Lemony Grilled Salmon Kabobs with pesto sauce make a quick, easy, and nutritious main dish or appetizer. Enjoy them throughout grilling season with your favorite side dishes!
Oh hey! Have you ever made salmon kabobs??
It wasn’t until several years ago that I even considered making salmon kabobs because I figured the pieces would fall right off the skewers.
Nay.
I’m happy to report salmon not only remains on skewer during the grilling process, but it also turns out SUPER flavorful in all its charred glory.
If you’re a salmon lover, be sure to include this simple recipe in your grilling season repertoire! It is both easy to prepare and such a crowd pleaser!
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for this easy salmon kebab recipe.
Ingredients for Salmon Kabobs:
Fresh Salmon: Pick up 1 to 2 pounds of salmon from the grocery store. For the best results, choose a fatty cut of salmon such as Atlantic salmon, or wild-caught King salmon.
I don’t recommend using lean cuts of fish for this recipe, like sockeye salmon. The fat is needed for the tastiest, tender result!
Avocado Oil: Used to coat the chunks of salmon to prevent them from sticking to the grill. Avocado oil is ideal for cooking at high temperatures, like grilling on an outdoor grill. I don’t recommend using olive oil, as it burns easily.
Fresh Lemon: Lemon slices are threaded onto the salmon skewers to add a bright citrus flavor. I love eating the lemon slices too!
Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder: The simple seasonings. An easy combination of salt, pepper, and garlic powder brings amazing flavor to this tasty salmon recipe.
Pesto Sauce: Salmon and pesto sauce are a match made in heaven! Serve the salmon kebabs with pesto drizzled on top or as a dipping sauce.
Recipe Customizations:
- Add your favorite spices or dry rubs. Lemon pepper, chili powder, red pepper flakes, etc. are all great.
- Include other kabob ingredients on the skewers such as zucchini, tomato, bell peppers, red onion, etc.
- Marinate the chunks of salmon in The Best Salmon Marinade up to 12 hours ahead of time.
- Rather than serving with pesto sauce, mix soy sauce, sesame seeds, fresh minced garlic, fresh grated ginger, and sesame oil in a small bowl to serve as dipping sauce.
How to Make Salmon Skewers:
Step 1: Fire up your grill to get it nice and hot. For a gas grill, use medium-high heat, or around 400 to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If using a charcoal grill, heat the coals at least 20 minutes in advance.
Step 2: Chop the salmon filet into 1.5 to 2 inch cubes using a sharp knife.
Step 3: Transfer the chopped salmon to a large mixing bowl and add in the avocado oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Toss everything together until the salmon pieces are coated in oil and seasonings.
Step 4: Thread salmon pieces with lemon slices and any fresh vegetables onto the skewers.
Step 5: Grill to perfection. Salmon skewers cook quickly! They only need about 8-10 minutes total. Flip every 3-4 minutes for the best results. Salmon is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Insert a meat thermometer into one of the largest pieces of salmon to check the internal temperature.
Transfer the skewers to a baking sheet once they have finished grilling.
Serve with your choice of side dishes, and enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Tips For the Best Salmon Kabobs:
- Pick up thick salmon filets so it’s easier to chop into cubes. Thinner salmon filets are more challenging to thread and fall off the skewers easily.
- I recommend using metal skewers because they are more environmentally friendly, and they don’t need to be pre-soaked ahead of time. wooden skewers or bamboo skewers must be soaked for at least 20 minutes or else they catch fire.
- Brush any leftover food particles off of the grill before grilling. This helps prevent the salmon cubes from sticking to the grill grates and ensures they cook evenly.
- Spray the grill with cooking oil prior to grilling to prevent the salmon from sticking.
- You can remove the salmon skin or leave it on. Many people don’t like salmon skin, so I recommend cutting off the skin prior to chopping the salmon filet into cubes.
Serving Suggestions:
Looking for delicious side dishes to pair with your salmon kabobs? Here are some of my top recommendations.
If you love skewer recipes, also try my Grilled Chicken Kabobs and my Grilled Steak Kabobs!
Grilled Salmon Kabobs Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound salmon filet chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 large lemons sliced
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- pesto sauce*
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (around 400 degrees Fahrenheit). If using a charcoal grill, heat the grills in a charcoal chimney 20 minutes ahead of time.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the salmon into 1.5 to 2-inch cubes. Transfer the salmon cubes to a mixing bowl along with the avocado oil, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Toss everything together until the chunks of salmon are coated with oil and seasonings.
- Thread the chopped salmon and lemon slices through metal skewers. Note: you can also use wooden skewers – just be sure to soak them in water for at least 15 minutes before using them.
- Place skewers on the preheated grill and grill until golden-brown grill marks appear, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip using tongs and grill another 2 minutes. Flip again and continue grilling until salmon is opaque and cooked through (this should take 5 to 8 minutes total). Salmon is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Insert a digital thermometer into the biggest piece of salmon to check for doneness.
- Serve salmon skewers with your choice of side dishes and a drizzle of pesto sauce.
Seeing this post makes me realize I don’t think I’ve ever tried pesto on top of salmon before?! Can’t wait to try that!! 🙂