This particular grilled salmon recipe with cajun seasoning is one from my childhood. This is the way my parents always cook their salmon and It converted me at a young age.

I added some fresh lemon and herbs to make it extra special, but you can also use lemon pepper if you’ve got it!

You will LOVE this Foil Wrapped Salmon

This recipe is the perfect mix of flavors with the lemon and thyme, along with Cajun spices. The foil packet method ensures the salmon stays moist and tender, while making clean-up super convenient. It's an easy-to-make recipe, ideal for a quick weeknight dinner or a delicious meal during a barbecue.

Grilled Salmon in Foil Ingredients

• Salmon fillet: You can use full, long fillets, or a few small ones. Just make sure they’re not frozen when you prep them.
• Sea Salt
• Black pepper
• Cajun seasoning
• Garlic: Using fresh garlic adds so much flavor here, but you can shake some granulated garlic over your salmon in a pinch.
• Lemons: Use fresh here – it makes a big difference. One for slicing and cooking with the salmon and the other for garnish.
• Fresh Thyme: a lovely addition for sure, but you can use a pinch or two of dried if you don’t have fresh.

How to Grill Salmon in Foil

Step 1: Start with a wild-caught, fresh salmon fillet.

Pre-frozen fillets would work, too, but the best flavor comes from fresh fillets.

I always get wild-caught salmon at Costco in a two-pack and cook both of them at the same time so I can make salmon cakes with the leftovers.

Step 2: Gather herbs & spices

Cajun seasoning is so good on salmon. I don't know why, but it is.

It's pretty easy to find a good, clean blend at the grocery store. (I like Spicely's and Morton & Bassett's blends.)

You can also make your own! I included a recipe for homemade Cajun seasoning in my cookbook, but I'm sure a Google search would give you lots of options.

Fresh thyme, garlic, and lemon slices are delicious on salmon and compliment Cajun seasoning really well!

Step 3: Prepare Salmon in Foil

Lay the fillet on a large piece of aluminum foil.

Smear the fillet with the spices and garlic and arrange the lemon and thyme on top! Oh, and don't forget the butter or ghee. It makes a big difference!

(I nearly forgot -- it didn't make it into the photo. Oops.)

Just put several small blobs along the fillet -- this is really scientific, isn't it?

Crip the edges and then throw that puppy on your hot grill.

Or in a really hot oven -- like 425 degrees.

How Long to Grill Salmon in Foil

Take a look! You’ll want to take your salmon off the grill when is just barely cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. It can even be slightly pink still.

Grilling time and temperature

For direct grilling (medium-high heat) and flipping halfway through cooking:

¾ in thickness: 6-8 min

1 in thickness: 8-10 min

1.5 in thickness: 10-12 min

Foil packets take a little longer. Aim for 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon fillets.

How to season Foil Packet Salmon

I love this recipe because you could use any seasoning your heart desires while still knowing the foil packet method will give you the best results!

If Cajun doesn’t excite you (Although you should try it in my opinion!) then give these seasonings a go.

• Greek Seasoning
• Dry Sriracha Seasoning
• Middle Eastern Seasoning

What to serve with Grilled Salmon in Foil

If you're looking for side dishes or salads to go with this, here are a few ideas...

A big, homemade Caesar salad is my favorite thing to serve with this salmon. It's one of our go-to summertime meals! My Whole30 Caesar Dressing is a great option if you're needing a dairy-free creamy dressing.

This Easy Cajun Sausage & Rice Skillet would compliment this salmon beautifully!

Southwest Cabbage Slaw or Sweet Kale Salad are a couple of other tasty options, too!

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Grilled Salmon in Foil FAQs

If you like this recipe, try my Sweet Potato Foil Packets! Or my personal favorite Smoked Salmon Recipe. It's a must-make if you have a pellet grill.

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Cajun Grilled Salmon in Foil

Yield: Serves 4-6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Hands down, this is my all-time favorite way to cook salmon -- my parents cooked it this way when I was growing up. The foil packet creates a steamy environment and you end up with tender, juicy, flavorful salmon that you can't stop eating.

Print

Ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 whole, fresh salmon fillet (or 4-6 smaller fillets)
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 lemons, one sliced into rounds, one sliced into wedges
• 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2-3 Tablespoons ghee or grass-fed butter

Instructions

1. Preheat your grill to high heat.
2. Cut a piece of aluminum foil twice as long as the salmon fillet. Place the foil on a rimmed baking sheet so half is on the baking sheet and the other half extends to the side. Place the salmon on the side of the foil that is over the baking sheet.
3. Sprinkle the fillet liberally with sea salt and black pepper. Add the Cajun seasoning and garlic and rub them around evenly on the fillet. Place the lemon slices and thyme springs on top, and put blobs of ghee/butter on the fillet as well.
4. Fold the foil over to cover the salmon and crimp the sides to form a packet.
5. Place the packet on the grill. Cover the grill and cook for 8-12 minutes, until the thickest parts of the salmon are just barely cooked through -- or even slightly dark pink still.
6. Remove the salmon, turn off the grill, and let it cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve with lemon wedges.

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Sushi has been a favorite in our family for over a decade now. At first we were excited that our littles liked sushi but soon realized how expensive their sushi requests became.

Making sushi rolls and bowls at home saves us a chunk of money and it’s SUPER fun for the kids to make their own rolls.

Cooked Sushi Rolls (No Raw Fish!)

If you’re new (or leery about) sushi, I’m willing to guess the raw fish component makes you uneasy? Fair. Thankfully you can create delicious sushi rolls and bowl without any raw seafood.

Some of our favorite cooked seafood options for sushi rolls are this shrimp salad (recipe below!), tempura shrimp (Costco has delicious ones that are long and work well in rolls!), crab (either real or artificial. Both work here.), cooked salmon or whitefish is also very good.

What is a Spicy Shrimp Roll?

A spicy shrimp roll is a maki roll (sushi roll) made with a creamy shrimp mixture that contains a little heat. The shrimp “salad” is made by coarsely blending cooked shrimp with some spicy mayo and other ingredients.

Why You'll Love This Spicy Sushi

• It’s less intimidating than sushi rolls that contain raw fish – if you’re feeding people who are leery of that.
• They’re super kid-friendly and the self-assembly makes it easy for picky eaters to prep their food exactly how they want.
• There’s some versatility here! Pair the shrimp mixture with whatever sushi-friendly vegetables or toppings you like.
• You can even make these into rice bowls if you don’t want to roll them.

Shrimp Sushi Roll Recipe Ingredients

For these spicy shrimp rolls, you'll need these components:

• Sushi rice
• Spicy Shrimp Salad
• Cucumbers & Avocado
• Nori wrappers

What is the Best Rice for Sushi Rolls

Short grain rice is higher in starch which creates stickier rice -- ideal for making sushi rolls. Try to find short grain white rice or rice that is specifically labeled as "sushi rice" for best results.

The easiest way to roll sushi is by using a sushi mat. You can find inexpensive bamboo sushi mats for rolling sushi on Amazon or in an Asian grocery store.

How to Make Spicy Shrimp Roll Sushi

How to make Sushi Rice

1. Soak the rice

Usually you'd make fluffy rice by rinsing the rice until the water runs clear, but in this case you want to soak the rice and then cook the rice in the water you soaked the rice in.

This only takes about 15 min, so you can start gathering the rest of the ingredients for your components. 

2. Cook the rice

Even though I have a rice cooker, I like to do this on the stovetop so I can have more control over the steaming. Sometimes extra starchy rice burns or sticks to the pot in my Instant Pot, so I like to do it in a smaller pot on the stove.

Bring the rice to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer fro 15 minutes.

Remove the pot from the stove and let it sit for another 10-15 min, covered. 

3. Make the sushi dressing 

Combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl and mix well until the salt and sugar is dissolved.

4. Finish the sushi rice

Transfer the rice to a medium or large bowl. I do this so the rice cools more quickly.

Pour the dressing over the finished sushi rice and cover the bowl with a tea towel. 

Ideally the sushi rice should be close to room temperature when you use it, so set it aside while you finish prepping the other components.

How to make Spicy Shrimp Salad

1. Cook the shrimp in a skillet with the lime juice and either tamari or coconut aminos (if you're avoiding soy).
2. Transfer it to a food processor and pulse a few times to chop it roughly.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients (mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, etc) and pulse until everything is smooth. Add as much or as little sriracha as you like!

How to assemble a Shrimp Sushi Roll

1. Prepare the nori wrapper

Gather your components -- including a small bowl of warm water (you'll see why in a minute)

Lay the bamboo mat flat on your countertop or a cutting board. Place a nori wrapper on the bamboo mat, shiny-side down.

Spread about ½ cup sushi rice evenly on the mat. Dip your fingers in that little bowl of water and use your fingertips to spread the rice around without it sticking to your fingers. (Cool trick right?)

Leave about an inch of space at the bottom of the mat (the edge close to you).

Spread a few spoonfuls of the shrimp salad on that bottom edge (about 3-4 Tablespoons) and lay your thinly sliced cucumbers and avocados on top.

Sometime I like to sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on the rice for some extra flavor, but that's totally optional.

2. Roll it up

Use the bamboo mat to roll the nori wrapper around so the filling is enclosed. Then tightly continue to roll the nori wrapper while using the mat to compress the roll -- without rolling the mat up in the sushi roll. Does that make sense?

When you get the whole thing rolled up, squeeze the bamboo mat around the roll to tighten it further.

Now you have a homemade sushi roll ready to slice!

3. Slice it

Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the roll into ½-1 inch pieces and serve!

How to Make Spicy Shrimp Sushi Ahead of Time

Make the components ahead of time and make the rolls when you’re ready. OR you can turn them into an easy sushi roll bowl and skip the rolling all together!

Spicy Shrimp Roll Recipe Variations

Swap out the shrimp: My daughter has a shrimp allergy, so I make a version of the shrimp salad with artificial crab meat. You can also use real crab meat or any kind of cooked or sushi-grade raw fish.

How to Serve Spicy Shrimp Roll

I like to arrange them on a platter and let me family go nuts!

If I'm feeling fancy I drizzle some sriracha mayo on them and sprinkle on more sesame seeds and maybe some thinly sliced green onion or chopped cilantro.

Or straight sriracha if I'm feeling feisty.

You can also serve them traditionally with some tamari, pickled ginger, and wasabi paste.

Spicy Shrimp Sushi Bowl

The components for the spicy shrimp rolls can be made into a sushi bowl if rolling sushi isn't your thing! Just make the sushi rice, the shrimp salad, and chop the cucumbers and avocados.

I prefer to swap out the nori wrappers for roasted seaweed snacks and have some kind of dressing and toppings.

I like to make some sriracha mayo (in recipe notes!), straight sriracha, and some extra roasted sesame seeds (or Japanese furikake seasoning -- they sell it at Trader Joe's), thinly sliced green onion, and/or chopped fresh cilantro.

Spicy Shrimp Sushi Recipe FAQs

More From Perry's Plate

More Sushi-related recipes on Perry's Plate

If you like this recipe, you might like these ones too!

Paleo California Roll Sushi Bowl

Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl with Spicy Mayo

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Spicy Shrimp Sushi Roll Bowl

Yield: 4 Rolls

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Make these Spicy Shrimp Rolls at home for a fun, easy dinner! You can make them as spicy or as mild as you like -- just pull out some frozen shrimp and you can have these shrimp rolls (or bowls!) on the table in under an hour.

Print

Ingredients

For the sushi rice

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 ½ cups sushi rice or short-grain white rice
• 4 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon sugar

For the shrimp salad

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 pound shrimp, peels and tails removed
• 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon tamari or coconut aminos
• 1 lime
• 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1-2 Tablespoons sriracha sauce

For the sushi rolls

Toggle ingredient group

• 4-5 nori seaweed wrappers
• ½ English cucumber
• ½ avocado
• Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
• Sriracha mayo (see note)
• Extra sriracha sauce (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Put the sushi rice in a medium sauce pan with 2 cups of water. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Bring to a boil, then cover the pan, reduce heat to medium-low, and let it cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for another 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, Put the coconut oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the pan has pre-heated, add the shrimp, 2 Tablespoons of tamari and the juice from ½ the lime. Cook until the shrimp is just barely pink all the way through.
3. Transfer the shrimp to the workbowl of a food processor and let it cool for a few minutes until no longer steamy.
4. If your rice has finished cooking, transfer it to a medium bowl and fluff it with a fork. Combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl and mix until everything has dissolved. Pour the dressing over the rice and mix gently to combine. Put a tea towel over the bowl and set it aside until ready to use.
5. Pulse the shrimp a few times until roughly chopped. Add the mayonnaise, 1-2 Tablespoons sriracha, 1 teaspoon tamari, and the juice from the other half of the lime to the workbowl and pulse a few more times until the shrimp is minced and everything is blended well.
6. Thinly slice the cucumber and avocado into strips. Put some warm water in a small bowl. Prepare your sushi rolling work station by gathering your components.
7. Lay the bamboo mat flat on a cutting board. Place a nori wrapper on the bamboo mat shiny side down. Spread about ½ cup of sushi on the nori wrapper leaving an inch of space on the edge closest to you.
8. Spoon about 2-3 Tablespoons of shrimp salad evenly on that bare edge and top with a few strips of cucumber and avocado. If you're using sesame seeds, sprinkle a little some over the filling and the rice.
9. Start rolling up the nori wrapper, using the bamboo mat to help you keep it tight. Roll it all the way up and cover the roll with the mat and squeeze it tight. Pull the bamboo mat off the roll and... voila! (Don't get discouraged if your roll isn't tight at first. Sometimes this takes practice.)
10. Slice the roll into 1-inch pieces using a sharp serrated knife.
11. Serve with sriracha mayo, sriracha, and/or tamari.

Notes

Sriracha Mayo: blend ½ cup mayonnaise, 2-4 Tablespoons sriracha, juice from ½ a lime, and a few pinches of salt, to taste. Add more sriracha if you want it spicier.

Make Ahead Suggestions: You can make the sushi rice a few hours ahead of time. In fact, it's easier to work with if the rice is room temperature. The shrimp salad and cucumbers can be prepped a day or two in advance as well.

Sushi Bowl Variation: Combine the components in a bowl instead of making sushi rolls. Just chop the cucumbers into cubes and swap out the nori wrappers for some roasted seaweed snacks (that's what we prefer). Top with a drizzle of sriracha mayo.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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  Daechun Sushi Nori (50 Full Sheets), Resealable, Gold Grade, Product of Korea
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  2 Pack Bamboo Sushi Rolling Mat,Sushi maker, Sushi roll maker (9.5" x 9.6")

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1 roll
Amount Per Serving Calories 481Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 243mgSodium 1875mgCarbohydrates 42gFiber 4gSugar 6gProtein 31g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

The post Spicy Shrimp Sushi Bowl appeared first on Perry's Plate.

These tender, flaky fillets and colorful veg bathed in a rich curry sauce seems complicated, but it’s surprisingly easy. It’s also a one-skillet situation (that always makes me happy) with quick marinade beforehand. Because fish cooks up in just minutes you can go from zero to eating in under 30 minutes.

A key ingredient here is my Homemade Thai Seasoning. Have you tried it yet? It’s like a dry version of curry paste. I love having it on hand because it has a flavor that you can’t quite get with regular curry powder, which has more of an Indian flavor.

If you’d rather use some high quality Indian style curry powder, that would be delicious, too!

Thai Fish Curry Ingredients

• Firm white fish: like halibut, cod, or rockfish
• Sea salt
• Thai Spice Blend: This is a custom blend of mine that mimics Thai curry paste in powder form! You can also use your favorite Thai curry paste or a high quality Indian style curry powder if you prefer.
• Limes
• Avocado oil or Coconut oil
• Baby greens: Like kale, chard, spinach. Or another (very) quick cooking vegetable like asparagus, snow peas, or very thinly sliced zucchini.
• Fish sauce
• Coconut milk: Full-fat recommended
• Asian style chili sauce: Like sriracha or sambal oelek (optional)
• Freshly steamed rice

How to make Curry Fish

You start with a quick marinade (like 15-20 minutes quick) with that Thai seasoning, some lime juice, and some salt. At this point you could just throw the fish on the grill. I've made it this way a few times and we really loved it.

This last time I decided to make a saucy curry, and the Thai seasoning surpassed my expectations of flavoring the sauce!

Use a thick, firm white fish -- like cod or halibut or rockfish. I like rockfish because our Costco sells a wild-caught version and it's only 4.99/pound.

Just heat some coconut oil in a pan and sear the fish on both sides. (You don't even have to cook it all the way through.)

Take out the fish, the pour in the coconut milk, some greens (I used the last of the baby kale from our garden!), a splash of fish sauce and a little more of that Thai seasoning to boost the flavor. Oh, and lime juice. YOU NEED LIME JUICE.

Then put the fish back in the pan for a few minutes to finish cooking.

Do you know how to tell if fish has cooked all the way through? Poke it with a fork. If it starts to flake apart, it's done. If you cook it too long it'll turn to rubber, so you've gotta watch it.

Thai Fish Recipe variations

This is really a great base recipe for any kind of quick curry. You could use shrimp instead of white fish. Or cubed uncooked chicken.

Or a different type of vegetable, but make sure the vegetable cooks quickly so the fish doesn't get cold or overcooked waiting for the veg to cook.

I recommend sturdy greens like kale or chard or broccoli florets, asparagus, or small pieces of summer squash.

If you like Thai-inspired flavors you'll love these other recipes that use my Homemade Thai Seasoning! You could also use another kind of Thai seasoning if you have it.

How to serve Coconut Fish Curry

I really love serving this curry with Instant Pot Coconut Rice, but plain steamed will also work. If you’re avoiding grains, try serving it with my Roasted Cauliflower Rice.

Storing Coconut Curry Fish

Store any leftover curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a skillet with a few tablespoons of water to keep it from drying out.

More Recipes that use Homemade Thai Seasoning

Paleo Thai Shrimp & Vegetable Skillet - This one's light and fast and great for a weeknight!

Thai Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Coconut & Lime - Who knew that sweet potatoes went so well with Thai seasoning?

More on Perry's Plate

• Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Recipe
• Cucumbers in Vinegar
• Greek Steak Kabobs
• Pineapple Jalapeno Recipe
• Overnight Sourdough Pizza Dough Recipe
• Pressure Cooker Coconut Rice
• Apple Chicken Salad Recipe
• Paleo Sweet Potato Chili
• Blackened Salmon Fillet

Thai Fish Curry Recipe FAQs

What makes Thai curry different from Indian curry?

Thai Fish Curry Recipe

Yield: Serves 6-8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

I never thought I would say this about a fish recipe, but the leftovers are actually better. Weird, right? I think curries and chilis and recipes that are heavily seasoned tend to be that way. Maybe that's why they're so great as meal prep recipes?

Print

Ingredients

• 1 - 1 ½ pounds thick white fish (like halibut, cod, or rockfish)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 4 teaspoons Thai Spice Blend, divided
• 2 limes, divided
• 2 Tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 bunch of baby kale or a couple handfuls of baby greens (kale, chard, spinach)
• 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 - 13.5 oz can of coconut milk
• ¼ cup coconut oil or more avocado oil
• Sriracha or sambal oelek (optional)
• 1 recipe Instant Pot Coconut Rice

Instructions

1. Start your Instant Pot Coconut Rice (or jasmine rice or whatever kind of rice you're making) so it'll be finished when the curry is finished.
2. Lay the fish on a large plate or a small baking dish. Cut each fillet in half if they are long (you'll want them all to fit in the skillet).
3. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of Thai Spice Blend over the fish. Flip the fillets over and then sprinkle the other ½ teaspoon and another teaspoon of Thai Spice over the other sides of the fillets. Squeeze the juice from 1 lime and drizzle 2 Tablespoons of avocado oil over the fish. Flip them all over a couple of times to coat them evenly in the spices, citrus, and oil. Let them sit for 10-15 minutes (or chilled up to 2 hours) before cooking.
4. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet on high heat. Add the fish and cook for a couple minutes on each side until slightly browned (they don't need to cook all the way through at this point) and then transfer them back to the plate/pan.
5. Add the kale or greens to the pan (watch out -- it'll sizzle) along with the can of coconut milk. The coconut milk will deglaze the bottom of the pan for you, so help it along by scraping the bottom to remove those bits of stuck fish. Stir in the other 2 teaspoons of Thai Spice, the juice of the other lime, the fish sauce, and a squeeze or two of sriracha (if using).
6. Return the fish to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until everything is bubbly, the sauce has thickened, and the fish is cooked through. Taste, and add a little salt if you think it needs it.
7. Put a scoop of rice into each bowl along with a fish fillet and some sauce and greens. Serve with a squirt of sriracha, if desired.

Notes

Nat's Note: This recipe is super adaptable! You can swap out the fish for chicken and change up the vegetables. Just ensure that the cooking time for the meat and vegetables is roughly the same. For fish, I'd use chopped zucchini

The post Coconut Curry Fish Recipe appeared first on Perry's Plate.

If you’ve never had sablefish, it’s a rich, buttery white fish – sometimes called black cod. My kids call it “butter fish” and LOVE when I make it!

Fillets like this only need a handful of ingredients. This recipe has easy to find ingredients and comes together really quickly! Overcooking and under seasoning fish are probably the biggest mistakes that people make, but with my tips, your fish will turn out beautifully!

How to cook Sablefish and why you'll love this Sablefish Recipe

I’m a self-proclaimed fish lover and have been cooking fish weekly for over a decade. Sablefish has a rich, buttery taste that’s different from other types of white fish. (It’s also called black cod, FYI.) But it’s just as easy to prepare!

This grilled white fish is a buttery, flavorful dish that will impress everyone at your table – and won’t stress you out! You can use this technique with any firm white fish, too. (Like cod, halibut, or rockfish.)

I have a couple of tips to get the most out of your sablefish fillet (hint: use fresh herbs!). And I’ll walk you through every step.

What is sablefish?

I got a box of sablefish (also called Alaskan black cod) thinking, "Nice! More cod!"

But when I read a little about sablefish and tried some out, I realized this wasn't like Pacific cod.

Sablefish has the highest omega-3 content out of all fish (even more than salmon!) and has a rich, buttery texture and taste.

I was seriously blown away. It's my new favorite fish.

When you get your share boxes in the mail, the fish is packed with dry ice and blast-frozen just hours after its caught. It's about the freshest fish you can get without eating it boat-side.

How to season Grilled Sablefish

In my opinion, the best way to get fish (and shrimp) well-seasoned is to sprinkle a little sea salt on it and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before you cook it.

If I'm using a marinade, I still sprinkle salt on it before I add the marinade so the marinade doesn't wash all the salt off.

When I made this sablefish recipe, I literally just sprinkled it with salt, let it sit for a while, and the put it on the grill.

How to cook Sablefish

1. Lay the fillets on a large plate, skin-side down, and sprinkle each fillet with a generous pinch of sea salt. Let the fish rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, put the oil and garlic into a small skillet and GENTLY heat over medium-low heat. When the garlic starts to sizzle a little, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the herbs and a pinch or two of sea salt. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes so the flavors can combine well.
3. Preheat the grill to high heat. Grease the grill grates, if needed.
4. Place the fillets on the grill skin-side UP. Cook, covered, for 3-4 minutes and then flip them over. You'll want to use a large spatula for this and use swift movements.
5. Continue to cook until the fish seems to be separating and it pulls apart easily with a fork. Don't over cook it.
6. Transfer the fish to a large platter and drizzle the herb oil over the top.

Tips for cooking Whitefish on the Grill

1. Only grill thick fish fillets like sablefish, salmon, cod, halibut, snapper, and rockfish -- especially if you're a beginner. Thinner fillets like Dover sole fall apart much more quickly and you may end up with half of your fillet slipping between the grates. For fish like that and smaller things like shrimp, I highly recommend using a grill basket.
2. Make sure your grill grates are greased. You could also drizzle some heat-safe oil on the fish itself to keep it from sticking.
3. If your fish has skin, put it on the grill skin-side up first. (This also applies when cooking fish in a skillet.)
4. Only flip it once. Or you'll be sad.
5. Don't overcook it. The fish should start to separate on its own and pull apart easily with a fork. It'll continue to cook a little with its residual heat.

When I took my sablefish off the grill and tasted it -- WHOA. I have never had such great tasting fish before using such little seasoning.

Just salt. That was it.

But, of course, I wanted to take it a step further.

How to take this Sablefish Recipe to the next level

I went out to my herb garden (the only thing I can grow sometimes) and picked a few herbs -- dill, thyme, mint, basil, and sage.

I wanted this to taste like those dipping oils you use with crusty bread at Italian restaurants.

I gently heated some extra-virgin olive oil. Like... super gently. EVOO shouldn't ever be heated to high temps because it oxidizes super quickly.

I added some microplaned garlic and chopped herbs, took it off the heat, and just let it hang out while the fish was cooking.

I'm glad I followed my gut with this one because THIS. SABLEFISH. WAS. AMAZEBALLS.

This infused oil drizzle would be great with any type of fish, but starting out with a super high quality fillet like sablefish made it even better.

What to serve with Grilled White Fish

Grilled fish makes such an easy dinner! Here are a few ideas for sides you could whip up super fast...

Grilled Vegetables -- toss the asparagus (or another quick-cooking vegetable) with oil and put it on the grill alongside the fish. They'll be done at the same time.

Seasoned Rice -- Honestly, I'd go for grilled vegetables AND rice. My Instant Pot Lemon Herb rice would be FANTASTIC with this fish.

A Great Salad -- I've been known to hack salad kits, but when life is nuts and you just want to eat a great salad, buy a salad kit. If you have an extra few minutes, my Copycat Costco Kale Salad would go well with this fish. Speaking of asparagus, this Grilled Asparagus and Melon salad would be a fancier, fun side, too.

I'd love to know what you think of this. And how it works with other types of firm fish, too.

Best Grilled Fish FAQs

How can you tell if fish is fresh?

When you're at the store, smell the package of fish, if you can. If there's a fishy smell, PUT IT BACK.

I usually buy my wild-caught fish at Costco, which is pretty good most of the time. Our Costco stores out west have a lot of Alaskan salmon and other types of fish.

How do you thaw frozen fish?

The safest way is to let it hang out in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Fish thaws out much faster this way than ground beef or chicken.

If I'm in a rush or I forgot to take it out of the freezer, I put the frozen fish in a bowl of tepid water. Usually within a couple of hours (depending on the thickness of the fish) it'll be thawed out.

(This is probably breaking all kinds of food prep violations, but I do it anyway. #rebel)

Don't use your microwave's thawing program. In fact, don't ever put fish in the microwave. Ever.

More Recipes on Perry's Plate

• Pineapple Basil Smoothie
• Spicy Sushi Rolls
• Spatchcocking
• Sriracha Seasoning Recipe
• Strawberry Paleo Ice Cream
• Lentils Curry
• How to Make Grilled Chicken Salad
• Roasted Potato Salad With Vinaigrette
• Roasted Carrot Salad Recipe

The Best Grilled Fish

Yield: Serves 4-5

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This is an EASY way to make delicious sablefish (black cod), but you can use this method with any firm white fish like salmon, Pacific cod, halibut, or rockfish.

Print

Ingredients

• 4-6 Sablefish fillets (about 4-6 ounces each)
• Sea salt
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed or grated with a Microplane grater
• 1-2 Tablespoons minced fresh herbs (dill, thyme, basil, mint)

Instructions

1. Lay the fillets on a large plate, skin-side down, and sprinkle each fillet with a generous pinch of sea salt. Let the fish rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, put the oil & garlic into a small skillet and GENTLY heat over medium-low heat. When the garlic starts to sizzle a little, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the herbs and a pinch or two of sea salt. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes so the flavors can combine well.
3. Preheat the grill to high heat. Grease the grill grates, if needed.
4. Place the fillets on the grill skin-side UP. Cook, covered, for 3-4 minutes and then flip them over. You'll want to use a large spatula for this and use swift movements.
5. Continue to cook until the fish seems to be separating and it pulls apart easily with a fork. Don't over cook it.
6. Transfer the fish to a large platter and drizzle the herb oil over the top. Serve.

Notes

Nat's Note: You can use any firm white fish or salmon, too.

The post How to Cook Sablefish appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Yes, fish can be… touchy. No one likes fishy fish. Especially fishy-tasting salmon. I’ve smoked salmon DOZENS of times, my friend. Let me show you my fool-proof (yes, actually) method for smoking salmon. All you need is a few ingredients, some time, and a pellet grill.

After you do this once and post it on your social (isn’t that what we all do when we smoke things? It’s an accomplishment!) you’ll be making this again and again. And your friends will think you’ve taken up witchcraft.

The Perfect Smoked Salmon Recipe

Smoked salmon is one of my most favorite things. We always buy some during the holidays, and I incorporate it into a big charcuterie board for Christmas Eve. (More on that later!)

If you've got a smoker or a pellet grill (like a CampChef or Traeger), smoked salmon (or hot smoked salmon) is really easy to make!

And much more economical than buying pre-made smoked salmon at the grocery store.

Pellet Grill Salmon Ingredients

• Salmon fillets
• Sugar
• Sea salt
• Maple syrup

How to Smoke Salmon

1. Start off with a high-quality salmon fillet

I love these ones from Catch Sitka -- a sustainable fishery in Alaska that ships wild-caught salmon and fish all over the country!

The beauty of this recipe is that you can make as much or as little smoked salmon as you like. I wrote the recipe for roughly 8 ounces of salmon. Feel free to scale up or down depending on how much you need.

2. Brine the salmon for several hours

You know I'm partial to dry-brining things, so I attempted that with this recipe, but I liked the result of a wet brine more.

What's in a brine? Just water, sugar, and salt.

The amount of sugar that gets absorbed into the fish isn't substantial, but if you're avoiding white sugar alltogether, you can use coconut sugar or another granulated sugar in this recipe.

For the salt, I use sea salt, but you can use Kosher salt if you like. If you use Kosher salt, increase the salt amount by 25%.

3. Let the salmon sit uncovered after brining

After brining the salmon for several hours, drain it and let it sit uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours.

This allows pellicle to form on the surface of the fish. Pellicle is a sticky layer that the smoke adheres to when the fish is smoking. Pellicle = more smoke flavor.

4. Smoke the salmon for 2-3 hours

Set your smoker or pellet grill to 160 degrees F and high smoke.

I joined the pellet grill ground and bought CampChef Woodwind Wifi over the summer. Man, I love this thing. Especially the pizza oven attachment.

We've smoked vegetables, burgers, ribs, chickens, a Thanksgiving turkey, and lots and lots of salmon.

If you're on the fence about investing in a pellet grill/smoker, CampChef is offering $100 off all Woodwind grills through Dec 2021!

My favorite feature is the wifi/Bluetooth connection with the app on my phone and the ability to monitor up to 4 different temperature probes at once.

It makes it so easy to get perfect food most of the time!

(We won't talk about the chuck roast I botched. That's for another day. Heh.)

You'll want the salmon to reach 140 degrees before you pull if off. Make sure to put the probe in the thickest part of the fish.

5. Brush the salmon with maple syrup throughout smoking

Do this. Create that sweet crust on the salmon (it's the best part!). I love the way the sweet-smoky-salty flavors combine.

What kind of pellets are best for Smoking Salmon on Pellet Grill?

I used cherry wood pellets for mine and really like the result. Apple pellets didn't have as much smoke flavor, in my opinion.

Feel free to use what you like or pellets that are recommended for seafood.

I always use CampChef wood pellets because they're 100% hardwood without any fillers.

Look how pretty they've become! These are ready to pull off the grill!

Here's a short cut time line to sum it up for you:

Pellet Grill Smoked Salmon timeline

• Day 1 afternoon: Brine for 4-6 hours
• Overnight: Drain off the brine and let it sit, uncovered, in the fridge for 4-24 hours
• Day 2: Smoke salmon for 2-3 hours

See? It's really not that hard. It does take some planning, but hardly any of that time is active prepping time.

What to serve with Pellet Grill Salmon

I mean... you could just take a fork to it and go nuts here. No judging here. In fact, that's what happens most of the time when I smoke a salmon fillet.

If you want to eat this like a civilized person, here are a few ideas

Make a Smoked Salmon Board -- lots of finger food here, so you can still dig into it with a fork, but not like a barbarian

Serve it during breakfast with eggs or on a Breakfast Salad

Use it in some California Roll Sushi Bowls or Poke bowls! Smoked salmon is one of my favorite maki roll fillings, too.

Make the best avocado toast of your life. Sourdough toast + avocado + Everything Bagel Seasoning + smoked salmon.

Smoked Salmon Recipe Storage

Once the fish has cooled to room temperature, wrap it up in clingwrap and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

If you like this recipe, try curing your salmon and making some gravlax! You could even cure the salmon and then smoke it, too.

More Easy Smoker Recipes on Perry's Plate

Pellet Grill Meatballs

Pellet Grill Chicken Wings

Smoked Cream Cheese

More Recipes on Perry's Plate

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Smoked Salmon on Pellet Grill FAQs

Smoked Salmon Pellet Grill

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Additional Time: 20 hours

Total Time: 22 hours 15 minutes

Smoked salmon is SUPER easy to make in your smoker! I love brushing mine with maple syrup during smoking to create that sweet-salty crust on top.

Print

Ingredients

• 8 ounces salmon fillets
• ½ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup sea salt
• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup

Instructions

1. Put the salmon fillets in a lidded container large enough for it to lay flat.
2. Put 4 cups of cool water in a large measuring cup. Stir in the sugar and salt until it has dissoved. Pour over the salmon.
3. Store covered and chilled for at least 4 hours, up to 8 hours.
4. Drain and discard the brine and return the salmon to the fridge, UNCOVERED, for another 4-24 hours.
5. When it's time to smoke the salmon, preheat your pellet grill or smoker to 160 degrees F. If you have the option for smoke control, turn the smoke to high.
6. Lay the salmon directly on the grill grates and insert a temperature probe into the thickest part of the fish. Brush the fish with some maple syrup and close the lid.
7. Continue to smoke the salmon until the temperature probe reads 140 degrees. Brush the fish with maple syrup every 30 minutes or so.
8. Remove the fish from the grill and serve immediately.
9. You can also make this ahead of time. When the fish cools to room temperature, wrap it up and store it in the fridge until you're ready to eat. It's great to eat chilled, at room temp or heated up.

Notes

I used cherry wood pellets for this and really liked the results. Feel free to use any pellets you like or ones that are recommened for seafood.

The post Smoked Salmon on Pellet Grill appeared first on Perry's Plate.

You'll love this flavorful and tender Baked Cod Fish Recipe

Why is fish so intimidating? Once you break the ice with a couple of easy fish recipes you’ll realize it’s actually a super quick and easy way to get dinner on the table fast! I LOVE fish and have created dozens of recipes over the years. I’ll give you some tips to ensure your fish doesn’t get funky or overcooked or flavorless.

This particular recipe is great to start with if you’re new to cooking with fish. Pesto adds such a burst of flavor to any fish you smear it on. I included a homemade pesto recipe (with or without cheese), but you can use store-bought to make it even easier!

Baked Cod Fish Recipe Ingredientsx

For the fish

• Cod fillets
• Avocado oil
• Lemon juice
• Garlic cloves, smashed
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Lemon wedges, for serving

For the pesto

• Fresh basil leaves
• Pine nuts
• Lemon zest
• Lemon juice
• Garlic clove, smashed
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Olive oil

Substitutions for Pesto Cod

• Just about any fish would do. White fish like halibut or rockfish would do really well. So would salmon. If you use thinner white fish like tilapia or dover sole, you'll want to reduce the baking time quite a bit.
• The homemade lemon-basil pesto recipe that I included below is delicious and dairy-free. The lemon keeps the basil from turning brown and brightens the flavor. You could also change it up by using Dill Pesto or Cilantro Pesto

How to Make Oven Baked Cod with Pesto

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. First zest the lemon and place the zest in the work bowl of a food processor. Cut the lemon in half.
3. Grab a glass baking dish (8 or 9-inch square) and squeeze in the juice from one lemon half. Add the oil, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Whisk with a fork to blend. Add the cod to the baking dish and turn several times to coat. Let it stand for 15 minutes.
4. In the work bowl of a food processor, add the lemon zest and the juice from the other lemon half. Add the basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper. Process until finely chopped. While the machine is running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Process until thoroughly combined.
5. Place about 2 tablespoons of pesto on each fillet. Cover and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
6. Serve with additional pesto and lemon wedges.

Tips for making Pesto Fish

• Don’t overcook it. The fish should easily flake with a fork.
• Covering during baking. This will prevent your fish from drying out as well as sealing in the flavors.

What to Serve with this Recipe for Baked Cod

I love serving this delicious fish with a Lemon Herb Rice, Coconut Rice or Mashed Potatoes.

Make sure to serve with additional pesto and lemon wedges!

How to Store Oven Baked Cod

Store any leftover fish in an airtight container, in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Reheating Pesto Fish

• I recommend reheating your fish in the oven for about 5-8 minutes.
• You could also enjoy any leftovers cold!

More easy cod recipes on Perry's Plate

If you like this baked cod recipe, try one of these other easy cod recipes on my site!

These recipes can be made with just about any white fish.

Grilled Sablefish with Garlic-Herb Oil is DELICIOUS with any kind of white fish and can also be made in the oven.

Quick Thai Fish Curry with Coconut Rice is an exotic home for some lonely white fish fillets. And you'll love the Instant Pot Coconut Rice that goes along with it.

One of my favorite uses for white fish is Chile-Lime Fish Taco Bowls. This is one of those recipes that comes out a little differently depending on what I have on hand -- like most taco bowls/salads.

Coconut Almond Crusted Fish with Tropical Mash convinced me that coconut milk makes super tasty mashed potatoes. Try it!

Creamy Dill Foil Packet Fish is a light, easy, and delicious meal

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

More Recipes on Perry's Plate

Oven Baked Cod with Pesto

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

I love the pop of flavor pesto adds to a tender fish fillet! You can absolutely use store-bought pesto, but if you're looking for a cheese-less version, I include it in the recipe.

Print

Ingredients

For the fish

Toggle ingredient group

• 4 cod fillets (around 6-8 ounces each)
• 3 Tablespoons avocado oil
• juice from half a large lemon (about 2 Tablespoons)
• 2 large garlic cloves, smashed
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• a few generous pinches of black pepper
• Additional lemon wedges, for serving

For the pesto

Toggle ingredient group

• 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves
• ⅓ cup pine nuts
• Zest from 1 large lemon
• Juice from half a large lemon (about 2 Tablespoons)
• ½ garlic clove, smashed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅓ cup olive oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

First zest the lemon and place the zest in the work bowl of a food processor. Cut the lemon in half.

Grab a glass baking dish (8 or 9-inch square) and squeeze in the juice from one lemon half. Add the oil, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Whisk with a fork to blend. Add the cod to the baking dish and turn several times to coat. Let it stand for 15 minutes.

In the work bowl of a food processor, add the lemon zest and the juice from the other lemon half. Add the basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper. Process until finely chopped. While the machine is running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Process until thoroughly combined.

Place about 2 tablespoons of pesto on each fillet. Cover and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Serve with additional pesto and lemon wedges.

Store any unused pesto, covered, in the fridge for 3-4 days.

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The post Baked Cod with Pesto appeared first on Perry's Plate.