Name: Grilled Salmon en Papillote
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 pound salmon fillets (2 x 8 oz.); salt & pepper; 1 tomato; 1/2 onion; 1 tablespoon capers; 1/4 cup white wine; 1/4 cup lemon juice; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; parsley (for garnish)

JUMP TO RECIPE PRINT RECIPE

Each fillet goes onto a double layer of foil, two sheets per fish, so there is no risk of tearing or scorching, skin down, with salt and pepper, sliced tomato and onion, and a liquid of white wine, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and capers poured over the top before the parcel is sealed. Ten minutes on a medium-high grill and the fish is done: flaking easily, the vegetables softened, the liquid reduced slightly into a loose sauce inside the packet.

Serve the salmon in the packets themselves, opened at the table, a presentation that is both practical and rather good-looking, with the steam releasing as the foil opens and the smell of wine and capers filling the space. This recipe moves easily from grill to oven with no changes needed, which makes it as reliable in April as it is in August.

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Key Ingredients in This Recipe

You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.

Salmon fillets
Tomato
Onion
Capers
White wine
Lemon juice
Dijon mustard
Parsley

How to Make Grilled Salmon en Papillote

Step 1 – Cut 4 pieces of aluminum foil, large enough that you can close it around the fish and vegetables and seal. Double the sheets of foil per fish fillet, so you have less of a chance that it tears or is that you burn the fish. Alternatively, you can use heavy duty foil if you have that handy.

Step 2 – Place each salmon fillet, skin down on the foil and sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper.

Step 3 – Cut tomatoes in 8 pieces, slice onion thinly and divide over fish.

Step 4 – Mix white wine, lemon juice, mustard, and capers and pour on fish and fold the aluminum foil around the fish and seal the packets close.

Step 5 – Place each foil packet directly on the grill of medium-high heat and cook/grill for approx. 10 minutes. Check the fish every now and then, and make sure you close the packets again. The fish is done when it falls apart easily.

Step 6 – Open packets, garnish with parsley and serve the packets immediately.

Close up picture of 1 salmon fillet in foil

Alternatives and Substitutions

If you don’t want to use aluminum foil, you can prepare the fish in packets of parchment paper, or you can wrap the fish in parchment and wrap the parchment in foil to make it stronger. But you should not place the paper packets directly on the grill; they will easily catch on fire, so if you want to only use parchment paper, place the packets on a griddle in a grill-safe dish.
This method of cooking can be used on many types of fishes; cod, catfish, halibut, grouper, talapia, or snapper. Even the thinner fish fillets, like sole and flounder could be cooked ‘en papillote’. The downside of using thin fish fillets is that the fish may be done before the vegetables are, so keep that in mind when you choose your combinations.
Vary your choice of vegetables; zucchini, squash, cucumber, fennel, asparagus, bell pepper or add potatoes, garlic, mushrooms, olives, hot peppers. Key to your choice is that all need to have a similar cooking time, if not you may need to sauté some individually before they go into the packet.
Vary the aromatics; lemon slices, orange slices, fresh herbs like dill, cilantro, tarragon

Ways to Serve Grilled Salmon en Papillote

Salmon en Papillote has a lot of juices inside the packet, so pick a side that easily absorbs those juices, like mashed potatoes, rice, or a rustic slice of bread.

Other Grilled Salmon Recipes to Try

Harissa Grilled Salmon with Squash Quinoa

Cedar Planked Salmon with Maple Mustard Glaze

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