Made with fresh ingredients, these six marinade recipes will give salmon fillets an amazing taste without overpowering the fish. They’re easy to make, healthy, and simple.
Salmon Marinades Overview
I’m always looking for ways to make home cooking fast and flavorful!
There are six different marinade flavors below. Each one uses a bit of olive oil, an acidic ingredient (lemon, lime or orange juice), some garlic, and spices. Add the salmon fillet to the marinade and store it in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour before cooking.
I love these marinade recipes because I know exactly what ingredients are in them. They’re also budget-friendly!
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1. Lemon Garlic Marinade
- ¼ cup lemon juice – approx. one freshly squeezed lemon
- 2 garlic cloves – minced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Mix the salmon marinade ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Add the salmon fillet to a glass container or plastic bag and pour the marinade sauce overtop. The container should be small enough so that the salmon can soak up the marinade. Seal the bag/container and let sit in fridge for 1-2 hours before cooking. Salmon can also marinate overnight in the fridge.
2. Sweet and Spicy Marinade
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ½ Tbsp hot sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Follow the same instructions as the lemon garlic marinade above.
3. Honey Mustard Marinade
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp whole grain mustard
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Follow the same instructions as the lemon garlic marinade above.
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4. Chili Lime Marinade
- ¼ cup lime juice – approx. 3 freshly squeezed limes
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ Tbsp lime zest
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Follow the same instructions as the lemon garlic marinade above.
5. Italian Herb Marinade
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves – minced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Follow the same instructions as the lemon garlic marinade above.
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6. Orange Ginger Marinade
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 garlic cloves – minced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
- 1 ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Marinating Tips
- MEAL PREP TIP: If you’re buying a large salmon fillet, you can slice it into smaller portions first, as soon as you get home from the grocery store. This is also when you can add the marinade to the salmon. Get out multiple freezer bags to divide up the salmon, then place the marinade ingredients inside and seal. These can be placed in the fridge or freezer depending on when you’ll be using them.
- MARINATING TIME: I like to marinate my salmon overnight to get the most flavor. But if I’m short on time, I’ll marinate for one-hour minimum and then cook.
- If the marinade has been in contact with raw salmon, it’s not safe to reuse it, so don’t save it for next time. You can still add the marinade with the salmon while it’s cooking. But discard any leftover marinade that has come in contact with the raw fish.
- STORAGE TIPS: You can use Ziploc freezer bags to freeze your salmon. When adding ingredients to your freezer bags, I like to use these handy clips that will help your bag stand up and avoid spilling. Or you can place the salmon in a glass container with a lid in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- DEFROSTING TIPS: I always take out my salmon from the freezer the night before I’m ready to cook and place it in a bowl of shallow cold water in the fridge. This will help to speed up the defrost process. Just make sure it’s completely sealed and that the top of the bag is not inside the water (you don’t want any water to get inside of the bag).
- COOKING TIPS: You can cook your marinating salmon in a variety of ways. I’ve cooked mine in the frying pan, baked it and even used the air fryer. Cooking instructions are below.
How To Cook Marinated Salmon
You can eat the cooked salmon with a side of roasted vegetables and rice, add it to a pasta dish, bake it, pan fry, grill it on the barbecue or even air fry it.
Pro Tip: Let the salmon sit at room temperature for 10-20 minutes before cooking. This will ensure the salmon cooks quicker and more evenly.
Baking Salmon Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the salmon fillet skin side down on the baking sheet. Cover loosely with foil.
- Bake for 12-20 minutes or until salmon is easily flaked with a fork and no longer dark pink inside.
How Long To Cook Salmon
The cooking time for salmon will vary depending on the thickness of the fillet. Measure the thickest part of your salmon. It will take approximately 10 minutes for every 1″ of thickness. For example, 2″ thick took me about 23 minutes to cook. This time will vary slightly so it’s best to check on it early to avoid overcooking.
Pro Tip: The fish will continue to cook once you remove it from the oven, so it’s better to undercook just slightly than to overcook.
Salmon Baking Times:
| Temperature | Thickness | Time (covered with foil) |
| 375°F | 1″ | approx 10-12 minutes |
| 375°F | 1 1/2 “ | approx 15-17 minutes |
| 375°F | 2″ | approx 20-22 minutes |
| 375°F | 2 1/2″ | approx 25 minutes |
Pan Frying Salmon Instructions:
- Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the pan is hot, add some cooking oil and the salmon skin side facing up. Cook 2-3 minutes
- Pour leftover marinade into the pan and then flip over the salmon so the skin side is down. Cook another 3-5 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through and easily flaked with a fork.
Grilling Salmon Instructions:
- Heat barbecue to medium heat, place salmon on the grill, skin side up. Cover and let cook for about 5 minutes, then flip. Salmon will be done when easily flaked with a fork.
Air Frying Instructions:
- Lightly coat the inside of the air fryer tray or basket with olive oil or cooking spray. Preheat at 400°F for 2 minutes
- Now add the salmon skin side down and cook for 10-20 minutes or until fully cooked and easily flaked with a fork.
How Do You Know When Fish Is Cooked?
According to the USDA recommended cooking temperatures, the safest internal temperature for cooking all types of fish and shellfish is 145°F. This is the interior temperature that the fish will read at once removed from the heat source. You can use a food thermometer, which will be poked into the thickest part of the fish to read the temperature.
Is It Safe To Marinade Salmon Overnight?
Yes! It is safe to marinate salmon in the fridge overnight. The USDA food safety information suggests that you can keep raw fish in the fridge for 1 to 2 days. Any longer and it should be frozen instead.
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Six Healthy Salmon Marinade Recipes
Ingredients
Lemon Garlic Marinade:
- ¼ cup lemon juice - approx. one freshly squeezed lemon
- 2 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Sweet and Spicy Marinade:
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ½ Tbsp hot sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Honey Mustard Marinade:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp whole grain mustard
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Chili Lime Marinade:
- ¼ cup lime juice - approx. 3 freshly squeezed limes
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ Tbsp lime zest
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Italian Herb Marinade:
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Orange Ginger Marinade:
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
- 1 ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
Salmon Marinade Instructions:
- Mix the salmon marinade ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Add the salmon fillet to a glass container or plastic bag and pour the marinade sauce overtop. The container should be small enough so that the salmon can soak up the marinade. Seal the bag/container and let sit in fridge for 1-2 hours before cooking. Salmon can also marinade overnight in the fridge.
Baking Salmon Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the salmon fillet skin side down on the baking sheet. Cover loosely with foil. Bake for 12-20 minutes or until salmon is easily flaked with a fork and no longer dark pink inside.
Pan Frying Salmon Instructions:
- Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add some cooking oil and the salmon skin side facing up. Cook 2-3 minutes. Pour leftover marinade into the pan and then flip over the salmon so the skin side is down. Cook another 3-5 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through and easily flaked with a fork.
Grilling Salmon Instructions:
- Heat barbecue to medium heat, place salmon on the grill, skin side up. Cover and let cook for about 5 minutes, then flip. Salmon will be done when easily flaked with a fork.
Air Frying Instructions:
- Lightly coat the inside of the air fryer tray or basket with olive oil or cooking spray. Preheat at 400°F for 2 minutes. Now add the salmon skin side down and cook for 10-20 minutes or until fully cooked and easily flaked with a fork.
Recipe Notes:
- These marinade servings will work for 1 salmon fillet. If you’re using a very large piece of salmon I recommend doubling the marinade recipe to maximize flavor.
- Loving these recipes? Then you’ll have to try my six healthy chicken marinades.
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.