Main Dishes

Grilled Honey Soy Salmon (VIDEO)

Published

August 3, 2023

This Grilled Honey Soy Salmon is grilled on a cedar plank with sliced pineapple beneath it, infusing so much sweet citrusy flavor! The best-grilled salmon recipe!

If you love grilled salmon, try our 6 ingredient cedar plank salmon or our 30-minute pineapple salmon for the perfect grilled summer dinner.

Recipe Details

Summer is a great time to perfect your grilled salmon game and this recipe will have you grilling the most delicious salmon you’ve ever had. I love this amazing Honey Soy Salmon for it’s simplicity and amazing flavors, and I think you will, too.

TASTE: This salmon has so much flavor! It’s sweet, citrusy, and spicy with some umami flavor from the soy sauce.
TEXTURE: Flaky and tender, this Grilled Honey Soy Salmon is cooked to perfection.
TIME: It takes about 35 minutes to make.
EASE: This recipe is not hard at all. You can prep it beforehand, too, to save time when it’s time to grill.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients for Grilled Honey Soy Salmon: pineapple, salmon, sriracha, salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic, ginger, honey, cilantro, and soy sauce.

Ingredient Notes

Salmon- Fresh or previously frozen and thawed salmon can be used. Skin on adds a protective layer when grilling, but skin off is good, too.
Pineapple- I used fresh pineapple to get slices that cover the cedar plank completely and hold up well during grilling. But you can use canned slices as well.
Ginger- Freshly grated is best. If you have extra ginger root, you can store it in the freezer until you need it again.
Sriracha- This adds some heat to the salmon, but you can use any hot sauce you like.
Cilantro- Fresh herbs are best, so marinate the salmon with fresh cilantro for the best flavor.
Cedar planks- These pieces of cedar wood will infuse the salmon with a fragrant, smoky flavor.

Add-ins and Substitutions

Add sesame- Enhance the flavor of the salmon with some sesame oil and sesame seeds in the marinade.
Substitute the sriracha- In place of the sriracha, you can use hot sauce or red pepper flakes. Adjust the heat level with more or less.
Add more citrus flavor- Enhance the citrus notes with some lemon juice or lime juice in the marinade.
Cook it in the oven- No grill available? Just soak the cedar planks, place the fish on top (along with a baking sheet under), and bake in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20-25 minutes.

How to Make Grilled Honey Soy Salmon

Make the marinade. Combine the pressed garlic, ginger, sriracha, olive oil, honey, soy sauce, and chopped cilantro in a bowl. Then set aside

Steps to make Grilled Honey Soy Salmon: Combine the pressed garlic, ginger, sriracha, olive oil, honey, soy sauce, and chopped cilantro in a bowl.

Soak the planks. Soak cedar planks in cold water for a few hours before grilling.
Layer the cedar plank. Cut the pineapple into 1-inch slices and place on a cedar plank. Then top with the salmon and season with salt and pepper. Spread the soy sauce mixture on top of the salmon fillet.

Pro Tip: To tell when the salmon is done, it should flake easily with a fork and the internal temperature should reach 145 degrees Fahrenheit when checked with a meat thermometer.

Steps to make Grilled Honey Soy Salmon: soak the cedar planks, then layer on pineapple slices and the salmon, and cover with the marinade.

Grill. Grill the salmon over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until internal salmon temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Steps to make Grilled Honey Soy Salmon: grill the salmon on a bed of pineapple and cedar planks.

Recipe Tips

Soak the cedar planks- Doing this will really ensure that the planks don’t char and catch on fire while grilling the fish.
Check for pin bones- Most fish have already been deboned, but it’s a good idea to check your salmon for any that might have been missed before grilling.
Cut the pineapple into hexagon slices- When slicing off the skin, leave the pineapple in a hexagon shape so you can piece the slices together to get full coverage on your plank.
Reuse the cedar planks- In general, if you scrape the cedar planks and soak them in water again, they will still work for other meals.

FAQs

Should you marinate salmon or not?

Marinating is a great way to infuse salmon with flavor, but you can also grill it with the marinade on top as in this recipe. Either way will give the salmon time to absorb the flavors of the marinade and keep it moist.

Can you put salmon directly on grill?

If you don’t have any cedar planks, then you can still grill the salmon on the grill grates, with or without foil. Salmon holds up well under high heat so it will not fall apart when cooked directly on the grill.

Serving Suggestions

This Grilled Honey Soy Salmon is full of flavor and perfect for serving with sides, grains, and pasta. Enjoy it with your favorites for the perfect summer meal.

Grains: Lay this salmon on a bed of Wild Rice, Quinoa Fried Rice, or Wild Brown Rice.
Vegetables: Serve it alongside some Sauteed Garlic Asparagus, Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, or Air Fryer Corn on the Cob.
Pasta: Pair this Honey Soy Salmon with Tri Color Pasta Salad (VIDEO), Asparagus Pasta, Easy Pasta Primavera, or Easy Penne Alla Vodka.
Salads: Enjoy it with a Spinach Salad, Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad, Avocado Corn Salad, or Chicken Salad With Grapes.

Make This Recipe in Advance

Make ahead: Make the marinade, soak the planks, and cut the pineapple. Store the ingredients in the fridge until you’re ready to layer them on the planks and grill.

Storing: Store this Grilled Honey Soy Salmon once it’s cooled in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Freeze: Freeze the cooled salmon in a freezer ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat it on the grill, in the oven, or on the stovetop.