Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil | Easy Salmon Recipe (2024)

A family favorite! This easy grilled pesto salmon recipe in foil, with sautéed peppers and shallots, requires virtually no clean-up. It’s equally good for weeknight meals and entertaining! 254 calories and 1 Weight Watchers SP

Grilled Pesto Salmon Recipe in Foil

By no choice of my husband's, the grill has become my domain, and this easy grilled pesto salmon recipe has become a favorite around here. His mistake was helping me to get over my irrational fear of turning on the gas grill (see How to: Turn on a Gas Grill if you know that fear well). I now wield the tongs like Annie Oakley wielded her six-shooter. I am one with the fire.

As soon as the nice weather hits, I turn to barbecuing for about 75% of our meals. One of our favorites, thanks to my mum's ingenuity, is . Since that recipe is always such a success, I used the same principles, but changed up the flavors with a dollop of basil pesto and some sauteed red bell peppers and shallots.

And the leftovers? Amazing on a pizza! That was my husband's brilliant idea.

Tips for making this pesto salmon recipe:

• Start by sautéing the peppers and shallots in a little olive oil. Cook them until they are just starting to soften. Remember, you'll be cooking them further on the grill.
• While the peppers and shallots are cooking, smear the piece of salmon with some homemade or store-bought basil pesto. Make sure that you like the taste of the pesto you're using because, besides the salmon itself, this is the essence of the recipe.
• Cover the salmon with the sautéed peppers and shallots, and wrap it all in one pretty foil package. Ten to fifteen minutes later, you will be rewarded with a tender, flavorful meal. Easy, right?
• Use a double layer of regular foil or a single layer of heavy duty foil. Either works! I place the foil packet on a baking sheet so that it's easy to carry to and from the grill. When sliding the foil package off of the grill once the salmon is cooked, be sure to use tongs or a metal spatula because the foil will be hot.

How to tell when salmon is cooked:

• The biggest challenge in any salmon recipe (okay, any fish recipe at all) is taking care not to overcook the salmon. If have a little trick for you.
• Stick a small sharp knife into the thickest part of the salmon and hold it there for 10 seconds. Remove the knife and cautiously touch it to your upper lip (it's very sensitive to temperature). If the knife is hot, the fish is done. Seriously, it works every time.

Other easy grilling recipes:

{Cookin' Canuck}
How to: Grill Corn {Cookin' Canuck}
Chicken Shawarma with Lime Avocado Mayo {The Iron You}
Grilled Nectarine & Chevre Salad with Honey Fig Vinaigrette {Simple Healthy Kitchen}
Smoky Portobello Tacos {Dessert for Two}

Printable Recipe

This recipes was originally published on May 27, 2014, and was updated on June 20, 2019.

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