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Master the art of cedar plank salmon with our easy guide! Here’s how to grill salmon on cedar planks for an irresistibly smoky flavor in just 20 minutes—perfect for weeknight dinners or parties.
A deliciously fast way to cook salmon? Cedar plank salmon. This simple technique infuses your salmon with an incredible smoky flavor that’s impossible to achieve any other way. If you’re into grilling, cedar planks are where it’s at.
After our parents introduced us to this method, it’s become our go-to for both casual weeknight dinners and entertaining guests. The best part? It’s nearly foolproof and requires minimal prep time. We found the cedar plank method is easy and (almost) no fail. It’s an easy dinner recipe for parties or busy weeknights!
Tips for success with cedar planks
The magic of cedar plank salmon comes from two key elements: first, the wood slowly smolders as it heats, infusing the fish with smoky notes. The plank also shields the salmon from direct heat, ensuring even cooking and preventing the fish from sticking to the grill. The result is perfectly cooked, moist salmon with wood-fired flavor! Here are a few tips for working with cedar planks:
Choosing your plank
- Look for untreated cedar planks specifically made for grilling.
- They’re available at most grocery stores, hardware stores, or online.
- Consider buying multiple planks for entertaining or regular use.
Plank preparation
- Soak your plank for 1 to 2 hours before grilling.
- Place a heavy object on the plank to keep it submerged.
Getting the most from your planks
- Clean after each use with a grill scraper.
- Store in a clean, dry place.
- Reuse the plank until it becomes overly charred or too hard to clean.
- Always place food on the non-charred side when reusing.
Grilling cedar plank salmon
What’s great about the cedar plank salmon method is that it is so easy. You don’t even have to measure anything! Our method calls for using salmon fillets of any size. We’d plan on using about 4 ounces per person. The salmon is seasoned liberally with our seasoned salt blend, or you can use salmon seasoning or purchased seasoning salt.
- Soak the plank: Soak the plank in water for about 1 hour.
- Season: Place the salmon on the plank and season liberally with seasoned salt.
- Grill: Grill over medium indirect heat for 10 to 20 minutes until the salmon is pink inside but not overly flaky.
A great sauce to pair: lemon dill sauce!
The zingy dill sauce from our lemon dill salmon would be perfect for pairing with this cedar plank salmon! While the salmon grills, mix up the dill sauce with yogurt, mayo, fresh dill, and lemon. It takes just 5 minutes and takes this salmon to the next level. Or, browse our favorite sauces for salmon like chimichurri, lemon caper sauce, and more.
How to buy sustainable salmon
Are you looking at buying sustainable salmon? (If so, kudos!) Here are a few pointers for buying sustainable seafood:
- Look for wild-caught fish if possible. And if you live in the US, look for US caught if you can. 90% of the seafood we eat in the US is imported. Imported seafood runs the risk of being overfished, caught under unfair labor practices, or farmed in environmentally harmful ways.
- How your fish is caught matters. Look for hook and line as one example of a sustainable gear type. Bottom trawling is considered the most destructive and least sustainable method.
What to serve with cedar plank salmon
Some of our favorite sides for salmon are simple lemon rice and our favorite chopped salad. But there are lots of other great ways to serve this tasty main dish! Here are a few more sides we’d recommend:
- Broccoli like boiled broccoli, sauteed broccoli, or grilled broccoli
- Potatoes like dill potato salad, potato salad, or grilled potatoes
- Salads like kale salad, strawberry salad, cucumber salad with vinegar or tomato salad
- Breads like skillet cornbread or artisan bread
- Whole grains like quinoa, farro, millet, or brown rice
Dietary notes
This recipe is pescatarian and gluten-free.
Easy Cedar Plank Salmon
Master the art of cedar plank salmon with our easy guide! Here’s how to grill salmon on cedar planks for an irresistibly smoky flavor in just 20 minutes—perfect for weeknight dinners or parties.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- Salmon fillets (any size, preferably skin on; 4 ounces per person)
- Homemade Seasoned Salt (or purchased seasoned salt)
- 1 lemon
- Optional: chopped fresh herbs for garnish
Instructions
- Soak the cedar plank in water based on the instructions that came with the plank, or at least 1 hour.
- Preheat a grill to medium heat (you can use either gas or charcoal; a charcoal grill will infuse more flavor if you have it!).
- Lay the salmon on top of the cedar plank (if you’re re-using a plank, always lay the food on the un-burned side). Season liberally with seasoning salt (or with kosher salt and salmon seasoning).
- Place the plank on the grill and grill using indirect heat (not on top of coals) until salmon is pink in the center but before it gets flaky, about 10 to 20 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon and the heat of the grill.
- Remove from the grill and squeeze with lemon juice. Note that you can clean off the cedar plank with a spatula and wash it: then you can use it again and again (until it’s overly charred or impossible to clean).
