The Ultimate Grilled Salmon and Polenta with a Charred Tomato Vinaigrette

Are you looking for a truly special meal that you can cook entirely outside on the grill? A dish that is elegant enough for a dinner party, yet simple enough for a weeknight? This incredible Grilled Salmon with Crispy Polenta and a Charred Tomato Vinaigrette is the perfect summer recipe.

This is your ultimate guide to creating a complete, restaurant-quality meal that perfectly balances rich, smoky, and fresh flavors. We’ll show you the secrets to grilling salmon with perfectly crisp skin, how to make amazing crispy polenta cakes on the grill, and how to create a smoky, vibrant tomato sauce in a simple foil packet.

What makes this recipe so special is its incredible efficiency and the way every component is kissed by the flame of the grill, building layers of complex, smoky flavor. This isn’t just a piece of fish; it’s a beautifully composed plate that celebrates the very best of summer cooking. Get ready to master your new favorite Grilled Salmon dinner.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

The Magic of an All-in-One Grill Meal

The genius of this Grilled Salmon recipe is that the entire meal—the protein, the starch, and the sauce—is cooked simultaneously on the grill. This is achieved through a few clever techniques.

• The Foil Packet Sauce: We create a rustic, smoky vinaigrette by cooking grape tomatoes, garlic, and white wine in a sealed foil packet directly on the grates. The high heat of the grill chars the tomatoes and causes them to burst, creating an instant, deeply flavorful sauce with zero mess.
• Grilled Polenta “Cakes”: Forget boiling polenta on the stove. This recipe uses a brilliant shortcut: pre-cooked polenta from a tube. We slice it into rounds, brush it with oil, and grill it until it’s wonderfully crispy and charred on the outside, while staying soft and creamy on the inside. It’s a game-changing side dish.
• Perfectly Grilled Salmon: Grilling the salmon skin-side down results in a wonderfully crispy skin that protects the delicate flesh, ensuring the fish is perfectly moist and tender.

The Key Ingredients for Your Grilled Salmon Dinner

This recipe for Grilled Salmon uses a handful of high-quality, fresh ingredients to create a taste of the Mediterranean.

• Skin-On Salmon Fillets: The star of the show. Using skin-on, center-cut fillets is key for successful grilling. The skin provides a protective barrier and gets deliciously crispy.
• Pre-Cooked Polenta Tube: This is a fantastic shortcut found in most grocery stores. It allows you to create beautiful, firm polenta cakes that are perfect for grilling.
• Grape Tomatoes: These sweet little tomatoes are perfect for the foil packet sauce. They burst easily and their high skin-to-pulp ratio creates a sauce that is flavorful but not watery.
• Dry White Wine: A crisp white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio adds a crucial layer of bright acidity to the tomato sauce. For a non-alcoholic version, you can substitute chicken broth.
• Fresh Herbs: A simple combination of fresh thyme (cooked in the packet) and fresh chives (as a garnish) adds a final layer of aromatic, herbaceous flavor.

Step-by-Step Guide to Your Grilled Salmon and Polenta

This entire meal comes together on the grill. Have all your components prepped and ready to go before you head outside.

Part 1: Preparation

1. Prepare the Grill: Preheat your outdoor grill to a steady medium-high heat.
2. Make the Tomato Foil Packet: On a large piece of heavy-duty foil, toss the grape tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the finely grated garlic, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, a few grinds of pepper, and the thyme sprigs. Bring up the edges of the foil slightly to create a bowl shape, then pour in the white wine. Fold the edges of the foil together to create a tightly sealed packet.
3. Prep the Polenta and Salmon: Brush both sides of the polenta rounds with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Season the salmon fillets on all sides with the chopped fresh thyme, salt, and pepper.

Part 2: Grilling and Serving

1. Grill the Components: Make sure your grill grates are clean and well-oiled. Place the sealed foil packet on the grill. At the same time, place the prepared polenta rounds and the salmon fillets, skin-side down, directly on the grill grates.
2. Cook to Perfection: Cover the grill and cook everything, flipping the salmon and polenta once halfway through.
   • The foil packet will take about 10 to 12 minutes total.
   • The Grilled Salmon and polenta will take about 6 to 8 minutes total (3-4 minutes per side). The salmon is done when it is just cooked through and flakes easily.
3. Assemble and Serve: Divide the crispy grilled polenta rounds and the perfectly Grilled Salmon fillets among your plates.
4. Finish the Dish: Carefully open the hot foil packet (watch for steam!) and spoon the warm, smoky, burst tomato mixture generously over the salmon and polenta. Garnish with the chopped fresh chives and serve immediately.

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Conclusion: An Elegant Summer Feast, Made Simple

This Grilled Salmon and Polenta with Charred Tomato Vinaigrette is a perfect example of how a few smart grilling techniques can create a truly spectacular, all-in-one meal. It’s healthy, sophisticated, packed with fresh summer flavor, and surprisingly easy to make. This is a recipe that is sure to become a new favorite for your elegant al fresco dining experiences.

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