High-Protein Grilled Salmon
Per serving (1 fillet, about 6 oz raw)
How I calculate this → Protein calculator →
10g of protein per 100 calories, more than 14 of the other 27 dinner recipes here.
I grill salmon skin-side down for almost the entire cook, which protects the delicate flesh from the direct flame and makes it far easier to lift cleanly off the grates without it falling apart. I only flip it in the last minute or two, just long enough to mark the top. Oiling the grates well before the fish goes on matters more here than with most proteins, since salmon is one of the easier things to lose to sticking.
Why you'll love this
- 30g of protein per serving straight off the grill
- Ready in under 20 minutes
- Skin-side down the whole time keeps it from falling apart on the grates
Recipe
High-Protein Grilled Salmon
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the grill to medium-high and oil the grates well.
- Pat the salmon fillets dry. Rub with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Place the fillets skin-side down on the grill. Cover and cook for 7 to 8 minutes without flipping.
- Carefully flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and reads 145°F at the thickest part.
- Serve with the lemon slices.
Equipment
- Grill
Notes
- I oil the grates before the fish goes on, not just the fish itself. Salmon is one of the easier proteins to lose to sticking, and well-oiled grates make the difference between a clean release and torn skin.
- I only flip it once, near the very end. Cooking it skin-side down for most of the time protects the flesh from the direct flame and holds the fillet together.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 315 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 30g |
| Carbs | 1g |
| Fat | 20g |
| Fiber | 0g |
Where these numbers come from
I calculate every figure above from USDA FoodData Central, ingredient by ingredient, then divide by the servings the recipe makes. Each FDC number links to the exact USDA entry I used. How I calculate nutrition
- Salmon: FDC #175168 (Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked, dry heat), 22.1g protein / 206 kcal / 12.4g fat per 100g. 4 fillets raw (680g) scaled to an 80% cooked yield for fish = 544g cooked.
- Olive oil: FDC #171413 (Oil, olive, salad or cooking), 100g fat / 884 kcal per 100g, 0g protein.
- Garlic: FDC #169230 (Garlic, raw), 6.36g protein / 149 kcal / 33.1g carb / 2.1g fiber per 100g; 1 clove = 3g.
- Lemon juice: FDC #167747, half a lemon = 24g. Oil for the grates not counted.
- Re-verified 2026-09-28: batch totals 120.7g protein, 1,254 kcal, 81g fat, 3.6g carb; divided by 4.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently, covered, or eat cold flaked over a salad the next day.
FAQ
Do I need to remove the skin first?
No. Cooking it skin-side down protects the fish and makes it much easier to lift off the grates in one piece. Remove the skin after cooking if you don’t want to eat it.
How do I keep salmon from sticking to the grill?
Oil the grates well before the fish goes on, and don’t try to move it too early. It releases naturally once a crust has formed; forcing it before that tears the skin.
Can I use frozen salmon?
Thaw it first for even cooking. Cooking from frozen tends to leave the outside overdone before the center catches up.
Looking for more seafood dinners: the grilled shrimp skewers are a faster option for the same grill session.
The seafood section of Foods High in Protein compares salmon with leaner fish like tuna on protein per 100 calories.
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