Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (2024)

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A family favorite! This easy grilled pesto salmon recipe in foil, with sautéed peppers and shallots, requires virtually no clean-up. It’s equally good for weeknight meals and entertaining! 254 calories and 1 Weight Watchers SP
Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (1)

Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil

By no choice of my husband's, the grill has become my domain, and this easy grilled pesto salmon recipe has become a favorite around here. His mistake was helping me to get over my irrational fear of turning on the gas grill (see How to: Turn on a Gas Grill if you know that fear well). I now wield the tongs like Annie Oakley wielded her six-shooter. I am one with the fire.

As soon as the nice weather hits, I turn to barbecuing for about 75% of our meals. One of our favorites, thanks to my mum's ingenuity, is . Since that recipe is always such a success, I used the same principles, but changed up the flavors with a dollop of basil pesto and some sauteed red bell peppers and shallots.

Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (2)

And the leftovers? Amazing on a pizza! That was my husband's brilliant idea.

Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (3)

Tips for making this pesto salmon recipe:

  • Start by sautéing the peppers and shallots in a little olive oil. Cook them until they are just starting to soften. Remember, you'll be cooking them further on the grill.
  • While the peppers and shallots are cooking, smear the piece of salmon with some homemade or store-bought basil pesto. Make sure that you like the taste of the pesto you're using because, besides the salmon itself, this is the essence of the recipe.
  • Cover the salmon with the sautéed peppers and shallots, and wrap it all in one pretty foil package. Ten to fifteen minutes later, you will be rewarded with a tender, flavorful meal. Easy, right?
  • Use a double layer of regular foil or a single layer of heavy duty foil. Either works! I place the foil packet on a baking sheet so that it's easy to carry to and from the grill. When sliding the foil package off of the grill once the salmon is cooked, be sure to use tongs or a metal spatula because the foil will be hot.

Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (4)

How to tell when salmon is cooked:

  • The biggest challenge in any salmon recipe (okay, any fish recipe at all) is taking care not to overcook the salmon. If have a little trick for you.
  • Stick a small sharp knife into the thickest part of the salmon and hold it there for 10 seconds. Remove the knife and cautiously touch it to your upper lip (it's very sensitive to temperature). If the knife is hot, the fish is done. Seriously, it works every time.

Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (5)

Other easy grilling recipes:

{Cookin' Canuck}
How to: Grill Corn {Cookin' Canuck}
Chicken Shawarma with Lime Avocado Mayo {The Iron You}
Grilled Nectarine & Chevre Salad with Honey Fig Vinaigrette {Simple Healthy Kitchen}
Smoky Portobello Tacos {Dessert for Two}

Printable Recipe

Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (6)

Easy Grilled Pesto Salmon in Foil Recipe

This easy grilled salmon recipe in foil, with basil pesto and sautéed peppers and shallots, requires virtually no clean-up. It’s perfect for busy weeknights and entertaining! 254 calories and 1 Weight Watchers SP

4.86 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Entrees

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Gluten Free, Grilling Recipes, Healthy Dinner Recipes

Servings: 6 Servings

Calories: 254.1kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • ¼ cup minced shallots
  • 1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 ½ pounds salmon salmon filet with or without skin (remove before eating)
  • 3 tablespoon basil pesto purchased or homemade

Instructions

  • Preheat the grill to medium heat.

  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.

  • Add the red bell pepper, salt and pepper, and cook until the bell pepper is just tender, about 3 minutes.

  • Lay the salmon on a double sheet of foil that is lightly coated with cooking spray.

  • Spread the pesto over the salmon and arrange the shallot and red bell peppers over the pesto.

  • Seal the foil by folding it as though you wrapping a present. Slide the foil packet onto the grill and close the lid. Cook until the salmon is just cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon. Take care not to overcook the salmon.

  • Unwrap the salmon from the foil,4cut into pieces and serve hot or at room temperature.

Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 1 (Freestyle SmartPoints), 6 (Points+)

Nutrition

Serving: 0.16of Salmon | Calories: 254.1kcal | Carbohydrates: 2.7g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 12.7g | Saturated Fat: 2.3g | Cholesterol: 65.2mg | Sodium: 186.2mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.8g

Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

This recipes was originally published on May 27, 2014, and was updated on June 20, 2019.

Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (7)

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (8)

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Reader Interactions

Comments

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  1. Frances

    Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (13)
    Easy and the foil wrap keeps salmon from drying out. I used a pesto seasoning blend as a rub and then added a tab of pesto. I baked it in the oven at 400. We liked it very much. Will do again.

    Reply

  2. Ashley Judd

    Eating was believing! Absolutely delicious. Grilled on recommended temperature made the difference. Nice smoky outside, flake tender inside. I love simple, easy recipes as well. This one is a keeper .

    Reply

  3. Ashley Judd

    Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (14)
    It’s been a good while since I made oven baked salmon. My recipe is similar to yours but I haven’t tried it with peppers yet. Looks like it’s the highest time to do so!

    Reply

  4. Noelle

    Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (15)
    This was a great pesto flavor! Loved everything about this, can't wait to make again

    Reply

  5. Suzy

    Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (16)
    Simple and easy meals like this are the best! Loved the flavor and how easy it was to make@

    Reply

  6. Rocky Mountain Woman

    Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (17)
    I am trying to "become one with the fire" this summer! My goal for the summer is to learn how to cook over coals.

    This is a lovely recipe! Thanks for sharing it.

    Reply

  7. Shirley

    when the cold weather hits here ( Montreal) , how long would you cook this in the oven? Great flavours! Thank you!

    Reply

  8. Cassie Sue

    Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (18)
    I made this last night and it was fantastic! And it really couldn't be any easier. Even my husband who swore that "Pesto is not his favorite" thought it was delicious. I did add a little red pepper flakes to the salmon, and topped it with some parmesan cheese when it came out of the oven (to woo the hubby) but those items really were not needed. I served it alongside some mashed potatoes.

    I will be making it again in the future. Thanks!

    Reply

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Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you grill salmon on aluminum foil? ›

Fold the tops of pieces of foil together, leaving the sides open. Tent the foil for heat circulation. Place foil packets on the preheated grill and cook until salmon is easily flaked with a fork, 15 to 25 minutes, opening foil during the last 5 minutes to lightly brown.

Is it better to cook salmon in foil or not? ›

The foil helps cook the fish faster and just all around better. Another reason is that it's a healthy way to cook fish. Yes, salmon is already a very healthy fish. But if you cook it in foil, you don't have to use a lot of oil or butter to cook it.

Is it better to bake salmon covered or uncovered? ›

Baked salmon is best when cooked at 425°F in the oven.

Even thicker fillets don't take long. We recommend baking the salmon uncovered. Simply rub the fillets with a little oil, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, then place them in the roasting pan skin-side down before popping them in the oven.

Can you use parchment paper instead of foil for salmon? ›

Salmon cooked en papillote, which means wrapped in a packet of parchment (or foil), is a dramatic way to procure perfectly cooked salmon, but it isn't difficult. Fold a fillet into a cut piece of parchment, and then layer it with seasonings or perhaps vegetables or citrus fruit. Then simply bake the packets until done.

Do you grill salmon directly on the grill or in foil? ›

If you're looking to cook a large fillet of salmon on the grill, wrap it in foil! It's much easier to manage this way, and you'll get a tender piece of fish that is impressive looking. This method takes about 14 to 18 minutes.

How long should you cook salmon on the grill in foil? ›

Place lemon slices on top of the salmon fillets and wrap in foil to create a foil packet. Place foil packet on the grill and cover the grill. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through (or reaches desired done-ness).

Do you need to flip salmon in foil? ›

This grilled-salmon-in-foil method is dependable and stress-free because there's no flipping required, and the foil keeps the fish skin from sticking to your grill grates and causing a mess that can also result in the loss of your precious protein.

Will salmon stick to aluminum foil? ›

Coat the bottom of the foil with butter so the salmon doesn't stick to the foil. Add some lemon and squeezes, salt, and pepper to the foil as well.

What is the white stuff coming out of my salmon? ›

The white stuff that oozes out of salmon is called albumin, a type of protein in the fish (other foods with albumin include eggs, beef and milk). You can't see albumin when the fish is raw—it only appears when the salmon is exposed to heat. As salmon cooks, the albumin turns from its liquid state into a semi-solid one.

What veggies go best with salmon? ›

14 Easy Summer Sides to Pair with Salmon
  • 01 of 14. Creamy Cucumber Salad. ...
  • 02 of 14. Cauliflower Rice. ...
  • 03 of 14. Garlic & Parmesan Roasted Carrots. ...
  • 04 of 14. Roasted Broccoli & Cauliflower. ...
  • 05 of 14. Air-Fryer Corn on the Cob. ...
  • 06 of 14. Spinach Salad with Ginger-Soy Dressing. ...
  • 07 of 14. Air-Fryer Zucchini. ...
  • 08 of 14. Vinaigrette Coleslaw.
Jul 16, 2022

How to stop salmon from sticking to foil? ›

Grease the foil: Before placing the fish on the aluminum foil, lightly grease the surface of the foil with cooking oil or butter.

What is the best cooking method for salmon? ›

Pan-frying or pan-searing is one of the best ways to cook salmon fillets. It's quick, easy, and gives the fish that perfect crispy, crunchy skin. A simple pan-fried salmon is the secret to a flavorful and healthy weeknight dinner in 30 minutes or less.

Can you eat salmon skin? ›

Many people find the skin to even be their favorite part of the salmon, for its flavor, texture, and nutrients. Whether you're cooking salmon steaks, salmon filets, or chunks of salmon, fresh or frozen salmon skin is certainly edible.

Is it safe to grill fish in aluminum foil? ›

Use foil instead to avoid a fish fiasco. Just simply make a foil packet for fish to rest in and throw on the grill. You'll have a healthy, foolproof fish dinner in minutes. There are many benefits for using foil to grill up your favourite fish fillets.

Is it OK to cook with aluminum foil on the grill? ›

Foil Meals On The Grill

Foil does have useful applications in our grills though, and works well as a makeshift smoker packet. It's also great for wrapping up vegetables, ribs, fish and other foods for a different method of cooking on the grill.

Is it safe to grill with aluminum foil? ›

For safe grilling, use aluminum foil packets or containers as directed. Bottom line: the amount of aluminum that enters food from high-heat cooking is considered safe to eat. If you're trying to avoid excess added chemicals in your diet for any reason, try using lower heat or parchment paper instead.

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