Cedar Plank Salmon with Lemon, Garlic & Herbs
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With a quick lemon-garlic marinade and smoky flavor from the plank, this cedar plank salmon is bold, delicious, and hassle-free—no flipping, sticking, or fussy cleanup.
Cedar plank salmon shows up on restaurant menus all the time, but it’s so easy to make at home. I love marinating the salmon in lemon zest, garlic, and herbs—the citrus and garlic add zing, while the herbs and cedar plank lend a woodsy, smoky flavor. To keep things simple, I buy salmon fillets already skinned and cut into portions. Once home, I quickly mix the marinade, pop the salmon in the fridge, and go about my day. Come dinnertime, all that’s left to do is soak the plank, fire up the grill, and prep a few sides.
The plank keeps the fish from sticking to the grates and makes cleanup a breeze. Serve the salmon with a fresh corn salad, sautéed zucchini and cherry tomatoes or ratatouille.
“This recipe was so perfect and easy to follow! My picky kids loved it and my husband asked for salmon this way from now on.”
What you’ll need to make Cedar Plank Salmon
- Cedar planks – Used for grilling and infusing the salmon with subtle smoky flavor. Soak them in water ahead of time so they don’t catch fire. You can usually find them near the seafood section at most large grocery stores.
- Salmon fillets – Look for skinless, center-cut fillets, about 6 ounces each—they cook more evenly and fit well on the planks.
- Olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt & pepper – These come together to make a simple marinade that keeps the salmon moist and full of fresh, bright, herby flavor.
- Lemon wedges – A final squeeze at the table adds a pop of freshness and ties everything together.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Marinate the salmon. In a dish large enough to hold the fish, mix the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Add the salmon and turn to coat evenly. Let sit for at least 30 minutes or until ready to grill.
Step 2: Soak the cedar plank.
Meanwhile, submerge the plank in a sink or bowl of water for at least an hour so it doesn’t catch fire on the grill. When ready to cook, pat it dry and place the marinated salmon on top, skin side down.
Pro Tip: Weigh down the plank with a can or bowl while it soaks to keep it fully submerged.
Step 3: Grill the salmon. Place the cedar planks on the grill grates and grill over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked to your liking. Serve right from the plank or transfer to a platter.
Pro Tip: Cedar planks are safe to grill on as long as they’re soaked thoroughly, but feel free to keep a spray bottle of water nearby just in case the edges start to flame—it’s easy to manage if it happens.
Other salmon recipes you may like
Cedar Plank Salmon with Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary
Cedar plank salmon sounds fancy, but it couldn’t be easier—just marinate, grill, and let the plank do the work.
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
- Fill a large bowl or sink with water. Soak the cedar plank(s) under the water for at least 1 hour.
- 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).
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (400°F to 450°F).
- 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
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- 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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I live in the boonies and used dried herbs….the grocery store was out of lemons(!) and had to substitute lemon juice with a couple drops of agave instead of zest. And it was still AWESOME. Grilled over charcoal. My husband is NOT a salmon fan and he loved this! Thank you!
Beautiful salmon recipe. Used an Alder plank but otherwise followed the recipe. Delicious and photo worthy. Sorry I did not take a pic.
Save our wild salmon buy not eating open net raised farmed salmon.
Thanks Jenn for another awesome recipe.
I am not usually I huge salmon fan but I loved it (and my two teens did too)! It is easy to prepare and super fresh tasting!! Can’t wait to try some of your other Salmon recipes, you might have converted me!!!! Thanks for the great recipe!
Last year, I was recruited to make my mother-in-law’s birthday dinner (they didn’t want to eat out due to COVID) – she’s a good cook and a healthy eater. I made this salmon on the grill using fresh filets from a local seafood market, skin on. The only difficulty was making sure the cedar planks didn’t catch on fire, even after soaking. She said it was one of the best birthday meals she’d ever had!! Thanks, Jenn, for coming through when it matters most.
We were looking for new ways to eat salmon. This has become our favorite!
Absolutely amazing !! What else can I say.
Made this last night. Absolutely delicious, better than restaurant quality! Started with a great 1 lb. skin-on salmon fillet, marinated for a half hour and plank grilled to perfection! We will definitely be making this often! Thank you. @onceuponachef
So easy with fresh herbs. for 2 pieces of salmon I used only a 1/4 cup of olive oil. I used lemon thyme and added a tsp of fresh chives. Delish. My husband wants to try in foil too vs plank.
We tried this Jenn and felt it was just OK. I wasn’t a fan of all these herbs on salmon. Felt kind of bland and overpowering at the same time. I did enjoy using the cedar plank and am wondering if there are other recipes that it can be used for.
Hi Aman, Sorry you found this to be a bit bland. If you have the cookbook, I have a recipe for cedar plank salmon with an ancho-brown sugar spice rub on page 120. If you don’t own the cookbook, but would like the recipe, let me know and I can email it to you.
Delicious and easy to make. The flavors were clear and perfect balance. I used steelhead trout instead of salmon – good with both kinds of fish.