Grilled Salmon with Garlic Lime Butter
By the QuiteRecipes team (Jamy & Kaïna) | Food Service Professional, Early Childhood Expert & Parents
Master this easy grilled salmon recipe featuring a rich garlic lime butter sauce and fresh dill. Perfectly flaky seafood in under 30 minutes!
Grilled salmon under a pool of garlic-lime butter that melts into every flake. The butter is the whole plot: rich, garlicky, and bright enough to make the charred crust shine. This is the barbecue main that looks like effort and is basically three steps.
🥄 Ingredients
- 🫗 2 lbs salmon filet, skin-on
- 🫗 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter
- 🫗 4 cloves garlic, smashed (not pressed)
- 🫗 2 Tbsp lime juice (from 1 lime), plus extra lime wedges for serving
- 🫗 2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 🫗 1 tsp sea salt
- 🫗 1/4 tsp black pepper
Nutrition Facts*
*Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients, brands and portion sizes. Values are provided per serving.
👨🍳 Instructions
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (around 375°F to 400°F) and oil the grates thoroughly.
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the unsalted butter and add the smashed garlic cloves, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic.
Remove the melted butter from the heat and stir in the lime juice, chopped dill, sea salt, and black pepper.
Pat the salmon filet completely dry with paper towels and brush a light coating of the garlic lime butter over the flesh.
Place the salmon skin-side down on the hot grill, close the lid, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until flaky and cooked through.
Transfer the salmon carefully to a serving platter, pour the remaining warm garlic lime butter sauce over top, and garnish with extra fresh dill and lime wedges.
🎥 Video Tutorial
Grilled Salmon with Garlic Lime Butter
Video credit: embedded from YouTube. All rights belong to the original creator, who allows sharing on other websites.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- ✕
Flipping the salmon while grilling, which often causes tender salmon fillets to stick and break apart on the grates.
- ✕
Overcooking the salmon until dry; pull it off the grill when the internal temperature reaches around 135°F for optimal moistness.
🔄 Variations
Oven-Baked Version: Bake the seasoned salmon on a foil-lined baking sheet at 400°F (200°C) for 12–15 minutes.
Cilantro-Lime Twist: Swap fresh dill for fresh chopped cilantro to give the garlic lime butter a bright Tex-Mex flavor.
🧊 Storage
- 📦
Store leftover grilled salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and gently reheat in a covered skillet over low heat.
💡 Chef Tips
Smashing the garlic cloves instead of mincing or pressing infuses the butter with rich garlic flavor without leaving small pieces that might burn on the grill.
Grilling salmon skin-side down with the grill lid closed creates a warm oven effect, allowing the fish to cook evenly without needing to be flipped.
🔗 Related Recipes
About the Authors
This recipe and guide was developed, tested, and approved in our home kitchen and daily life. Jamy is a retired Food Service District Manager and Early Childhood Program Manager who spent his career overseeing multi-site restaurant operations, large-scale culinary production, and daycare menu management. Kaïna brings the ultimate real-world test: making sure it brings ease and joy to our kids on a busy weeknight.
Read more about our professional background and philosophy →