Smoked paprika herb salmon grilled in foil is a flavorful, almost effortless main dish. Season, cook, serve right in the foil.
No matter how long it’s been since we’ve lived there, I’m a Florida girl at heart. The beach is my happy place, I think sequined leopard print is a basic neutral, and I absolutely adore seafood. And when life gets a little hectic, you see a lot more seafood on our menu, which is how this smoked paprika herb salmon grilled in foil came to the blog.
When we moved this past spring, we left a newer suburban townhouse in the DC suburbs for a nearly 100 year old house in Alabama. The change has been pretty significant. We love the adventure of moving, but I can’t say I don’t miss free Amazon Prime same-day delivery. 😉 But the slower pace of life provides a nice break for now. Some of the challenges we faced with a few maintenance issues in the house definitely influenced dinner choices. Seafood is on the menu often because I want comfort food. It makes this Floridian happy, it’s easy to prepare, healthy, and delicious! Everybody wins.
So when I spotted some lovely looking whole salmon filets at the store, I started incorporating salmon into our summer menu, and this particular recipe has made several appearances over the last few months. Typing this recipe actually has me thinking it’s due for another in the next week or so if I find the salmon on my next grocery run.
Why has this paprika herb salmon grilled in foil become a favorite? Obviously, because it tastes good! The smoked paprika goes really well with the lemon, parsley, and garlic. Salmon, being a fatty and flavorful fish, can handle heavier seasoning and still shine. And it’s kind of a sweet fish, so it balances the smokiness of the paprika very well. It also makes me feel like I’m doing something with the garden parsley. So there’s that.
Side note garden update: I think all my tomatoes are dead – 2 got sick, one is hating the sun, but refusing to grow if I move it to a shadier spot. The zucchini wasn’t in a deep enough raised planter and is very unstable. The eggplant is okay, so is the gypsy pepper (sweet). I have a cantaloupe on our vine that I’m hoping ripens and doesn’t get attacked by the gigantic neighborhood squirrels before I can harvest it. The herbs are doing great, and my shisito pepper plant is massive. So next year I’m just growing herbs and shisito peppers.
And while I know I refer to this as salmon grilled in foil, you can definitely make it in the oven if you want to. When the Godfather is home early enough, he sets up the grill and grills the salmon and a few vegetables on the side. If he’s not going to be home early enough, I bake the salmon in foil in the oven. It still tastes good, so do what works for your situation.
The best part about cooking your salmon in foil? You serve right from the cooking pan and then toss the foil for the easiest clean up ever! Summer dining, and especially coastal inspired dining should be effortless. 5 minutes of prep time for an elegant summer main dish? Yes please. Foil grilled salmon should definitely earn a place on your menu at least once before summer ends.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for paprika herb salmon grilled in foil, darlings!
Paprika Herb Salmon Grilled in Foil
Smoked paprika herb salmon grilled in foil is a flavorful, almost effortless main dish. Season, cook, serve right in the foil.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pound salmon filet, skin on, up to 2 pounds is fine, size varies
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 fresh lemon, sliced, plus extra for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat your grill to medium high (gas or charcoal) *or* heat your oven to 400 F.
- In a small bowl, combine the parsley, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Pat the salmon dry and place on a large sheet of aluminum foil (use the longer rolls), skin side down.
- Brush the fish with the olive oil and rub the spice mixture evenly over the top of the fish. Top with slices of lemon.
- Fold the long sides of the foil to make a tunnel around the fish, and crimp the top. Crimp the short ends together to seal. Place the aluminum packet directly on the grill, or bake on a sheet pan if using the oven. Cook for 12-16 minutes until the salmon is done and flakes easily with a fork.
- Remove, garnish with additional lemon wedges and more parsley if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
