Lemon-Herb Grilled Salmon Kabobs

Name: Lemon Herb Salmon Kabobs (Grilled)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs salmon (skin removed and cubed); 2 lemons; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large lemon (juiced & zested); 2 cloves garlic (grated); 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.

These salmon kabobs are infused with all the deliciousness of a fresh lemon herb and garlic marinade and cook super fast on the grill.

With my tips below, you’ll make healthy salmon kabobs the easy way: marinate for 15 minutes, skewer, and grill them to perfection!

three grilled salmon kabobs with lemon slices

Easy Salmon Kabobs

When the weather warms up, I don’t think twice and make kabobs on the grill. These easy salmon kabobs are requested by my family when I tell them that “I’m grilling salmon tonight.” The quick 15-minute marinade is what will transform your salmon from “fishy” to delicious. Amazing!

Marinating Salmon Kabobs

To prepare the salmon for marinating, remove the skin (if it has it), pat it dry with a paper towel (this will help the marinade stick better to the meat), and then cut it into 1-inch cubes. Combine the salmon pieces with the marinade in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

How to Grill Salmon Kabobs

Once your salmon cubes are marinated, follow these steps:

Soak wooden skewers (if using).
Soaking them in water to keep them from burning on the grill. You can make this while the salmon is marinating.
Assemble the skewers.
Alternate salmon cubes and lemon slices. Place them on a baking sheet or platter as you go.
Preheat the grill to high heat.
Once hot, reduce the heat to medium-high (375 to 400F) and brush the grill with oil to keep the skewers from sticking.
Grill the kabobs.
First, grill with the lid closed. Carefully flip them over using tongs, and grill the second side with the lid open. When the salmon turns pinkish-white, it’s done.

How Long to Grill Salmon Kabobs

Fish grills faster than other proteins like chicken and beef, so 10 minutes is good enough for grilling perfect salmon kabobs. Place the skewers for 5 minutes on each side at medium-high heat (375 to 400F), and the salmon cubes will get a pinkish-white color, meaning they are cooked.

Laura’s Grilling Tips

Best Skewers for Grilling

Choosing wooden or metal skewers depends on what works best for you and whether you plan to reuse them. Wooden skewers are for one single use and you have to soak them in water to keep them from burning in the grill. Metal skewers are reusable, easy to clean, and don’t require any soaking. Whether you prefer one type or the other, check out my favorite skewers for grilling here -all tested!

How to Keep Salmon From Falling Apart on the Grill

Preventing the skewers from falling through the grill is easy when you place them in the opposite direction of the grates or use a grilling pan or seafood cage for grilling. To keep salmon cubes from falling off skewers, make sure the salmon pieces are 1″ thick and the skewer is poked right through the middle of the cube.

When to Flip Salmon Kabobs

You’ll want to flip the salmon kabobs halfway through -after 5 minutes of cooking. Raw food will stick to the grill, so don’t try to flip the skewers before or you may end up with a kabob that falls apart accidentally.

How to Know when Salmon Skewers are Done

Grilled salmon kabobs take only 10 minutes on the grill. You’ll know the salmon is ready when it has turned a nice pinkish-white color, and when poking with a meat thermometer, the internal temperature reaches 145F.

Serve these salmon kabobs with a fresh bruschetta salad or let the grill do all the work with these grilled veggie kabobs.

Lemon Herb Salmon Kabobs (Grilled)

four grilled salmon kabobs with lemon slices

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 5

Marinate: 15

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 30

These salmon kabobs are infused with all the deliciousness of a fresh lemon herb and garlic marinade and cook super fast on the grill.

5 from 16 votes

Print Pin

Ingredients

2 lbs salmon, skin removed and cubed
2 lemons

Lemon Herb Marinade:

2 tablespoons olive oil⁠
1 large lemon, juiced & zested
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 teaspoon dried oregano⁠
½ teaspoon salt⁠
¼ teaspoon black pepper⁠

Instructions

Prep:

Pat dry the salmon fillets with paper towels on a cutting board. Cube the salmon into 1-inch cubes.
Slice the lemons into thin slices, about ¼-inch thin, so you can fold them in half and poke them through a skewer.
In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil with lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Add the cubed salmon to the bowl and toss to coat it all with the marinade. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Place the wooden skewers on a baking sheet and fill with water. Soak them while the salmon is marinating.

Assemble:

Slide the marinated salmon cubes through the skewers, alternating with the lemon slices. Place them on a baking sheet or platter as you go.

Grill:

Preheat the grill to high heat. Once hot, reduce the heat to medium-high (between 375 to 400F). Brush the grill with oil.
Place the skewers on top of the grill, in the opposite direction of the grates. Grill with the lid, closed for 5 minutes, open the lid, carefully flip them over, and finish grilling them with the lid open for another 5 minutes until the salmon has turned a nice pinkish-white color. Remove from the grill.

Notes

If your grill grates are wide, you can use a grilling pan on top of the grill and cook the salmon skewers on it. Make sure to grease it too. Alternatively, you can use heavy-duty aluminum foil on top of the grill.