Foil-Grilled Salmon with Sweet Mustard Glaze

Learn how to grill or bake salmon in foil with a simple yet gourmet recipe. These foil packet salmon fillets are glazed with an easy four-ingredient sweet-tangy mustard sauce and finish in about 15 minutes for a flavorful weeknight dinner.

If you’re looking for a quick dinner, a fresh salmon fillet, a sheet of foil, and a few pantry staples are all you need to create dinner magic fast. Salmon’s natural richness means you don’t need complicated marinades—just a small glaze to enhance the fish’s flavor.

Timing and technique matter for perfectly cooked salmon. Read the tips and suggestions below to get restaurant-quality results at home.

Grilled Salmon Marinade Sauce

This foil packet salmon uses four ingredients to make a sticky glaze that coats flaky salmon beautifully. Combine melted butter, apricot preserves, whole grain mustard, and Dijon mustard. Reserve about two tablespoons of the sauce, brush the rest on the fillets before cooking, then brush on the reserved sauce after cooking for an intensified glaze.

After grilling or baking, briefly broil the salmon with the reserved glaze for 1–2 minutes to caramelize and make the sauce sticky. Leftovers are great flaked into salads or formed into salmon cakes.

Other sauce options to try:

• Lemon Dill
• Garlic Butter
• Honey Mustard
• Simple olive oil with salt and pepper

How to Cook Salmon on the Grill

Foil prevents the salmon from drying out whether the fillet has skin on or off. Heavy-duty foil is ideal, but a double layer of regular foil also works.

1. Preheat the grill to medium, about 400–450°F (204–232°C).
2. Place the salmon, skin-side down, on a large piece of foil.
3. Brush the apricot-mustard sauce over the top, or simply drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and top with lemon slices.
4. Fold up the long sides and roll the seam together over the top of the salmon.
5. Roll the short ends to seal the packet.
6. Place the packet on the grill, close the lid, and cook for 10 minutes.

Baking Salmon Foil Packet in the Oven

No grill? No problem—salmon packets bake beautifully in the oven.

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Prepare the salmon packet with sauce brushed on, reserving 2 tablespoons of sauce for finishing.
3. Place the sealed packet directly on the oven rack.
4. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the packet from the oven.
5. Open the packet, brush the reserved glaze over the salmon.
6. Move the oven rack to the top position and turn on the broiler.
7. Broil the open packet 1–2 minutes, until the salmon is fully cooked and the glaze begins to bubble.

How To Make Grilled Salmon in Foil

1. Mix melted butter, apricot preserves, whole grain mustard, and Dijon mustard until smooth.
2. Remove 2 tablespoons of the sauce and set aside.
3. Lay salmon skin-side down on a large piece of foil and brush the remaining sauce over the fillet.
4. Bring up the long sides and roll the seam together on top, then fold the short ends to make a packet.
5. Grill the packet for 10 minutes. Open the packet, brush on the reserved sauce, then broil for 1–2 minutes until the glaze bubbles and the salmon is fully cooked.

Recipe

Grilled Salmon in Foil with Sweet Mustard

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 15 mins

A quick, flavorful salmon prepared in foil packets and finished with a sweet mustard glaze—ready in about 15 minutes.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1/4 cup apricot preserves
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Instructions

1. Preheat grill to medium (about 400–450ºF / 204–232ºC). Lay out a large piece of heavy-duty foil. If using individual fillets, use one large piece per fillet. Place salmon skin-side down on the foil.
2. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Stir in apricot preserves, whole grain mustard, and Dijon mustard until smooth. Remove 2 tablespoons of the sauce and set aside for finishing.
3. Brush the remaining sauce over the salmon. Fold the long sides of the foil and roll the seam together on top, then fold the short ends to make a packet.
4. Place the packet on the grill, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. While cooking, preheat the broiler (if finishing in the oven). Open the packet, brush reserved sauce on top, and broil 1–2 minutes until the glaze bubbles and the salmon is cooked through.

Notes

Baking salmon foil packet in the oven

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
2. Prepare the salmon packet with sauce brushed on and set aside 2 tablespoons of sauce.
3. Place the sealed packet directly on the oven rack and bake 10 minutes.
4. Remove the packet, open it, brush on the reserved glaze, move the oven rack to the top position, and broil 1–2 minutes until the glaze bubbles and salmon is fully cooked.

Tips for success

• Heavy-duty foil works best; double-layer regular foil if needed.
• It’s better to slightly undercook the fish, since it finishes while broiling.
• Assemble packets on a baking sheet to make transferring easier.
• Check doneness by ensuring the exterior is opaque and the center is slightly translucent; insert a knife into the thickest part to inspect.

Calories: 236 kcal, Carbohydrates: 1 g, Protein: 30 g, Fat: 12 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 88 mg, Sodium: 140 mg, Potassium: 741 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 119 IU, Calcium: 18 mg, Iron: 1 mg

Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card — feedback helps others and I always appreciate hearing how it turned out. -Melissa

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