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These Grilled Salmon Sandwiches combine the sourdough creamy coleslaw made with lemon zest and lemon juice, creating a flavor party with the grilled salmon and refreshing corn salad.
What to serve with this yummy grilled salmon: Meyer Lemon Sweet Tea, Southern Mojitos, Fried Green Tomatoes, Potato Salad, and Orange Strawberry Cupcakes.
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I came up with this sandwich because I had some leftover corn after testing a recipe, and I just finished making a Costco run, and they had Sockeye salmon fillets on sale. While I was there, I picked up some bagged coleslaw and sourdough. I knocked it out of the park in the first shot, so here's what I came up with.
Whether you're a novice or a pro at grilling, you'll be able to make these delicious sandwiches with ease in a matter of minutes. The goal was to create a healthy meal that was fresh and wouldn't overheat me or my family at the cookout.
What you'll need is a grill, gas, or charcoal. If you don't have either, you can cook it on the stove or use an Air-Fryer to cook it up.
You'll use kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper to make a yummy spice mixture for the salmon fillets. To add more garlic flavor, rub a clove on the bread slices.
For the coleslaw, you'll need a tri-color slaw mix, mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper.
Then, to top it off, use fresh corn, lime juice, lime zest, shallots, tomatoes, celery, Italian parsley, kosher salt, and black pepper. Combine all of those, and you have a tasty lunch or dinner any time of the year.
Degree of Doneness
Everybody eats their salmon at different temperatures. These temperatures reflect the internal temperatures, which determine how thoroughly the salmon is cooked. The general degrees of doneness are rare, medium-rare, medium, medium-well, and well-done.
The sweet spot for grilled salmon is medium. The salmon will be cooked beautifully, firm, moist, and tender. If you would like to cook your salmon Medium-Rare, it's 125°F; for Medium, it's 135°F; for Medium-Well, it's 140°F; for Well-Done, it's 145°F.
Grilled Salmon Sandwich Key Ingredients
To make this fantastic grilled salmon sandwich, you will need the following key ingredients:
Sockeye Salmon Fillets
I prefer sockeye because it's wild-caught and leaner than most other types of salmon. It also doesn't have the infamous "fishy" taste of salmon.
Fresh Corn
Corn is abundant during the summer and can be found year-round. However, the summer months are when corn is at its freshest and sweetest.
Citrus Zest & Juice
The zest of lemons, limes, and other citrus fruits has more flavor than the juice. The essential oils of the citrus are locked inside the zest " skin." You can remove the zest with ease using a microplane tool, zester, or the finely grated side of a box grater.
Sourdough
I like the fresh, airy, and chewy texture of sourdough bread slices. Plus, it's a great switch-up from the usual bread and bun choices at barbecues.
Coleslaw
I love a creamy, crunchy coleslaw with any grilled meal during the cookout.
How to Make Grilled Salmon Sandwich
The recipe is an easy and flavorful way to make grilled salmon. Here’s what you need:
Grilled Salmon
Preheat grill to 350-375°F degrees. In a small bowl, combine kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, dried thyme, and cayenne. Season both sides of the salmon evenly. Rub each salmon evenly with olive oil.
Grill the salmon directly over high heat, skin-side down, for 4-5 minutes. Do not touch it; it creates nice grill marks. Then, turn it over and grill for 2 minutes on the opposite side. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
Corn Salad
In a medium bowl, stir together the corn kernels, shallot, garlic, cherry tomatoes, celery, parsley, salt, black pepper, lime zest, and the juice of 2 limes.
Once the salmon is cooked, rub garlic cloves on both sides of the bread and brush with butter. Grill over medium heat for 1 minute per side until golden brown and toasted. Spread the remaining mayonnaise on both sides of the bread.
Assemble a sandwich with sourdough bread slices, slaw, salmon filet, and a generous serving of corn salad.
Storing Leftover Grilled Salmon
You can grill the salmon one day in advance. Store the cooked salmon in an airtight container for up to five days if you plan to prepare it ahead of time. I highly recommend that you undercook it. This will allow you to enjoy your salmon when you reheat it.
You can make coleslaw one day in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
The corn salad can be prepared one day in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days.
Reheat the grilled salmon by wrapping it in foil and placing it on the grill for 3-5 minutes. You can also reheat in a 350°F oven for 5-6 minutes.
Pro Recipe Substitutions, Tips & Tricks:
Here are some of my top tips and tricks to help you make this dish:
- Use fresh corn always. If fresh corn is not available, the best option is to buy 16 oz. of frozen corn. Cook it over medium heat in a large skillet with 3 tablespoons of oil, and cook for 5-8 minutes, until all moisture is removed. Cool. Then, add the remaining corn salad ingredients.
- Use the direct heat grilling technique. You want to cook the fish and toast it over direct heat.
- Feel free to add any of your favorite vegetables to the corn salad.
- If you choose to keep the salmon's skin, it will act as a non-stick aid to the grill. It would be best if you also grilled the fish at 400°F to get crispy skin.
- No grill, no problem. You can use a non-stick skillet, such as a cast-iron skillet or a grill pan, to cook the fish over medium-high heat on the stove.
- A corn salad can be made in a variety of ways. I prefer to make my corn salad without mayonnaise to keep it light and refreshing. Here's what you need to make a refreshing and healthy corn salad
- Feel free to use Atlantic salmon or any fish of choice instead of sockeye salmon.
- You can use your favorite lettuce instead of coleslaw. I recommend slicing it so it sits better on the sandwich.
- You can use red pepper flakes as a substitute for cayenne pepper. Feel free to use dried dill as a substitute for thyme or add the same amount of dill to the spice mixture.
- Any bread you love eating should work well as a substitute for sourdough when making a sandwich.
- Try adding pickled red onions on top of the grilled salmon, especially if you use a fattier variety, such as Atlantic or King salmon. Here's my recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about grilled salmon sandwiches:
How much salmon per person?
Serving salmon to a group of people doesn't have to be tricky. A proper portion of salmon per person is 4-6 oz. However, if you have some guests with large appetites, you can serve 8 oz. of salmon.
How do you tell when the salmon is done?
Grilled salmon can be tricky, but let me help simplify it for you, regardless of your preferred temperature for eating salmon. Your salmon is perfectly grilled when you use the tip of a fork and gently press it against the fish, and it falls apart quickly. If it flakes, it's done and ready for consumption.
How do you skin salmon?
If you can only find salmon with the skin on, there are two options. First, ask your fish guy to remove the skin for you. Second, use the tip of a sharp chef's knife to make an incision in the skin, and then begin to cut the skin away from you. Once you get about 2-3 inches of skin, hold it as you make a sawing motion until the salmon fillet is removed from the skin.
More Sandwich Ideas
If you love a finger-licking sandwich, then you’ll want to check these out.
- Grilled Cheeseburgers
- Bacon Egg and Cheese Biscuit
- BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich with Creamy Coleslaw
- Red Velvet Biscuit with BBQ Brisket Sandwich
- Steak Sandwich with Creamy Horseradish Sauce
- Blackened Chicken Po-Boys
- Roast Beef Po-Boys
- Greek Chicken Burgers
Before You Begin
Here are my steps for getting organized and moving fast in the kitchen.
Step 1: Get all the ingredients and tools for the grilled salmon sandwich on the counter.
Step 2: Measure out all the ingredients into individual bowls.
Step 3: To avoid surprises, ensure your waffle maker is working correctly before starting.
Step 4: Follow the recipe and prepare the best grilled salmon sandwich you've ever made.
So, what are you waiting for? Head to your kitchen and make this delicious grilled salmon sandwich recipe. If it's a hit in your house like mine, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and don't forget to leave a comment below!
So, what are you waiting for? Head to your kitchen and make this grilled salmon sandwich with a corn salad recipe. If it’s a hit in your house like mine, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and don’t forget to leave a comment below! I can’t wait to see how delicious your finished product looks (and tastes) in all of its glory!
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📖 Recipe
Grilled Salmon Sandwich
Ingredients
Grilled Salmon Sandwich
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 4 4-6 oz. fresh skinless sockeye salmon fillets
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1 garlic clove
- 8 sourdough slices
Coleslaw
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- zest of 1 medium lemon
- juice of 1 medium lemon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon raw cane sugar
- 12 oz. tri-color coleslaw
Corn Salad
- 4 ears corn shucked, kernels chopped
- 1 medium shallot chopped medium
- 1 garlic clove chopped fine
- 8 heirloom cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 stalk celery chopped medium
- ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- zest of 1 lime
- juice of 2 limes
Instructions
Grilled Salmon Sandwich
- Preheat grill to 350°F degrees. In a small bowl, combine salt, black pepper, garlic powder, dried thyme, and cayenne. Evenly season both sides of salmon. Rub each salmon evenly with oil. Grill salmon directly over heat skin-side down for 4-5 minutes, then 2 minutes on the opposite side. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
Coleslaw
- While salmon is cooking in a large bowl, combine ½ cup mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir in coleslaw until evenly coated.
Corn Salad
- In a medium bowl, combine corn kernels, shallot, garlic, cherry tomatoes, celery, parsley, salt, pepper, lime zest, and juice of 2 limes.
- Once salmon is finished cooking, rub garlic cloves on both sides of the bread and brush with butter, and grill over heat for 1 minute per side until toasted. Spread remaining mayonnaise on both sides of the bread. Assemble sandwich sourdough, slaw, salmon, a generous serving of corn salad, and sourdough.
Notes
- Use fresh corn always. If fresh corn is not available, the best option is to buy 16 oz. of frozen corn. Cook it over medium heat in a large skillet with 3 tablespoons of oil, and cook for 5-8 minutes, until all moisture is removed. Cool. Then, add the remaining corn salad ingredients.
- Use the direct heat grilling technique. You want to cook the fish and toast it over direct heat.
- Feel free to add any of your favorite vegetables to the corn salad.
- If you choose to keep the salmon's skin, it will act as a non-stick aid to the grill. It would be best if you also grilled the fish at 400°F to get crispy skin.
- No grill, no problem. You can use a non-stick skillet, such as a cast-iron skillet or a grill pan, to cook the fish over medium-high heat on the stove.
- A corn salad can be made in a variety of ways. I prefer to make my corn salad without mayonnaise to keep it light and refreshing. Here's what you need to make a refreshing and healthy corn salad
- Feel free to use Atlantic salmon or any fish of choice instead of sockeye salmon. Increase the cooking time by 1-2 minutes.
- You can use your favorite lettuce instead of coleslaw. I recommend slicing it so it sits better on the sandwich.
- You can use red pepper flakes as a substitute for cayenne pepper. Feel free to use dried dill as a substitute for thyme or add the same amount of dill to the spice mixture.
- Any bread you love eating should work well as a substitute for sourdough when making a sandwich.
- Try adding pickled red onions on top of the grilled salmon, especially if you use a fattier variety, such as Atlantic or King salmon. Here's my recipe.
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