This is my simple lemon dill salmon marinade — so fresh and delicious. It’s my go-to marinade for salmon — I make it with fresh lemon, garlic, and dill. You’ll never want to eat salmon any other way!
PS: marinated salmon comes out so tender, flakey, and absolutely infused with flavor. I hope you love this salmon marinade as much as me and my family do ❤️.
Say hello to the brightest and best salmon marinade on the internet — and I don’t say that lightly 😋😋. It is the perfect combination of citrus and herbs and it makes for the most tender and flakey salmon recipe! If you are hoping to make oven-baked salmon, pan-seared salmon, or grilled salmon, THIS is your salmon marinade!
This salmon marinade is:
- Fresh
- Lemony
- Healthy
- Easy
Does it get any better?!
Salmon absorbs marinades incredibly well, which means it soaks up literally all of the flavors you marinate it with. By marinating your salmon fillets in this combination of citrus, herbs, and oil, you are infusing it with seriously so much flavor so every bite is absolutely delicious.
You can use a half salmon filet (like pictured) or you can use a handful of smaller salmon fillets that are pre-portioned.
The important thing that determines how much marinade you will need is the weight of salmon. This salmon marinade recipe is the perfect amount for 2.5-3 lbs. of salmon.
Our all-time favorite salmon is Surrender Salmon. They catch wild-Alaskan salmon off of Bristol Bay in Alaska. The salmon is bright orange, so flakey and delicious, and truly the best.
Surrender Salmon is a family-run company based here in Minneapolis and they are good friends of ours! Support a local business if you can.
This marinade is bright and lemony. It calls for simple, fresh ingredients. Here’s what you need:
- Olive oil: olive oil is the base of this marinade. It helps bind all the ingredients together and helps the marinade cling to the salmon.
- Lemon juice: The brightness of this marinade comes from the lemon juice! Fresh lemon juice is always a good idea with fish.
- Mustard: You can’t go wrong with adding a little mustard to a marinade. It offers a savory flavor and a zing of vinegar.
- Garlic: Smash and mince fresh garlic. It is a great addition to any sauce, marinade, or dressing.
- Honey: honey adds a bit of sweetness and really balances out the lemon juice and dill. Feel free to swap for maple syrup.
- Salt: Don’t skip the salt! Salt brings out the flavor of all of these ingredients.
- Fresh dill: fresh dill is the money ingredient in this marinade. When I say fresh dill, I mean fresh! It really makes a difference compared to dried when it comes to flavor.
How to Marinate Salmon (3 steps)
This recipe is so easy, it’s ready in less than 5 minutes!
- Combine: simply combine all of the ingredients in a bowl or jar and mix to combine.
- Marine: Situate your large salmon fillet or 4-6 small salmon fillets in a dish or large gallon-size bag and pour in the marinade. Make sure that all sides are nice and coated.
- Chill: Let salmon marinate in the fridge for 30-45 minutes.
You can see that in these particular photos, we laid a piece of tin foil on top of a baking sheet and marinated the salmon right on the baking sheet because after we baked the salmon in the oven.
How long should I marinate salmon?
Marinate your salmon fillets for around 30-45 minutes and not any longer.
You can prepare this marinade a few days beforehand to use as a marinade for salmon throughout the week. Just add all the ingredients to a mason jar, shake, cover, and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Bonus: this salmon marinade is actually a delicious vinaigrette, too! If you have leftovers, toss it with some greens and enjoy.
According to FoodSafety.gov, salmon (fish with fins) needs to be cooked to 145ºF to be safely consumed. This, my friends, is our #1 tip when cooking salmon.
Measure the internal temperature at the thickest part of your salmon fillet. It should be at least 145ºF before eating.
Try it!
Thermoworks Thermapen
We swear by using a meat thermometer when cooking any cut of meat. The Thermapen is our go-to meat thermometer that works every time.
Salmon can last up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you do have leftover salmon, try making our yummy salmon patties or these salmon breakfast frittatas.
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Combine all of the ingredients for this salmon marinade (minus the salmon) into a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
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Pour the marinade onto the bottom of a baking sheet, large casserole dish, or in a gallon-size plastic bag, and then place the salmon fillet skin side up in the marinade and cover.
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Let the salmon marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30-45 minutes. Make sure not to marinate any longer or you risk the citrus activating the cooking process.
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Cook salmon using your favorite method. We recommend our oven-baked salmon recipe.
- Salmon: option to use one large fillet just like we did in these photos, or multiple smaller fillets. This salmon marinade can easily be doubled or tripled depending on how many lbs. you’re hoping to cook.
- Nutrition information is for 2 lbs. salmon and serves 6.
Calories: 328 kcal, Carbohydrates: 5 g, Protein: 39 g, Fat: 16 g, Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 2 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.
