Lime Butter Salmon in Foil with Summer Veggies

Make Lime Butter Salmon in Foil with Summer Veggies: bright, buttery foil packets of salmon and summer veg ready in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 4 (4-ounce) salmon fillets
• 2 small zucchini chopped
• 1 pound asparagus chopped
• 2 small yellow squash chopped
• 1 small red onion thickly diced
• 1 sliced red pepper
• 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• zest of one lime
• salt and pepper
• 1 lime
• fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the grill and prepare the workspace

Heat the grill to medium heat so it's ready when the packets are sealed. While the grill comes up to temperature, lay out four large sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil on the painted pine work surface. Keep a small clear glass bowl nearby for the butter mixture and two tiny ramekins for salt and cracked black pepper — liquids and sauces belong in vessels, not on the table. This stage is about readiness: sheets cut, bowls set, and the surface clean and organized for quick assembly.

Step 2: Arrange salmon and divide the summer vegetables

Place each 4-ounce salmon fillet in the center of each foil sheet, spacing them evenly. Divide the chopped zucchini rounds, chopped asparagus, yellow squash slices, thickly diced red onion, and red pepper slices equally among the four packets, arranging the vegetables around and slightly under the fish so they will steam and roast together. Keep the bright lime whole nearby to cut into wedges next; the visual goal here is a tidy, colorful mise en place with wet ingredients contained in vessels.

Step 3: Mix the lime-butter and dress the packets

In the small clear glass bowl whisk together the 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and the zest of one lime, seasoning with salt and pepper until glossy and emulsified. Spoon or drizzle this lime-butter evenly over each salmon fillet and the surrounding vegetables so the fish and veg glisten with a thin buttery coating and flecks of zest. Add one lime wedge into each packet for steam and fragrance before sealing.

Step 4: Seal the foil packets and ready them for the heat

Bring the foil sides up around each salmon and vegetable mound and fold the edges together, leaving a bit of interior room for steam to circulate and the butter to bubble. The packets should look neatly cradled — not overstuffed — with crinkled aluminum ridges visible where the foil is pinched. Set the sealed packets back on the painted pine surface briefly while the grill reaches steady heat.

Step 5: Grill and rest the packets

Place the four sealed packets on the grill and cook 13–15 minutes, flipping once at around 7 minutes so heat distributes evenly. After removing the packets, let them rest closed on the surface for a minute to allow juices to settle; this keeps the salmon moist and the butter from running off when you open them.

Step 6: Open and garnish to serve

Carefully open each foil packet to reveal the cooked salmon and tender-roasted summer vegetables, the fish flushed a warm coral and the veg showing slight caramelized edges and charred tips. Sprinkle fresh parsley over the top, add a crack of black pepper, and serve straight from the opened foil on the painted pine surface — bright lime wedges and the same small clear glass bowl with any remaining lime-butter nearby for spooning.

Notes

• Use heavy-duty foil to prevent leaks and keep steam inside.
• Taste the lime-butter and adjust salt before drizzling over the salmon.
• If using a broiler or oven, watch the packets so vegetables do not overcook.
• Leftovers reheat gently in a 300 F oven to avoid drying out.
• Swap butter for olive oil for a dairy-free option.