Grilled Salmon Kabobs with Lemon Dill Marinade
Grilled Salmon Kabobs with Lemon Dill Marinade is a healthy grilled salmon recipe that’s loaded with flavor. A simple vinegar, lemon juice, and lemon zest marinade adds zing to salmon with less than 30 minutes of marinating time. You’ll stand out at you next grilling party with these unique salmon kabobs.
Grilled Salmon Kabobs
If you’ve never tried seafood kabobs you’re in for a treat. They’re so easy and grill in just minutes. Simply mix together a few ingredients in a bag to make the marinade, add the salmon, and let the flavors soak in. Dill works it magic by adding a sharp, pickled undertone.
Skewer with fresh zucchini, grill, and you’re all set to enjoy the rest of your summer afternoon with this fresh, healthy salmon kabob recipe.
Ingredients for salmon kabobs
A simple salmon kabob marinade that includes vinegar with lemon juice and zest adds loads of flavor. Here are the marinade ingredients you’ll need and why you should use them.
- Fresh salmon fillet: Use wild-caught for best flavor and quality
- White wine vinegar: Adds lots of zest
- Lemon juice: The tanginess and flavor works well with all types of seafood
- Lemon zest: Adds extra lemon flavor without the acidity
- Fresh chopped dill: Herbs go great with salmon and other types of seafood
- Zucchini slices: Kabobs usually include some sort of veggie. Zucchini adds great flavor and nice color contrast.
Note: you can add extra ingredients such as soy sauce, cumin, red pepper flakes, black pepper, cayenne pepper, or Greek seasoning to make the marinade unique each time.
How to make salmon kabobs
- Cut salmon crossway into ½-inch wide strips and place in a large Ziplock bag. Add vinegar, lemon juice, and zest, and fresh dill to bag. Seal bag tightly and shake to combine.
- Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Thread salmon pieces accordion-style onto skewers, alternating with zucchini slices or other veggies. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Grill as directed below
How to grill kabobs
If you want to learn how to grill salmon kabobs on a gas grill, follow these simple steps:
- Preheat gas grill to medium heat, or about 400 degrees.
- Lightly grease grill grates to prevent sticking. Immediately place prepared salmon kabobs on the grill.
- Cook uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes (flip the salmon skewers midway) until grill marks appear and fish is flaky when tested with a fork. Serve immediately.
The process is similar on a barbecue over a charcoal barbecue as long as the coals are creating medium heat.
How long to grill salmon
Grilled salmon over medium heat takes about 6 minutes on the grill, or 3 minutes on each side. Fish and seafood cook much faster than other meats due to the lean protein structure.
Should I grill over flames or use indirect heating?
Salmon on the grill cooks incredibly fast so no indirect heating is needed. I’ve found that direct heating works best and has the added benefit of creating sear marks.
How to tell if grilled salmon is cooked
The easiest way is to test it with a fork. When pressed, the fish should easily flake off. The inside will also be, well, more of a salmon color, instead of pink. Be sure to not overcook and a bit of pink in the center is ok.
If testing with a thermometer, the safe internal temp of fish is 145° F.
Salmon kabobs, salmon kebobs, or salmon skewers…what’s the difference?
These are all the same thing. Kebobs is just another way to spell kabobs, but they are made the same. Skewers are the metal or wooden pieces that kabobs are placed on, but can also refer to the finished item, as in salmon skewers.
To make things even more confusing, there’s also salmon shish kabobs. Again, this is just another variation of salmon kabobs.
Can you substitute other fish?
Salmon is one of my favorite fish on the grill because of the texture and flavor. You could also use other meaty fish such as tuna, cod, or snapper. More delicate fish such as tilapia is not recommended as it will break apart easily.
Can you prep these ahead of time?
Due to the fact that the acids in the marinade will cook the fish, it’s best to start these about 30 minutes before cooking. If you want to prep ahead, you could prepare the skewers and marinade separately, then combine when ready to start.
Tips for grilling fish kabobs
- No need to bring fish to room temperature before grilling. The thin pieces will cook fast and evenly.
- Marinade ahead of time for extra flavor. Use a homemade salmon marinade with acidic properties, like vinegar and citrus, to add flavor. It also helps to tenderize fish by breaking down the proteins.
- Don’t marinade seafood in an acidic marinade more than 30 minutes, or it will start to cook the meat. Unless you want to make shrimp ceviche tacos.
- The trick is skewering them accordion-style so they stay on and don’t fall into the grill. This also helps them cook evenly throughout, preventing uncooked or burnt areas.
- Not a fan of zucchini? Try alternating meat with other veggies such as bell pepper, onion, cherry tomatoes, or mushrooms.
- Lightly grease the grill grates to prevent sticking
- Grill over medium heat. This will create nice sear marks without burning.
- Try topping the kabobs with chimichurri sauce.
Products used in this recipe:
Pyrex 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set
Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons Set
12-Inch Stainless Steel Barbecue Skewers
Char-Broil 3-Burner Gas Grill
More grilled kabob recipes to try:
Or try browsing all my grilling recipes for more ideas. If you’re a fan of shrimp you’ll love my one pot Shrimp Curry.
More salmon recipes you make like:
Leave a comment below and star rating if you made this recipe or want to share your thoughts.
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Grilled Salmon Kabobs with Lemon Dill Marinade
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh salmon fillet, skin removed
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon fresh grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
- 1 large zucchini, sliced into 1/8-inch pieces
- Metal or wood skewers, if using wood, soak in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Instructions
- Cut salmon crossway into ½-inch wide strips and place in large Ziplock bag. Add vinegar, lemon juice, and zest, and fresh dill to bag. Seal tightly and shake to combine.
- Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes (do not marinate longer or the vinegar will start to cook the salmon).
- Preheat gas or charcoal grill to medium heat. Remove salmon from bag and discard marinade.
- Thread salmon pieces accordion-style (see pictures above for reference) onto skewers, alternating with zucchini slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Lightly oil grill with light olive oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking. Immediately place salmon kabobs on the grill. Cook uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes, rotating midway, until grill marks appear and fish is flaky when tested with a fork.
- Squeeze a bit more lemon juice on top when serving.
Notes
- Use wild-caught salmon for best quality and flavor.
- No need to bring fish to room temperature before grilling. The thin pieces will cook fast and evenly.
- Marinade ahead of time for extra flavor. Use a homemade salmon marinade with acidic properties, like vinegar and citrus, to add flavor. It also helps to tenderize fish by breaking down the proteins.
- Don’t marinade seafood in an acidic marinade more than 30 minutes, or it will start to cook the meat. Unless you want to make shrimp ceviche tacos.
- The trick is skewering them accordion-style so they stay on and don't fall into the grill. This also helps them cook evenly throughout, preventing uncooked or burnt areas.
- Try alternating meat with other veggies such as bell pepper, onion, cherry tomatoes, or mushrooms.
- Grill over medium heat creates nice sear marks without burning.
My family loves salmon so I’m always looking for new unique delicious ways to make it. This recipe was amazing & did not disappoint. It was packed with SO much flavour & was a huge hit. Thanks for this, it’s a keeper!
Wow that’s wonderful feedback and I appreciate it so much! So happy you liked the recipe.
Lovely dish! Thanks a lot Matt! My family enjoyed it!
This is great. I would like to try this myself.
The recipe looks so tasty and yummy.
Glad you like it. Thanks!
Grilled salmon is my husband’s current favorite! Def going to make this for him soon! Pinning for later!
It’s one of my favorites too! Thanks and hope you enjoy.
These salmon kabobs look so good! The perfect barbecue dish for summer.
Made this for dinner last night and there were nothing but smiling faces around the table! So delicious and refreshing; perfect spring dinner!
Aww that’s so nice to hear Beth! Glad it was a hit and thanks for the feedback.
What a nutritious dish that has a great pairing of flavours. I love salmon and this is a fantastic way to enjoy it. Cheers for another great recipe!
Thanks so much and always appreciate the great feedback Adrianne!
First of all, that raw salmon looks so fresh and vibrant and perfect! Second of all, this is a fabulous way to enjoy salmon! I’m so excited for grilling season and lots of delicious grilled seafood!
It sure is and I like your excitement Sue! Happy grilling!
I found your recipe on Pinterest and had to stop by to say how much I love this simple combination of flavorful ingredients. Such a nice change from the typical chicken and veggie skewers.
Thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to leave a nice comment Kristi! Well said, it is a fun alternative!
So beautiful. I have yet to skewer salmon, but love the idea of this. I’m also a big fan of dill so this is a perfect recipe for me!
Thanks so much Kelly! This recipe was my first time too. I’m usually a chicken or shrimp kabob guy. Hope you like them!
I made these for my husband last night. HE LOVED Them. I will make them for company some time too
Absolutely gorgeous. I’m making these this weekend, I just picked up more Copper River!
Thanks so much Fabiola! Honestly I don’t know what copper river is but hope you like them!
This recipe looks so tasty and simple enough to grill-up on a week night. I’m starting to rethink the chicken I had planned for tonight!
It totally is Rachel. This could be an easy kabob recipe for any night. And sometimes a break from chicken is fine.
Salmon is one of my favorite fishes to eat. I love the idea of salmon kabobs. I usually grill the whole fish but will have to give this a try. Makes serving it super easy.
I recently grilled it whole and it’s yummy either way Ali. Kabobs are just a bit more fun
Matthew – these are gorgeous salmon kabobs. Have never grilled salmon on kabobs before. There’s something about the pink salmon, green dill and yellow lemons that ties together so beautifully. I can only imagine how these taste. Fabulous with a glass of pinot.
Thanks Allie! That colors did come out spectacular. I’ll have the try it with the wine too
Made this last night for 3 of my girlfriends. It was very easy recipe and looked very pretty on skewers! I served a cucumber dill sauce with it that was a hit.
Hi Renee! I’m glad the recipe was a success for you and I really appreciate the feedback. Thanks! The cucumber dill sauce is a great idea.
These look amazing especially on the grill… YUM!
Thanks for the photography note. 🙂
They are wonderful on the grill! I noticed your food photography tips post, will have to check that out.
Could I cook this in an oven instead of grilling outside?
You sure can Sandy. That’s a good idea for those cooler days, thanks! I’d recommend roasting in the oven. Follow marinade instruction, but marinade as whole fillets instead of smaller pieces. Bake fillets at 425 F for 8-15 minutes depending on thickness.
This is great! I love kabob’d fish! I so wish I had this right now.
These are good anytime Bita. This was my first time trying fish kabobs and definitely plan to experiment more.
I wonder if I can mix this salmon with shrimp? I am not a zucchini person. Could you recommend any alternative veggies that I can mix it with? Thanks!
Hi Shiela! You could totally mix or use the marinade with shrimp. As far as other veggies…maybe asparagus, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, carrots or tomatoes. Those are based on my ideas plus I checked my Flavor Bible book