Easy Grilled Traeger Salmon Recipe with Marinade

This page may contain affiliate links. View our disclosure policy for details.

This Traeger salmon recipe is super simple to put together for an easy summer time meal. It is marinated in a healthier teriyaki inspired sauce using real honey and grilled to perfection.

Salmon is an easy summertime meal that tastes even better with a bit of smoky flavor. Here’s how to cook salmon on a Traeger Pellet Grill — but can also be easily adapted to any smoker grill.

two white plates of Traeger salmon with asparagus and lemon wedges on top.

This post has been updated from its original publish date of May 23, 2020 from my other site. It has been updated to provide better photos, additional helpful information, and step by step instructions.

What you’ll love about this recipe:

  • KID FRIENDLY – Our kids are big fans of salmon…or fish in general. And this is definite favorite easy recipe in our home!
  • HEALTHY – Salmon is a fatty fish that’s high in omega-3 fatty acids which makes it an excellent healthy dish! Here, we’ll show you how to cook it on a smoker grill.
  • SUMMER FAVORITE – This Traeger salmon recipe is a family favorite during the warmer summer months. But is good year round too! It’ll become your go-to salmon recipe of the summer!

Why use a Traeger Smoker for this recipe? It gives the salmon a nice smokey flavor from the real wood burning pellets. Traeger is what my family uses and loves, but of course you can use your favorite pellet grill!

You’ll be left with a perfectly tender fish and a deliciously mild smoke flavor. And you won’t have to worry about uneven charred pieces from a regular outdoor grill, gas grill, or fire grill.

Pair it with your favorite summer time side dish like this easy pasta salad or our favorite Mediterranean farro salad for a quick family meal.

For an air fryer version of this recipe, check out our Ninja Foodi Salmon with Marinade Recipe.

salmon on a white plate with a black forkful of flaky tender salmon.

Ingredients

The marinade for this salmon recipe is simple and is inspired by a teriyaki glaze sauce. It marinates to give slightly sweet and flavorful salmon fillets.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 1 pound of fresh salmon fillets, divided into 4-5 piece portions (wild-caught salmon is the best option)
  • salt
  • ginger powder
  • garlic powder
  • coconut aminos
  • honey — can substitute for maple syrup if desired
traeger salmon on white plate and small white bowls.

Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list in the recipe card below.

Instructions

Let’s begin by making the marinade for this salmon recipe. In a large glass bowl, whisk together the following:

  • salt
  • ginger powder
  • garlic powder
  • coconut aminos
  • honey

Readers have shared that they’ve been able to substitute the coconut aminos with soy sauce and still had great results. I have not tried using soy sauce myself, but it is worth a try if you’d prefer to use it instead of coconut aminos.

making the marinade in a large bowl and using a whisk for the smoked traeger salmon
adding the salmon to the marinade in the large glass bowl
marinating the salmon in a large plastic bag.

Add the salmon pieces to the large bowl or to a large plastic zip bag to marinate for about 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator.

You will want to make sure that all of the salmon portions are fully submerged so if the bowl is not shallow enough to do that, you’ll want to make sure you’re using a large bag or something similar to marinate the salmon completely.

salmon pieces on the grill grates.
white platter with two salmon pieces.
two white plates with the traeger salmon and asparagus and a white platter with extra salmon pieces and lemon wedges.

While the salmon is marinating, you’ll want to preheat the Traeger grill. To do this, preheat the Traeger temperature to 350 degrees F with the lid closed for about 15-20 minutes.

After marinating, add the salmon to the preheated Traeger grill and cook for about 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.

The salmon can be added directly to the clean grill grate.

Before adding the salmon to the grates, you can brush with a little bit of oil to help prevent sticking. But generally we haven’t found this necessary. However, if you’re worried about the skin sticking, use parchment paper or a baking sheet if desired.

If your salmon has skin on it, you’ll add them to the grill grates salmon skin-side down.

Salmon is cooked when opaque, flaky, and the internal temperature reads 145 degrees. You can test this with an instant read thermometer by testing in the thickest part of the salmon.

Where to buy good quality salmon?

Our family has been ordering from Vital Choice for many years. They are such good high quality, sustainable, wild and not farmed seafood. Plus they use ethical sourcing and practice excellent environmental shipping standards.

They have many types of salmon with great flavor available, from wild Alaskan king salmon, sockeye salmon, to wild white fish and shellfish too. We prefer a wild caught fish vs farm-raised salmon that you can find at local grocery stores.

This is a brand that I highly recommend for quality seafood.

Premium Wild Salmon Delivered! SAVE 5% On Wild & Delicious Premium Salmon From Vital Choice  Wild Seafood-  Use Code: 1VCAF5 At Checkout! Shop Now!
black fork with flaky salmon pieces on it resting above the salmon fillet on a white plate.

How to store and serve leftovers

Generally, I would recommend only cooking enough seafood that your family would enjoy fresh, and not storing leftovers whenever possible. However, if you have leftover salmon, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days.

I don’t recommend reheating salmon in a microwave. Instead, serve the pre-cooked salmon cold over a fresh salad – it’s so good for lunch!

If you prefer to heat the salmon, you could warm it in a baking dish in the oven for a few minutes until warmed through. Be careful not to overcook the salmon or it will be too dry.

More favorite recipes

Salmon is one of our family favorites — especially during grilling season! Here are a few more of our favorite summer pairings that we think you’ll love too!

Or try one of these favorite easy Traeger recipes: Traeger smoked breakfast skillet or our flavorful Traeger smoked meatloaf.

FAQ (frequently asked questions)

What temp do you cook salmon on a pellet grill?

Smoking or cook the salmon anywhere from 275-350 degrees until the internal temperature of the salmon, measured in the thickest part, reaches 145 degrees F.

How long do you cook salmon at 350?

Cook for about 25-30 minutes. Or until salmon is cooked through. The salmon is ready when it is flaky and the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.

want more recipes?

Check out the recipe index where you can discover more homemade recipes from my homestead!

flaky salmon on a white plate with asparagus spears on the backside of the plate.

Simple Traeger Grilled Salmon Recipe

With a little bit of marinade, this delicious salmon cooks up perfectly. And with very little extra effort. With its mild flavor and texture, salmon is ideal for the outdoor grilling season. Here’s how to cook salmon on a Traeger grill.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Marinade Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Serving Size 4

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Whisk the salt, ginger powder, garlic powder, coconut aminos, and honey until all of the ingredients are well combined and honey is dissolved.
  • Using either a large glass bowl or large plastic bag, pour over salmon portions and seal. Allow to marinade for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
  • While the salmon is marinating, preheat the Traeger Grill to 350 degrees with the lid closed for about 15 minutes.
  • Remove the salmon portions from the marinade and place directly on grill skin side down. If you prefer an easier clean up, use parchment paper.
  • Cook for about 25-30 minutes. Or until salmon is cooked through. The salmon is ready when it is flaky and the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.
  • Serve immediately with your favorite side dishes.

Notes

The salmon can be added directly to the clean grill grate.
Before adding the salmon to the grates, you can brush with a little bit of oil to help prevent sticking. But generally we haven’t found this necessary. However, if you’re worried about the skin sticking, use parchment paper.
If your salmon has skin on it, you’ll add them to the grill grates salmon skin side down.
Salmon is cooked when opaque, flaky, and the internal temperature reads 145 degrees. You can test this with an instant read thermometer by testing in the thickest part of the salmon. 

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating