Grilled Salmon with Mustard Sauce

This grilled salmon with mustard sauce combines a handful of ingredients for a tangy, fresh taste. It's ready in less than 30 minutes making it a great choice for a summer meal!

Looking for more delicious fish recipes? Why not try my Grilled Sea Bass with Watermelon Salsa or these Grilled Fish Tacos?

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This recipe is adapted from something a friend cooked for dinner one summer night several years ago. I absolutely loved the combo of mustard sauce with the salmon so I decided to recreate my own version and it's been a regular in my summer meal rotation ever since.

In California, you are able to grill all year long, which is one of the reasons grilling is such a popular method of cooking. I spent a lot of time around a grill when I was a kid and mastered grilling on my own at a pretty early age, yet I was always a little intimidated by cooking fish on the grill, which was unfortunate because I happen to LOVE fish and seafood!!

So one day I decided I needed to master cooking fish on the grill. If you love fish and seafood, you should know that grilling fish is really not that difficult, you just need a little practice and some good tips!

Contents:

• A summer al fresco dinner for two
• Ingredient Notes
• Pro tips for grilling salmon
• How to make this recipe
• Frequently asked questions
• What you'll need for this recipe
• Serving Suggestions
• More recipes for the grill
• Grilled Salmon with Tarragon Mustard Sauce

A summer al fresco dinner for two

Outdoor dinners are a quintessential summer ritual and an easy grilled meal is an ideal way to take advantage of warmer temperatures. Recipes like this one that are quick and easy with minimal clean-up are ideal for busy weeknights.

This go-to meal uses simple ingredients, many of which you may already have on hand, and is super satisfying, making it the perfect addition to your outdoor dinner table. Read on to learn more about how to make this Grilled Salmon with Mustard Sauce or jump straight to the recipe to start cooking!

Ingredient Notes

The full list of ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.

• Salmon filets: You need two salmon filets for this recipe. They should be about 6 ounces each. Choose salmon filets that have the skin on.
• Whole grain mustard: This mellows out the dijon a bit but still adds excellent flavor to the salmon.
• Fresh tarragon leaves: You could use dried tarragon in a pinch but reduce the amount significantly if you make that substitution. The tarragon is a great complement to the salmon and mustard.
• Fresh parsley: Look for flat-leaf or Italian parsley to get the right flavor.
• Spices: sea salt, ground black pepper
• Pantry staples: Olive oil, honey, dijon mustard

Pro tips for grilling salmon

• Preheat the grill! Don't skip the pre-heating step as you need nice hot grill grates to keep the fish from sticking to the grill. You want the temperature to be about 425°F before you put the fish on the grill.
• Oil the grill. Since this recipe uses a sauce on the fish, you want to oil the grill grates too. Just a light coating of oil on the cold grates will help the fish to release more easily. Using an oil with a higher smoke point is your best option. I'd recommend avocado or grapeseed oil.
• Don't flip the fish too early. Fish is more likely to stick to the grill if you flip it too early so most of the cooking is done with the skin side down.  

How to make this recipe

I love this dish because there is very little prep involved and the grill does most of the work. It's ready in less than 30 minutes, making it an ideal everyday dinner.

Step 3 | Grill the salmon. Place the salmon on the grill skin side down, close the grill lid and let it cook for 6-7 minutes. Don't disturb the salmon or open the cover until it's time to flip it. Carefully flip the salmon and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Step 4 | Serve. Remove the salmon from the grill, let it rest for a few minutes, top it with some chopped parsley and lemon juice and serve.

Frequently asked questions

What you'll need for this recipe

Gas grill - I grew up around Weber Grills so I've always been partial to them. I prefer gas over charcoal as I think they are easier to use and clean up is easier. A grill that has a built-in temperature gauge makes grilling a little easier.

Small glass bowls with lid – I love these little bowls from Crate & Barrel. They are perfect for mixing up things like sauces. They also have lids so if you need to store something you don’t need to pull out the plastic wrap, just grab a lid and put the bowl in the refrigerator.

Fish Spatula – While you can use a regular spatula, if you decide you enjoy grilling fish this is a kitchen tool that can be worth the investment. It's designed to be more flexible than a regular spatula so you can easily get underneath the fish to flip it over.

Serving Suggestions

Just about any side dish will go with this grilled salmon. I'd recommend pairing it with this Tuscan White Bean Salad or these Caprese Salad Stacks for an easy summer meal.

More recipes for the grill

If you are looking for other great summer grilling recipes, check out these ideas:

If you haven't done it before, give grilling fish a try - I'd love to hear how it goes!!

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This post was originally published in a June 2018. It was updated in August 2023 with some new information and photos. A few minor changes were made to the original recipe.