Jerk Salmon is smoky, sweet, savory, and packed with warm Caribbean-inspired spices. A simple homemade jerk marinade infuses a whole salmon fillet with incredible flavor, while the grill and optional cedar plank add a subtle smoky finish that makes this recipe feel restaurant-quality.
Jerk Salmon Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Main Course, Dinner
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 2 hours 30 minutes (includes marinating)
- 🍴 Servings: 6-8
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Smoky, sweet, savory, spicy, and citrusy
- 🍚 Best Served With: Rice, grilled vegetables, corn, coleslaw, or salad
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, marinate the salmon up to 24 hours ahead
Summarize and Save This Content On
The combination of soy sauce, citrus, brown sugar, and classic jerk spices creates a deeply flavorful marinade that tastes like it came from a Caribbean grill. Whether you cook it on a cedar plank, directly on the grill, or in the oven, the salmon stays moist and tender while developing a beautifully caramelized exterior.
This jerk salmon recipe was inspired by my salmon wellington and these crispy salmon bites on this site, and pairs well with this slow cooker corn on the cob.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Bold Caribbean flavor: Smoky, sweet, savory, and spicy flavors in every bite.
- Easy and impressive: A whole salmon fillet creates a stunning centerpiece with minimal effort.
- Grill or bake: Works beautifully on a cedar plank, grill, or in the oven.
- Customizable heat: Easily adjust the spice level from mild to fiery.
Ingredients
You only need a handful of simple ingredients and a quick trip to the grocery store to make this flavorful jerk salmon recipe. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples that blend together to create an authentic Caribbean-inspired marinade.
- Salmon: The rich, flaky base of the recipe. 1 full fresh salmon fillet (about 3-4 pounds): A full side of salmon is usually 18-24 inches long and is perfect for feeding a family or entertaining guests
- Soy sauce: Adds savory depth and helps season the fish.
- Lemon zest and juice: Brightens the marinade and balances the sweetness.
- Butter and olive oil: Add richness and help keep the salmon moist.
- Brown sugar: Encourages caramelization and balances the spices.
- Green onions and red onion: Provide fresh onion flavor and body to the marinade.
- Jerk spices: Paprika, garlic, clove, allspice, thyme, nutmeg, red pepper, and cinnamon create the classic jerk flavor profile.
- Cedar plank (optional): Adds subtle smoky flavor and helps keep the salmon moist.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Customize the flavor and heat: Use 2-3 tablespoons of store-bought jerk seasoning instead of the individual spices, omit the red pepper for a milder version, or add cayenne pepper, extra red pepper, or a minced Scotch bonnet pepper for authentic Jamaican-style heat.
- Sweet and citrusy variations: Add honey for extra sweetness, replace the brown sugar with maple syrup, or use orange juice and zest for a bright citrus twist.
- Boost the savory flavor: Add several cloves of fresh or roasted garlic to create a more robust garlic-forward marinade.
- Add tropical flair: Serve with grilled or baked pineapple, grilled mangoes, mango salad, or other tropical fruit toppings for a fresh Caribbean-inspired finish.
How to Make Jerk Salmon
Don't let the marinating time fool you-this jerk salmon is surprisingly easy to make. Simply blend the marinade, let the salmon soak up all that incredible flavor, then grill or bake until perfectly tender and caramelized.
Step 1: Make marinade. In a blender or food processor mix together all of the ingredients, including the zest and juice from the 1 large lemon.
Pulse the blender until all the ingredients have been combined and are smooth.
Step 2: Marinate salmon. Prepare your salmon by placing the fillet on a rimmed baking sheet covered in parchment so the fillet can lay flat. It is perfectly fine to leave the skin on - I usually do.
Pour the marinade over the top of the salmon. Lift the salmon up a little bit and make sure the marinade gets under the salmon as well.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours for deeper flavor. I usually flip another rimmed baking sheet on top and wrap the entire thing so marinade doesn't come off and stick to plastic wrap or foil when I remove it to bake. (This is a good time to be soaking your cedar planks if you are planning to use them).
Step 3: Prepare to grill. When ready to cook, remove the salmon from the refrigerator and let it come up to almost room temperature.
Preheat your grill on high.
Lay the salmon flat on top of a pre-soaked cedar plank, then place the plank with the salmon onto the grill. If you're not using a cedar plank or a grill mat be sure that your grill grates are well oiled and place the salmon skin side down on top of the grill.
Turn the heat down to medium or medium high and close the lid.
Step 4: Grill salmon. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until the salmon has reached an internal temperature of approximately 130 to 135.
Gently remove the salmon from the grill and transfer to a serving platter.
Add lemon slices to grill for a minute per side and enough time to leave grill marks.
Allow salmon to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with grilled lemon slices and/or chopped parsley.
Baking Instructions
Not everyone has access to a grill, but this jerk salmon is just as delicious baked in the oven. Using a cedar plank helps add subtle smoky flavor and keeps the salmon moist throughout cooking.
Oven-Baked Cedar Plank Jerk Salmon
- Soak a cedar plank for at least 2 hours.
- Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Place the soaked cedar plank on a baking sheet and place the marinated salmon skin-side down on the plank.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 130-135°F.
- For extra caramelization, broil for the final 1-2 minutes, watching carefully.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with grilled lemon slices and chopped parsley.
No cedar plank? Place the salmon skin-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake as directed.
Timing Guide: Thin fillet (¾ inch): 18-20 minutes, average fillet (1 inch): 20-25 minutes and thick fillet (1½ inches): 25-30 minutes
Expert Tips
- Build the best flavor: Pat the salmon dry before marinating, use fresh lemon whenever possible, and marinate for at least 2 hours so the flavors have time to penetrate the fish.
- Prepare for perfect grilling: Use a cedar plank for subtle smoky flavor and easier cleanup, or oil the grill grates well if cooking directly on the grill. Let the salmon sit near room temperature before cooking for more even results.
- Customize the heat: This recipe is mild as written, but you can add cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, scotch bonnet hot sauce, or fresh Scotch bonnet peppers for more authentic Jamaican-style heat.
- Don't overcook: Salmon is best cooked to 130-135°F for a moist, tender texture. Remember that the temperature will continue to rise slightly after it's removed from the heat, so let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy the leftovers: Jerk salmon is delicious served in salads, rice bowls, tacos, pasta dishes like our salmon pesto pasta, omelets like our salmon omelet, wraps, and sandwiches the next day.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy our salmon oscar.
Storage Directions
Refrigerator: Store cooked salmon in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Freeze cooked salmon for up to 2 months.
Reheat: Warm gently in a 300°F oven for 8-12 minutes or in the microwave at reduced power.
Make Ahead: Marinate the salmon up to 24 hours before cooking.
Serving Suggestions
- Classic Caribbean pairings: Serve with coconut ginger rice, jasmine rice, Jamaican rice and peas, or warm homemade dinner rolls to soak up the flavorful jerk marinade.
- Grilled and roasted vegetables: Grilled corn on the cob, grilled vegetables, and roasted sweet potatoes complement the smoky, sweet, and spicy flavors of the salmon beautifully.
- Build a complete meal: Create a jerk salmon bowl with rice, fresh vegetables, mango salsa, and your favorite toppings for an easy and satisfying dinner.
- Fresh and colorful sides: Pair with Grandma's coleslaw, cabbage slaw, mango salsa, green salad, or quinoa bowls for a refreshing contrast to the bold jerk seasoning.
Jerk Salmon Recipe FAQs
Coconut aminos work well as a substitute and provide a slightly sweeter flavor. Tamari can also be used for a gluten-free option.
No. A cedar plank is completely optional, and a parchment-lined baking sheet works perfectly well. However, cedar planks help keep the salmon moist, add a subtle smoky wood-fired flavor, prevent the bottom from overcooking, and create the signature texture and flavor that make cedar plank salmon so popular.
Soak the cedar plank in water, cider, or wine for at least 2 hours before grilling to help prevent it from burning. Place the salmon skin-side down on the soaked plank and set the plank directly on the grill.
Yes. Replace the individual spices with 2-3 tablespoons of jerk seasoning, depending on your desired spice level.
More Salmon Recipes
If you love salmon, here are some delicious salmon recipes you may also enjoy trying.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Jerk Salmon
Equipment
- cedar plank presoaked, optional but definitely worth a try
- blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 cedar plank pre-soaked optional but I always use it
- 1 full fresh salmon fillet (approximately 3 pounds)
- ½ cup soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 large lemon zested and juiced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 4 stalks green onions
- ½ large red onion
Homemade Jerk Seasoning or Store-bought (2-3 tablespoons for mild to spicy jerk flavor)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon clove
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Optional Garnishes
- grilled lemon slices
- fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Prepare your salmon by removing any scales (if any) and setting the fillet in a container that is large enough for it to lay flat. It is OK to leave the skin on. I usually leave it and place skin on the bottom as salmon cooks.
- Get out your blender or food processor.
Best Salmon Marinade
- Add soy sauce (or coconut aminos), lemon zest and juice, butter, olive oil, brown sugar, green onions, onion, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, clove, allspice, thyme, nutmeg, red pepper flakes and cinnamon.
- Pulse the blender until all the ingredients have been combined and are smooth.
- Pour the marinade over the top of the salmon and using a brush make sure every part of your salmon is covered with marinade. Lift the salmon up a little bit and make sure the marinade gets under the salmon as well. Whether you left skin on the salmon or not.
- Cover the salmon and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. (This is a good time to be soaking your cedar planks if you are planning to use them).
- When ready to cook, remove the salmon from the refrigerator and let it come up to almost room temperature.
- Preheat your grill on high.
- Lay the salmon flat on top of a pre-soaked cedar plank, then place the plank with the salmon onto the grill. If you're not using a cedar plank or a grill mat be sure that your grill grates are well oiled and place the salmon skin side down on top of the grill.
- Turn the heat down to medium or medium high and close the lid.
- Cook for about 15-20 minutes until the salmon has reached an internal temperature of approximately 130 to 135.
- Gently remove the salmon from the grill and transfer to a serving platter.
- Add lemon slices to grill for a minute per side and enough time to leave grill marks.
- Allow salmon to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with grilled lemon slices and/or chopped parsley.
Notes
- Build the best flavor: Pat the salmon dry before marinating, use fresh lemon whenever possible, and marinate for at least 2 hours so the flavors have time to penetrate the fish.
- Prepare for perfect grilling: Use a cedar plank for subtle smoky flavor and easier cleanup, or oil the grill grates well if cooking directly on the grill. Let the salmon sit near room temperature before cooking for more even results.
- Customize the heat: This recipe is mild as written, but you can add cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, scotch bonnet hot sauce, or fresh Scotch bonnet peppers for more authentic Jamaican-style heat.
- Don't overcook: Salmon is best cooked to 130-135°F for a moist, tender texture. Remember that the temperature will continue to rise slightly after it's removed from the heat, so let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy the leftovers: Jerk salmon is delicious served in salads, rice bowls, tacos, pasta dishes like our salmon pesto pasta, omelets like our salmon omelet, wraps, and sandwiches the next day.
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