Easy, Flavor-packed grilled salmon kabobs, covered in a Mediterranean-style marinade with fresh garlic, olive oil, citrus, herbs and spices. I’m telling you, once you try this salmon marinade, you’ll be grilling salmon all summer long! But the good news is, you can make these anytime of the year, using an indoor grill pan or even broiled in the oven.
These salmon kabobs are ready in less than 30 minutes, including marinating. And you can turn them into a Mediterranean feast alongside some bright salads, Mediterranean-Style Roasted Eggplant, Greek potatoes, or grilled vegetables…oh, grab my list for suggested sides and salads below!
I’m such a big fan of any food on a stick, this probably won’t surprise you if you’ve already checked out my Greek Souvlaki or chicken kabobs recently. Today, we’re talking salmon kabobs…tender, perfectly flaky, flavor-packed salmon kabobs! And it’s all in the marinade, my friends.
People are keen on marinating their grilled chicken and meat kabobs, but they so often neglect marinating fish. Why should one marinate their salmon kabobs? Why not just toss them in some spices and call it good?
Salmon Marinade
The marinade here plays two important roles: First, the obvious one, it packs our salmon with flavor. But equally important, the marinade acts as a brine to help the salmon from drying out–and no one loves dry salmon!
This salmon marinade begins with quality extra virgin olive oil (trust me, you do want good-tasting olive oil, I used Early Harvest Greek EVOO here) along with zest and juice of one lemon. Fresh minced garlic is my go-to for anything fish and seafood. From here, we have fresh thyme, dried oregano, and a trio of warmer spices–cumin, coriander, and a mild chili pepper called Aleppo. If you’re not familiar, Aleppo pepper is a unique spice of fruity, slightly tangy chili flakes. It’s a mild pepper with a subtle sweetness akin to sun-dried tomatoes! (Find Aleppo and other all-natural spices at our online store).
Change up the marinade to your liking. Don’t have thyme? You can use a little fresh parsley. If you like a spicy kick, add a pinch of cayenne. But do make sure to use quality olive oil and citrus.
How to Make these Mediterranean Salmon Kabobs
There are only two basic steps to this simple salmon recipe: marinate the salmon and grill quickly over high heat. Here’s how it’s done:
- Make the marinade. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes), and 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander.
- Marinate the salmon. Cut 1 1/2 pound salmon fillet into cubes (about 1-inch to 1 1/2-inch) and place in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 zucchini, sliced into rounds, and 1 small red onion, cut into large pieces (about 1-inch). Season generously with salt and pepper. Toss to ensure everything is well-seasoned, then pour in the marinade and toss once more. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes, or in your refrigerator for up to 1 hour.
- Grill the salmon kabobs. Thread the salmon, zucchini, and onions through the skewers. Oil your grill grates and preheat to high (indoor grilling instructions in notes). Arrange salmon skewers on top and cover. Grill with the lid on for 6 to 8 minutes, using tongs to turn once midway through cooking. The fish is ready when it is opaque throughout. Enjoy!
Can I Cook Salmon Kabobs Indoors?
The beauty about these salmon kabobs is that you can make them all year round. My preference is an outdoor grill, but that is not always possible. There are a couple ways to cook these salmon kabobs indoors
- Stove-top suing a griddle or grill pan. Simply brush the griddle or grill pan with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and heat on medium. Arrange the salmon kabobs in one layer (do this in batches if needed and do not crowd the kabobs). Cook for 3 to 5 minutes on side, turn over once and cook for another 4 minutes or so. If you like, you can cover them for even cooking.
- Broiled in the oven. Turn broiler on high and place the top rack about 5 to 6 inches or so below the broiler. Arrange the salmon skewers on a baking sheet and broil for about 4 to 5 minutes on one side, turn over on the other side and broil for another 4 minutes or until opaque.
How Long will Grilled Salmon Keep in the Fridge?
In general, if the fish was fresh, in good condition, you can store grilled salmon in the fridge in an air-tight container for 2 days or so. Keep in mind that the garlicky flavors will deepen (I never mind that!). It’s best to eat leftover salmon cold or at room temperature. I’ve often thrown some cooked salmon in my grain bowls or over salad for a tasty light dinner!
What to Serve with Grilled Salmon Kabobs?
Whenever I serve kabobs of any sorts, I always like to add a little sauce or dip to go along. With this grilled salmon, I opted for tahini sauce, but I could easily go for Greek tztaziki. In addition, there are so many options for tasty Mediterranean dishes you can serve along. Here are just a few:
More Salmon Recipes To Try
- Mediterranean Diet Salmon Recipes
- Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa
- Baked Lemon Garlic Salmon
- Pan Seared Salmon
Browse all Mediterranean recipes.
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Equipment
- Bamboo skewers, , soaked for 30 minutes to prevent burning (or use metal skewers)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound salmon fillet, cubed (about 1-inch to 1 1/2-inch cubes)
- 1 zucchini, sliced into rounds
- 1 small red onion, cut into large pieces (about 1-inch)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
For the Marinade
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Instructions
- Marinate the salmon. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients. Place the salmon, zucchini, and onions into a large mixing bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss to ensure everything is well-seasoned, then pour in the marinade and toss once more. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes, or in your refrigerator for up to 1 hour.
- Grill the salmon kabobs. Thread the salmon, zucchini, and onions through the skewers. Oil your grill grates and preheat to high (indoor grilling instructions in notes). Arrange salmon skewers on top and cover. Grill with the lid on for 6 to 8 minutes, using tongs to turn once midway through cooking. The fish is ready when it is opaque throughout. Enjoy!
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- Indoor grilling instructions:
- Brush a griddle or grill pan with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and heat on medium.
- Arrange the salmon kabobs in one layer (do this in batches if needed and do not crowd the kabobs).
- Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, then turn over once and cook for another 4 minutes or so. If you like, you can cover them for even cooking.
- Broiling Instructions:
-
- Heat your broiler to high. Arrange the salmon skewers on a large baking sheet and place about 5 to 6 inches below broiler.
- Cook on one side for 4 to 5 minutes, turn over and cook another 4 minutes or so or until fish is opaque throughout.
- Storage: In general, if the salmon was fresh and in good condition before cooking, you should be able to store it in the fridge in an air-tight container for 2 days or so. It’s best to enjoy cold or at room temperature–I like to turn leftover salmon into salmon salad.
- Nutrition information excludes the marinade, as most of it is discarded before serving.
Nutrition
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*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.
I made these salmon kabobs last night and the marinade is absolutely incredible—the Aleppo pepper and EVOO combo gives it such a unique, rich flavor! My family loved how juicy the fish stayed. Since you mentioned serving these with Greek salad or lemon rice for a crowd, do you think it’s better to thread the zucchini on separate skewers so they don’t overcook compared to the salmon, or is keeping them together like in your photos best for sharing?
Hi, Shannon. It has always worked well for us to cook the zucchini with the salmon kabobs, but you can do it separately if you prefer. Enjoy!
I’m always nervous about salmon because of sometimes a very strong taste. I bought King salmon and did the marinade for 20 minutes and also made the tahini sauce and this has been my favorite salmon meal. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
We love to hear this, Linda! Thank you!