Salmon fillets are marinated in a sweet soy sauce mixture, then grilled to perfection in this easy, restaurant quality seafood dinner.
We are huge salmon fans at my house, and this Soy Sauce and Brown Sugar Grilled Salmon is such a simple way to prepare fish, and my kids absolutely love it!
Believe it or not, we first tried this recipe for a salmon at a neighborhood block party, and just had to ask our friends from across the street for the recipe.
“My family LOVED this recipe. Even my husband, who is never impressed with fish, absolutely loved it. So much great flavor!”
Melinda
That was almost 25 years ago, and this is still one of our favorite ways to prepare salmon.
The soy sauce and brown sugar marinade is the perfect accompaniment to the fish. And I love that it’s made with such simple ingredients that I almost always have on hand.
You can use this recipe for pan fried or baked salmon too, but grilling the fish gives it such wonderful flavor, and kind of caramelizes the marinade at the same time. The results are fantastic!
Tips for making this recipe
- Be sure to preheat your grill. This helps ensure the salmon will cook properly, and cook quickly enough that it doesn’t become dry.
- Preheating also helps your fish release from the grates easily, instead of sticking.
- Use an instant read thermometer to make sure your salmon is cooked properly. The recommended internal temperature is 125 degrees. F.
- For best results, allow your salmon to rest off the grill for about 5 minutes before serving and eating.
I’m not the best at cooking on a grill, (which is why I usually have my husband run the barbecue) so the hardest part for me is getting the cooking time right.
Just don’t forget to oil your grill grate before you turn it on! If you’re fish has skin, starting with the skin side on the grill makes the fish easier to turn.
“I made this salmon for dinner tonight and it was really good! My 11 year old son was dreading having salmon for dinner all day. He liked it! I was almost disappointed that he ate it all because I wanted more when mine was all gone!”
Lisa
If you’re really worried about sticking, rub some extra oil on the skin before placing the fish on the grill.
I usually get the big piece of salmon at Costco and cut it into filets. It’s enough fish to satisfy my hungry boys, which I need, because even my child who doesn’t like meat gobbles it up and asks for seconds.
We’ve been enjoying this Soy Sauce and Brown Sugar Grilled Salmon for years. I hope you love it as much as we do!
What should I serve with SOY SAUCE AND BROWN SUGAR GRILLED SALMON?
Rice, pasta and grilled or roasted vegetables are all great accompaniments to this grilled salmon.
These are some of our favorite accompaniments for this salmon.
FAQS
Can I use other kinds of fish in this recipe?
Yes. When grilling fish, I recommend a firm variety, like sea bass, red snapper, or halibut.
Should I use salmon with the skin on, or off?
Either one works. I usually buy the Costco salmon with no skin and cut it into filets. But skin on salmon works just as well. When I use skin-on salmon, I start with the skin side on the grill.
How do I know when my salmon is done?
The best way is to use an instant read thermometer. The internal temperature should be 125 degrees. F. Cooked salmon should be opaque and pink or orange in color, and should be flaky but still moist. If the salmon flakes when you gently press down on the top of the fillet with a fork or your finger, it’s done.
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what do I need to make this recipe?
- Salmon – skin off or on is fine
- Spices: lemon pepper, salt
- Garlic – minced
- Soy sauce – I recommend low-sodium
- Brown sugar – light or dark, packed
- Olive oil
Be sure to save this Soy Sauce and Brown Sugar Grilled Salmon recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
What people are saying about this recipe
This is an awesome quick and easy recipe full of flavor. ~ Danielle
Excellent sauce. I only used half the brown sugar it called for and it was still fantastic. ~ Cathy
I did this with Chilean sea bass. It was SOOOO good, on the grill. Highly recommend. ~ Shaun
This recipe was fantastic on the grill! Will definitely make again!! ~ Becks
Soy Sauce and Brown Sugar Grilled Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together 1 teaspoon lemon pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup water, and 1/4 cup olive oil until sugar is dissolved.
- Place 1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets in a large resealable plastic bag.
- Pour soy sauce mixture over fish and seal bag. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Lightly oil grill grate and preheat grill for medium heat.
- Place salmon on the preheated grill; discard marinade.
- Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Video
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Notes
Nutrition
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Who Dished It Up First: Adapted from allrecipes.com
12 comments
Diana
Wish to try this sauce for salmon. But I do NOT have a grill, therefore I will need to bake it in the oven.
What temperature should I bake this?
Appreciate your help …
Thank you
AshleyHum
I baked it for 15-20 minutes on 425.
Amy Horton
This was sooooo excellent! Thank you. I really struggle with eating fish but we can definitely eat this weekly. Loved reducing the marinade as a glaze.
HS
Light or dark brown sugar? 1/3 Packed?
Debbie
I use light, gently packed.
Daniella
This recipe was bomb!! I forgot to take a picture but it was really tasty. I thought the brown sugar would be overwhelming but it was just the right amount. I grilled some asparagus and had a side of roasted potatoes. Well done!!
NoOne
I don’t have a grill so I threw this all into a pan and then took out the fish and let the sauce thicken up and poured it over the fish. It was the best sauce. Son loved it and I saved it for d
future use. It’s a great base (If nothing else) and you’ll love it!
Melinda
My family LOVED this recipe. Even my husband, who is never impressed with fish, absolutely loved it. So much great flavor!
Daniel Alvarez
Im actually making it right now and I have to say, it smells great while cooking. I hope it tastes as good as it smells;)
Lisa @ Fern Creek Cottage
I made this salmon for dinner tonight and it was really good! My hubby was out of town so he couldn’t grill it (I won’t get near that thing!) so I just cooked it in the oven. My 11 year old son was dreading having salmon for dinner all day. Then guess what I heard during dinner? mmmmmm! He liked it! I was almost disapointed that he ate it all because I wanted more when mine was all gone! lol
claire
i just posted a link here as some of my fav fish recipes! thanks for sharing!
ashley
I may be trying this soon! Easy and simple is the way to go with salmon.