Salmon Kabobs in the Oven or Grill

I love kabobs! There's something about having your meat (or fish!) on a stick that's just so fun!

I love finding new ways to make salmon, and my beef kabobs and chicken skewers are always a hit.

Salmon kabobs seemed like the perfect answer.

Every fall, I get monthly deliveries of a salmon CSA. And I try to eat fish at least once, preferably twice a week. A variety of ways to make that salmon helps this.

I live in a climate with serious winters, so I need a way to make salmon indoors as well as out. Enter salmon kabobs in the oven OR grill. Now I can enjoy these tasty kabobs whenever I want!

Ingredients Needed

How to Make Salmon Kabobs

Cut the salmon into cubes. I like about 1-inch cubes if possible. One major limitation to this will be the salmon filet I am starting with. Sometimes I have King Salmon, which is a thick fillet, easily one-inch thick. Other times, it might be a Coho or Sockeye fillet which is always thinner. Either way, make the cubes about 1 inch square and the thickness of the third "side" will mostly determine the cooking time.

Cut a lemon in very thin slices. These slices will be interspersed with the salmon pieces on the skewers.

The seasoning is a simple mix of chopped fresh oregano, sesame seeds, ground cumin and crushed red pepper flakes

Mix these in a small cup and set aside.

Pre-soak bamboo skewers (if using). 

One of the particular qualities of salmon is that it is full of healthy fats. And once cooked, it flakes apart very easily. Both these characteristics make salmon pieces hard to cook on a kabob. As soon as they start to cook, they become "slippery" on that stick. So when you try to turn the kabob to cook the other side, the salmon pieces won't necessarily follow. 

The best solution I have found for this is to use 2 skewers for each kabob. Simply thread a salmon cube onto 2 parallel skewers, followed by a lemon slice, then repeat. About 3-4 salmon pieces per kabob works out well. 

Then, season the kabobs with the spices. Brush the salmon with a little olive oil then season with salt and half the spice mix. Turn the kabobs over and repeat. 

Cooking Salmon Kabobs in the Oven

Turn on the oven to broil. Place the kabobs on a flat baking sheet. Do not overlap the kabobs. 

Place baking sheet in the oven, about 5-6 inches from the broiler flame.

Broil 3-5 minutes, then remove the baking sheet, turn the kabobs and return the sheet to the oven. Broil the opposite side of the kabobs another 3-5 minutes, or until done. The salmon pieces will be completely opaque when cooked through.

Total time needed will depend upon the size/thickness of your salmon. Thick cubes will usually require 8-10 minutes total time, whereas thinner pieces will be done in 5-8 minutes. 

Cooking Salmon Kabobs on an Outdoor Grill

Preheat grill on medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Lightly grease the grill grates. Place kabobs on the grates, over direct heat. Grill 3-5 minutes, then turn completely to grill the opposite side for about 3-5 minutes.

Total time needed will depend upon the size/thickness of your salmon. Thick cubes will usually require 8-10 minutes total time, whereas thinner pieces will be done in 5-8 minutes. 

Love Salmon? Here are a few more ideas for you:

Salmon makes some delicious appetizers, like in salmon dip or smoked salmon pinwheels.

Speaking of smoked, there's nothing quite like perfectly smoked salmon. I found a collection of pellet grill salmon recipes to spark your cooking creativity!

There are plenty of ways to use salmon as a main course. You can use it to make salmon tacos. Lemon lovers will want to try salmon with whole lemon dressing. For a sweeter option, try salmon baked with pineapple.

And I make salmon orzo salad or low carb salmon patties with all my leftovers!

And don't forget the sides! Here's a post with lots of ideas for what to serve with salmon - there's something for everyone!