Instead of brown sugar, you can use honey as the sweetener in your marinade. It has a great flavor and skips the refined sugar.
How to Make Cilantro Lime Salmon
- Make the marinade. Combine the garlic, ginger, cilantro, brown sugar, lime zest, fresh lime juice, rice wine, low sodium soy sauce, and vegetable oil. Then make sure to reserve 1/4 cup of the sauce for later.
- Marinate. Place the salmon fillets into a bowl and then pour the marinade over them. Cover with cling wrap and marinate in the fridge for about 1 hour.
Pro Tip: You can also use a ziplock bag to marinate the salmon if you haven’t got a bowl handy. Just add everything in, close it, and sit it in the fridge.
- Grill the salmon. Heat the grill to about 500 degrees Fahrenheit, then grease the grill grates with a little bit of oil. Grill each salmon fillet for 4 minutes per side, so 8 minutes total.
- Serve. After the cilantro lime salmon is done, transfer it to a plate and drizzle with the reserved marinade. Serve with lime slices.
Recipe Tips
- Check the salmon for pin bones- Even though they are supposed to be deboned, check yourself to make sure none have been missed. No one wants to find a bone in their mouth!
- Use fresh ingredients- This simple dish relies on the excellent flavors of the ingredients, so use fresh garlic, ginger, cilantro, and lime to get the most out of them.
- Grease the grill grates- Salmon can be delicate, so grease the grates of the grill before placing it down to cook so it doesn’t stick and break when you go to flip it.
- Grill the salmon skin side down first- This gives a little protection to the tender flesh of the fillet and also gives the skin time to crisp, making it much easier to flip.
FAQs
You should marinate the salmon fillets for at least half an hour, but no more than an hour. The reason is that the fish will absorb too much after an hour and become mushy. Place the marinating salmon in the refrigerator to keep it at a safe temperature.
If you decide to bake the salmon, you can do so (skin side down) on a baking sheet at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for about 12-15 minutes. If you opt to grill it, the grill should be greased and heated to 500 degrees. Cook the fillets skin side down for 4 minutes, and then flip and cook for 4 more minutes.
Serving Suggestions
This Cilantro Lime Salmon is flavorful and versatile, working well with lots of other dishes. It’s ideal for serving at barbecues, parties, and for a summer dinner at home.
- Salads: Serve this dish with a Strawberry Pecan Salad, Cranberry Broccoli Salad, Avocado Corn Salad, or Spinach Pomegranate Salad.
- Vegetables: This salmon is great with veggies, like these Garlic Asparagus, Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, or Roasted Vegetables.
- Sides: Enjoy this Cilantro Lime Salmon alongside cilantro lime rice, Mashed Potatoes, Wild Rice, and Scalloped Potatoes.
- Grilled dishes: While you’re grilling, pair these salmon fillets with Juicy Grilled Chicken Kabobs, Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp (VIDEO), Grilled Teriyaki Chicken, or Shashlik (VIDEO).
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can make the marinade for this recipe a day ahead of time. But don’t add the salmon more than an hour before cooking, or the fish will become mushy from marinating too long.
Storing: You can store this Cilantro Lime Salmon once it has cooled in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will last for about 4 days. Reheat in the oven, in a skillet on the stove, or in the microwave.
Freeze: To freeze this salmon, let it cool and then place it in a freezer ziplock bag or airtight container. Freeze it for up to 6 months. Thaw it in the fridge or place the bag in a bowl of cold water until it is no longer frozen. Then heat it and serve. The reserved marinade can also be frozen separately.
More Delicious Seafood Dishes!
Full Recipe Instructions
Cilantro Lime Salmon
Ingredients
- 6 6 oz King salmon fillets
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 tsp grated ginger
- 2 1/2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- Zest of 1 lime
- 5 tbsp lime juice
- 1/3 cup rice wine sake
- 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine minced garlic, grated ginger, chopped cilantro, brown sugar, lime zest, lime juice, rice wine, low sodium soy sauce, and vegetable oil. Reserve 1/4 cup of this sauce for later.
- Place the salmon fillets into the bowl and light turn them to coat completely. Cover with plastic and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Fire up the grill to medium high heat and cook the fish on both sides. Grilling time may vary depending on the thickness of each fillet.
- Once the salmon is fully cooked, transfer to a plate and drizzle the reserved marinade over each fillet. Serve hot.
Notes
- Check the salmon for pin bones- Even though they are supposed to be deboned, check yourself to make sure none have been missed. No one wants to find a bone in their mouth!
- Use fresh ingredients- This simple dish relies on the excellent flavors of the ingredients, so use fresh garlic, ginger, cilantro, and lime to get the most out of them.
- Grease the grill grates- Salmon can be delicate, so grease the grates of the grill before placing it down to cook so it doesn’t stick and break when you go to flip it.
- Grill the salmon skin side down first- This gives a little protection to the tender flesh of the fillet and also gives the skin time to crisp, making it much easier to flip.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted on May 1, 2016, we’ve tweaked it a bit since then.
- Sparkling Fruit Punch Recipe - July 10, 2025
- BBQ Sauce - June 30, 2025
- Fruit Kabobs - June 25, 2025
Liese Maples says
Do you have nutritional information for this recipe? Specifically carb and sodium info.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi liese, sorry I do not have the nutritional information for this recipe.
Pamela Thomas says
Could this be done with Cod or Halibut? Just wondering cause I don’t like Salmon but would love to try it with a whitefish, the marinade sounds delish! Also can it be done on charcoal/Weber grill?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Pamela this recipe would work really well with albacore tuna steaks. Yes it can definitely be done on a charcoal grill.
Anna says
Mouthwatering! Can’t wait to try it 🙂