Cedar Planked Salmon with Lemon, Garlic & Herbs

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Grilled cedar planked salmon has a delightfully smoky flavor and never sticks to the grill!

cedar planked salmon

Cedar planked salmon is a mainstay on restaurant menus, yet it’s so easy to make at home. Marinating the salmon in lemon zest, garlic, and herbs in one of my favorite ways to prepare it. The citrus and garlic add zing while the cedar plank and herbs impart a smoky, woodsy flavor. To make life easy, I buy the salmon already skinned and portioned at the supermarket. Once home, I quickly whip up the marinade, refrigerate the salmon, and go about my day. Come dinnertime, all that’s left to do is soak the plank, fire up the grill, and make the side dishes. What’s more, not only does the plank prevent the fish from sticking to the grill, but it also makes clean-up a breeze. Serve the salmon with sautéed zucchini and cherry tomatoes or ratatouille and focaccia.

What you’ll need to make Cedar Planked Salmon

Salmon ingredients including lemon, rosemary, and garlic.

As you can see, the ingredients are very straightforward. The cedar planks are easy to find; most large supermarkets carry them near the seafood department.

How to make Cedar Planked Salmon

Baking dish with a layer of marinade.

Begin by making the marinade: combine the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper in a dish large enough to hold the salmon. Add the salmon to the dish and turn to coat evenly. Let the salmon marinate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to grill.

Salmon and marinade in a baking dish.

Meanwhile, soak the cedar plank in a sink or bowl of water for at least one hour, otherwise, it will be more prone to catch fire on the grill. Then, pat dry and place the marinated salmon on the plank.

Marinated chicken on a cedar plank.

Grill over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the salmon is done to your liking.

Salmon on a cedar plank on the grill.

Serve the salmon right off the plank with lemon wedges. Enjoy!

Cedar planked salmon with lemon, garlic, and herbs on a table.

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Cedar Plank Salmon with Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary

Grilled cedar planked salmon has a delightfully smoky flavor and never sticks to the grill!

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • Cedar plank(s) for grilling
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest, from 2 lemons
  • 1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 (6-oz) salmon fillets, skin removed
  • Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. Fill a large bowl or sink with water. Soak the cedar plank(s) under the water for at least 1 hour.
  2. In a baking dish large enough to hold the salmon, combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Mix well. Add the salmon and turn to coat evenly with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to grill (you can do this up to 4 hours ahead of time).
  3. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (400°F to 450°F).
  4. Pat the soaked plank(s) dry and place the salmon on top. Place the plank(s) on the grill grates, close the cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until salmon is done to your liking. Douse or mist the plank(s) with a bit of water if it catches fire. Serve the salmon on a platter right off the plank(s) with lemon wedges.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Calories: 478
  • Fat: 36 g
  • Saturated fat: 7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 1 g
  • Sugar: 0 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 35 g
  • Sodium: 392 mg
  • Cholesterol: 94 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.

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Comments

  • I made this on the grill tonight for the family exactly as written other than a little extra salt and pepper right before it went on and it was absolutely amazing. Even the kid who doesn’t love salmon had seconds. Definitely recommend fresh herbs if you can find them. We just happened to have them in our garden. Grilled zucchini made a nice side dish.

    • — Will S. on June 23, 2024
    • Reply
  • Do you think I could use halibut? Or another fish

    • — Momofthree on June 21, 2024
    • Reply
    • Sure!

      • — Jenn on June 24, 2024
      • Reply
  • This was wonderful tasting salmon. I followed the recipe except used dried rosemary and thyme because that is what I had in stock. It was so flavourful and the leftovers heated up well. I look forward to using this recipe again. I hope I can convert it to an oven recipe for winter. Thank you Jenn

    • — Norma on June 20, 2024
    • Reply
  • I am allergic to fish and I made this — followed recipe exactly. My family loved it!!
    Husband said it’s better than any restaurant. Thank you for all your great recipes

    • — Momofthree on June 10, 2024
    • Reply
  • Hi, love your recipes. This one was great. I always cook salmon on cedar plank. Fyi an after soaking plank (I buy a plank from home Depot& cut it) I wrap aluminum foil around the top & bottom edge. Spray with oil. You can use cedar a few more times! Easy to remove salmon! Timing depends on grill& thickness of salmon. Hope this helps someone. 🍷

    • — Red wine bob on April 1, 2024
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  • My husband and I made this cedar planked salmon for dinner this evening and it was fantastic – our new favorite! We always enjoy our family dinners, but amazing food makes it even more fun! Thanks for sharing your talent with all of us Jenn.

    Carolyn & Sanders H.

    • — Carolyn Hall on January 25, 2024
    • Reply
  • Unlike anything I’ve ever had before! Fun cooking experience and delicious. I was not excited about pairing it with the zucchini and focaccia because I’m not a big fan of those foods in general, but they were AMAZING and complemented the salmon well.

    • — Liz on October 7, 2023
    • Reply

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