Our Best Recipes for Grilled Fish (2024)

Credit: Justin Walker

Try these simple grilled fish recipes for grouper, tuna, catfish, halibut, trout, and swordfish. We guarantee sizzling-good meals.

Whole Grilled Fish

Whole Grilled Fish Recipe

The key to preparing this whole fish is scoring deep cuts for quick and even cooking.

Grilled Salmon with Caramelized Lemons

Grilled Salmon with Caramelized Lemons Recipe

A side of salmon, hot off the grill and laid on fig leaves from a backyard tree if you have one, makes a spectacular main course. If you're daunted by the prospect of flipping such a large piece of fish, cut it into three sections before grilling (they're easier to turn) and arrange them end to end on the platter. Erin Scott, creator of the blog (and cookbook) Yummy Supper, gave us this recipe.

Grilled Salmon with White Bean and Arugula Salad

Grilled Salmon with White Bean and Arugula Salad Recipe

Ask for salmon fillets from the head end of the fish--the tail end is much thinner.

Grilled Whole Fish

Grilled Whole Fish Recipe

Ask your fishmonger to scale and gut the fish.

Brown Sugar Grilled Salmon with Zucchini and Fennel Noodles

Brown Sugar-Grilled Salmon with Zucchini and Fennel "Noodles" Recipe

Light the grill for this sweet Brown Sugar-Grilled Salmon. Pair it with this summer's best Zucchini and Fennel "Noodles" for a quick, 25-minute dinner that is sure to hit the spot.

Grilled Triggerfish

Grilled Triggerfish Recipe

Grilling adds smoky flavor fast. Follow our Expert Advice to flip fillets effortlessly.

Grilled Salmon Kabobs

Grilled Salmon Kabobs Recipe

Spice-crusted salmon teams up with the smoky crunch of grilled cucumbers. (If you think cukes are best saved for gazpacho and tea sandwiches, you're in for a delicious surprise.) A creamy yogurt raita, spiked with fresh dill and tangy bits of pickled okra, cools it all down.

Grilled Whole Snapper with Tarragon and Tangerines

Grilled Whole Snapper with Tarragon and Tangerines Recipe

Carefully turn fish on the grill using an oiled metal spatula. Transfer to a platter, and serve with tangerine wedges.

Grilled Fish and "Chips"

Grilled Fish and "Chips" Recipe

This is a nod to the nostalgia of our childhood TV dinner. But the difference here is fresh fish and our special tartar sauce, easily created from ingredients you likely have in the fridge.

Grilled Shrimp-and-Vegetable Kebabs

Grilled Shrimp-and-Vegetable Kebabs Recipe

Throw some shrimp and your favorite veggies on the grill and have an easy and delicious summer meal in minutes.

Grilled Shrimp Tostadas with Lime

Grilled Shrimp Tostadas with Lime Recipe

Throw some shrimp on the grill and try a Mexican staple with a delicious twist.

Fennel-Orange Relish

Grilled Tuna with Fennel-Orange Relish Recipe

This recipe is for those who love their tuna on the very rare side--feel free to cook the fish a bit longer, according to your taste. If you prefer, you can quickly sear the tuna in a skillet over medium-high heat instead of grilling.

Grilled Mahi Mahi With Avocado-Chile Salsa

Grilled Mahi Mahi With Avocado-Chile Salsa Recipe

Prep: 15 minutes; Cook: 12 minutes; Marinate: 20-30 minutes. This salsa can be served with any grilled seafood, poultry, or meat. Choose the kind of chile you use based on how much heat you like. Serrano chiles are hotter than jalapeño peppers; if you want more kick, don't remove the seeds. Make sure you wear gloves when handling hot peppers.

Baja-Style Grilled Fish Tacos with Cabbage and Crema

Baja-Style Grilled Fish Tacos with Cabbage and Crema Recipe

For this Baja-inspired recipe, it's especially important to regulate heat, erring on the gentler side, as the mahimahi needs sufficient time to firm up without charring too deeply.

Pan-Grilled Snapper with Orzo Pasta Salad

Pan-Grilled Snapper with Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe

Small rice-shaped pasta, orzo cooks quickly and soaks up flavor from the vinaigrette. Double the vinaigrette and spoon some over the top of the fish, if you like.

Grilled Salmon-and-Asparagus Salad

Grilled Salmon-and-Asparagus Salad Recipe

Salmon skin is easier to remove after cooking, so grill (or broil) the fillets first.

Poblano Fish Tacos

Poblano Fish Tacos Recipe

Try this twist: Top with crumbled queso fresco (fresh Mexican cheese) for a tasty variation.

Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad

Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad Recipe

The single anchovy fillet lends umami depth to the dressing without giving it any sort of strong fishy flavor.

Grilled Salmon Club

Grilled Salmon Club Recipe

A grilled salmon sandwich? You heard it right! Discover a delicious new way to eat your favorite grilled fish.

Swordfish Skewers with Cilantro-Mint Pesto

Swordfish Skewers with Cilantro-Mint Pesto Recipe

Although imported swordfish is endangered, the population for North American species is healthy. Check with your fish seller to make sure the fish you purchase was caught in the United States or Canada.

Grilled Fish Tacos with Tomato-Green Onion Relish

Grilled Fish Tacos with Tomato-Green Onion Relish Recipe

These delicious grilled fish tacos feature a homemade tomato-green onion relish that provides fresh, spicy flavor.

Baja Light Fish Tacos

Baja Light Fish Tacos Recipe

Make low-fat fish tacos by grilling the fish instead of frying it, and topping the tacos with a light tartar sauce.

Pan-Seared Halibut with Bell Pepper Relish

Pan-Seared Halibut with Bell Pepper Relish Recipe

This relish also works well with grilled chicken. Serve with a simple spinach salad. Be sure to purchase wild Alaskan halibut for a sustainable choice; avoid Atlantic halibut.

Halibut Sandwiches with Grilled Puttanesca Salsa

Halibut Sandwiches with Grilled Puttanesca Salsa Recipe

Those who love the bold Mediterranean flavors of puttanesca sauce and grilled fish will love this hearty open-faced sandwich. Perfect for a stylish outdoor lunch, this dish features grilled bread topped with peppery arugula, halibut, and a garlicky tomato salsa strewn with bits of olive and caper.

Tuna "London Broil" with Wasabi Cream

Tuna "London Broil" with Wasabi Cream Recipe

Adventurous eaters will lap up the creamy sauce spiked with wasabi, a fiery, pale-green Japanese horseradish. When spooned on top of a sesame- and pepper-rubbed tuna steak, it really highlights the dish's Asian flavors.

Aromatic Swordfish Steaks

Aromatic Swordfish Steaks Recipe

With a meaty texture and full-flavored taste, swordfish stands up to the assertive spices in this Jamaican-inspired recipe. The steaks are coated in a tenderizing marinade of yogurt, lemon juice, and common spices like garlic powder, ground cumin, and ground cinnamon, but it's the spoonful of jerk seasoning that gives this dish that special kick.

Zesty Swordfish Kabobs

Zesty Swordfish Kabobs Recipe

Get raves at your next backyard barbecue with these colorful and healthy swordfish kabobs. The secret is in the 12-ingredient marinade, a fabulous brew made from staples such as soy sauce, honey, rosemary, and citrus zest.

French West Indian Grilled Snapper with Caper Sauce

French West Indian Grilled Snapper with Caper Sauce Recipe

Justifiably popular for its tender flesh and sweet, delicate flavor, snapper is commonly caught in tropical and semitropical waters, such as those near the Caribbean. Here, it is cloaked in a traditional French West Indian sauce featuring lime juice, garlic, thyme, and incendiary Scotch bonnet chiles.

Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Escabeche Sauce

Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Escabeche Sauce Recipe

Chef Adolfo Garcia’s love of fresh seafood and his Panamanian ancestry are reflected in this marinated fish recipe. The marinade of bell peppers, olives, onions, and tomato juice also serves as a sauce for the mahi-mahi.

Grilled Fish on Cilantro-Chili Slaw

Grilled Fish on Cilantro-Chili Slaw Recipe

Marinate halibut or mahimahi fillets in a mixture of vinegar, olive oil, cumin, and cilantro, then grill and serve on a bed of spicy slaw.

Striped Bass with Fennel over Sautéed Spinach

Striped Bass with Fennel over Sautéed Spinach Recipe

Top grilled striped bass with a savory fennel relish and serve over a bed of wilted spinach for a sophisticated main dish.

Grilled Tuna with Mediterranean Sauce

Grilled Tuna with Mediterranean Sauce Recipe

The robustly flavored sauce gets its inspiration from olives, tomatoes, and fresh thyme, but is simple to prepare. When the topping is this bold, go with a simple grilled technique for the fish.

Catfish with Corn Hash

Catfish with Corn Hash Recipe

Spice-crusted, pan-fried catfish is delicious atop a pile of sweet corn and bacon hash. Use summer's best produce to make a simple salad for serving alongside the fish.

Almond and Spice-crusted Grilled Salmon

Almond and Spice-crusted Grilled Salmon Recipe

The crust on this salmon is similar to duqqa, a mix of spices, chopped nuts, and sometimes chickpeas used in Egyptian cooking. Prep and Cook Time: 45 minutes.

Flounder Grilled on Banana Leaves

Flounder Grilled on Banana Leaves Recipe

Many cooks only grill thick fish steaks because thin fillets break and fall into the fire. But a banana leaf solves the problem elegantly. It’s naturally nonstick, covers the rack, and lends subtle grassy sweetness to thinner fillets like flounder, snapper, tilapia, and sole, along with smoky grilled flavor.

mr-Simple Grilled Halibut

Simple Grilled Halibut Recipe

Though simple, this recipe provides you with the tools to grill most any flakey fish. We happen to particularly love halibut because it’s an inherently flavorful fish that requires no more than salt, pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon to taste absolutely divine

Grilled Tuna With Tapenade Salsa

Grilled Tuna with Chunky Tapenade Salsa Recipe

Two classic dips, tapenade and salsa, join forces for a fish topper that is salty, scoopable, and summer-fresh.

Grilled Rainbow Trout with Chimichurri

Grilled Rainbow Trout with Chimichurri Recipe

The trout has a nice smoky flavor that is cut by the freshness and acidity of the chimichurri. For a less smoky flavor, seek out thinner fillets (which will take less time to cook).

Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa

Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa Recipe

Here we combine two of the our favorite early-summer ingredients—cherry tomatoes and fresh basil—into a fresh take salsa. For the crispiest skin (that doesn’t stick to the grill), be sure your grill grates are very clean and the grill is preheated for at least 15 minutes. Avocado adds creaminess and a punch of gut-healthy prebiotics.

Grilled Whole Branzino with Chermoula

Grilled Whole Branzino with Chermoula Recipe

Take advantage of the summer sun and cook dinner on the grill.

mr-Grilled Salmon with Orange-Soy Glaze

Grilled Salmon with Orange-Soy Glaze Recipe

While the grill is obviously the cooking method for casual, outdoor-centered meals and gatherings, don’t forget that you can still bring a touch of sit-down-dinner-type sophistication to the patio table too. This buttery, smoky, and gloriously glaze-y salmon does just that.We call for individual fillets in this recipe, but you could also opt for going with a whole side of salmon (of roughly equivalent weight) for a truly impressive presentation.

ck- Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Lemon-Parsley Potatoes

Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Lemon-Parsley Potatoes Recipe

Grilled Salmon with Farmers' Market Salad

Grilled Salmon with a Farmers’ Market Salad Recipe

For a hearty, summer salad that’s bursting with fresh, seasonal finds from your local farmers’ market, this healthy dish is about to be your go-to dinner. Topped with an simple grilled fillet of salmon and tossed in a light, citrus vinaigrette, this salad allows the fresh flavors of the produce to shine through. Substitute or add different produce items based on what’s in season and what you like. If you don’t have a grill, a grill pan can be easily substituted.

Grilled Trout with Cherry Compote

Grilled Trout with Cherry Compote Recipe

If you can't find whole trout, use fillets; they'll only need to grill for about 4 minutes. You can also use 20 ounces frozen, thawed cherries: Use the liquid (don't drain them); simmer in step 1 until the liquid almost fully evaporates before stirring in the port and honey.