Six Easy Salmon Marinades

Salmon marinades add incredible flavor to your salmon dishes. They’re easy, healthy and so simple. Made with fresh ingredients, these six marinade recipes will give your salmon amazing taste without overpowering the fish.

Salmon Marinades

Bored with eating plain old salmon? It’s easy to zest it up with these six healthy salmon marinade recipes.

These salmon marinades are great because they’re made with fresh and simple ingredients that are healthy. Instead of buying store-bought marinade sauces which are usually loaded with preservatives and excess refined sugar we don’t really need, try these simple ideas instead.

As a mom, I’m always looking for ways to make home cooking fast and flavorful! So I love these marinade recipes because I know exactly what ingredients are in them. They’re also budget-friendly!

It’s so easy to grab a large salmon fillet on sale and add them to the marinade. You can even do this before you freeze the salmon.

Then, all you need to do is thaw the salmon in the freezer overnight and cook it for dinner using whatever method you’d like (I’ll share how to cook salmon below). Does it get any better!?

**Get My FREE Salmon Marinade Recipes Guide: All six healthy salmon marinades in one easy-to-print format – Sign Up Here To Get It

Salmon Marinade Tips and Tricks:

• PREPPING MARINADES: If you’re buying a large salmon fillet, I recommend slicing 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. Also, because 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 chicken 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 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. I’ll go over how to cook your salmon in more detail below.

Is It Safe To Marinade Salmon Overnight?

Yes! It is safe to marinade 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.

How To Cook Salmon:

You can eat the cooked salmon with a side of roasted vegetables and rice, add it to a pasta dish, grill it on the barbecue or even air fry it. Here are the instructions for each way you can cook it…

Cooking Salmon in A Frying Pan

1. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat with cooking oil. Once the pan is hot, add the salmon so skin side is facing up. Cook for 2-3 minutes then flip over so skin side is down. Pour the leftover marinade sauce over top of the salmon and cook for another 3-5 minutes. I like to watch the clock during this time because I’m not a fan of overcooked salmon.
2. At this point, depending on how thick the salmon is, the sides of the salmon should have just turned white and it should be cooked. To check you can use a fork to see if the salmon flakes easily. If it does, and the insides aren’t translucent, then it’s cooked. Remove from heat.

Baking Salmon in The Oven

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place salmon fillet skin side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until salmon is easily flaked with a fork. (If you have small salmon fillets, just cook for less time).

Grilling Salmon On The Barbecue

• Heat barbecue to medium heat, place salmon on the grill, skin side up. Cover and let cook for about 5 minutes, then flip. Pour extra marinade over top and cook an additional 5 minutes. Salmon will be done when easily flaked with a fork.

Air Frying Salmon

I love the air fryer! In another recipe, you can see how I cook air fryer salmon with full instructions and images. But, here’s the basics:

• Lightly coat the inside of the air fryer tray or basket with olive oil or cooking spray. Add the salmon fillets skin side up to the tray. Cook at 400°F for 10 minutes, then flip them over and pour leftover marinade on top. Cook an additional 10 minutes, or until fully cooked.

A NOTE ABOUT AIR FRYERS: If you haven’t used an air fryer yet, you can find a variety of popular ones from the Power Air Fryer to the Ninja Foodi Deluxe. I have the Ninja Foodi Deluxe – it’s an all-in-one that allows me to use it as an air fryer, instant pot, and slow cooker. It’s big enough that I can cook an entire meal in it all at once, which saves time and it’s basically my favorite tool in the kitchen.

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.

That’s it! When you know these tips and tricks, you can easily make your healthy salmon marinades. To get you started, below are six delicious salmon marinade recipes to try at home.

More Salmon Recipes To Try:

• Honey Garlic Salmon – this salmon is cooked in a frying pan and it’s light and fresh with a hint of sweetness.
• Air Fryer Salmon – You can cook your salmon in the air fryer! This recipe will give you all the details.
• Teriyaki Salmon with Roasted Sheet Pan Vegetables – I love using sheet pan meals for busy weeknights.

More Marinade Recipes

• Chicken Marinades – These six marinade recipes will take boring chicken and zest them up with flavor.
• Tofu Marinades – Marinated tofu takes a vegetarian meal to the next level. These 7 tofu marinades are made with fresh healthy ingredients.
• Pork Chop Marinades – Instead of buying the store-bought marinades that are high in refined sugar, salt, and added preservatives, you can make your own for a fraction of the price instead.
• Stir Fry Sauces – These homemade sauces are an easy way to add incredible flavor to your vegetables, grains and meats