Grilled Salmon with Strawberry Salsa (Printer-friendly)

Juicy grilled salmon with a fresh, zesty strawberry salsa perfect for a light, satisfying meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salmon

01 - 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each), skin-on
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
04 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Strawberry Salsa

07 - 1½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
08 - ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
09 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
10 - 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
11 - Juice of 1 lime
12 - ½ teaspoon honey
13 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Garnish

14 - Lemon wedges
15 - Fresh cilantro leaves

# Steps:

01 - Heat grill to medium-high temperature, approximately 400°F.
02 - Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Brush both sides generously with olive oil, then season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and lemon zest.
03 - In a medium mixing bowl, combine diced strawberries, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Gently toss to combine and allow flavors to meld.
04 - Place salmon fillets skin-side down on the grill. Close lid and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip fillets and grill for 2 to 3 minutes until flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
05 - Remove salmon from grill and allow to rest for 2 minutes before plating.
06 - Top each salmon fillet with generous portions of strawberry salsa. Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The salsa tastes like summer captured in a bowl—sweet strawberries playing against spicy jalapeño in a way that feels both unexpected and completely right.
  • Grilling the salmon skin-side down gives you that crispy exterior while keeping the inside impossibly tender, all in under 10 minutes.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free without feeling like you're missing anything or eating "diet food."
02 -
  • Pat your salmon completely dry before it touches the grill—moisture is what prevents that crispy skin you're after, and it's a lesson I learned by burning the outside while the inside stayed rubbery.
  • The strawberry salsa needs at least 10 minutes to sit together so the flavors stop being individual notes and start becoming a harmony, which is why you should make it while the grill preheats.
03 -
  • If you have 30 minutes, marinate the salmon fillets in a mixture of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and a pinch of salt before grilling—it adds incredible depth and keeps the flesh extra moist.
  • The moment you finish assembling the plate is when you serve it, because the salsa will keep warming from the hot salmon and the strawberries will continue releasing juice, turning everything a little too soft and wet if you wait.
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