Easy Keto Salmon Recipe with Creamy Garlic Butter Sauce (One-Pan)

This crispy keto salmon recipe with a creamy butter garlic sauce is made with a few simple ingredients and it’s all made in one pan on the stove.

This healthy and delicious keto garlic butter salmon recipe is the easiest way to cook salmon that’s juicy and flaky.

A keto salmon dinner is packed with healthy fats and is the perfect way to cook a salmon fillet.

So many people loved this popular crustless smoked salmon and cream cheese quiche on this site, it was time for another simple and delicious flaky salmon recipe.

Is salmon keto?

Salmon fillets are wonderful high-protein fish that is full of healthy fats and zero carbs. It is perfect for the keto diet, low-carb diet, high-protein low-carb diet, and a pescatarian diet (a person who does not eat meat but eats fish).

Salmon is a healthy fatty fish that is also high in vitamins B12, B2, B3, vitamin D, selenium, and potassium. It deserves a 5 stars health rating.

Salmon Nutrition per 100g:

Atlantic wild salmon: 25.4g protein, 8.1g fat (including 2.7g Omega 3 fatty acids), zero net carbs, 182 calories.

Which salmon is healthiest?

There is much debate over which salmon is the best to eat. Atlantic salmon? Wild-caught salmon? Farmed? Frozen salmon?

The main difference is the way the salmon was raised, caught, and eventually cooked.

Wild salmon are stronger so their fillets are firm. Farmed salmon is often fed food that is not natural to them, they may have been fed antibiotics, and the fillets may need to be dyed to look like wild pink salmon fillets.

How you cook salmon will have a huge impact too. For example, fresh salmon grilled and all the salmon oil eaten will have a different nutrient profile than that same salmon deep fried in unhealthy cooking oils such as canola oil or soy oil, then drained.

Is there more Omega 3 fatty acids in farmed or wild salmon?

Studies have shown there are often more long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) in farmed salmon because they are not as active as wild-caught salmon so have more total fat. But this has to be traded off with potentially higher carcinogens. (1)(2)(3)

per 100g/3.5oz	Wild salmon	Farmed salmon
Protein	19.5g	20.4g
Total fat	4.42g	13.3g
Iron	0.96mg	0.35mg
Calories	115	212

Ingredients you need

This easy keto salmon recipe with a tasty creamy keto garlic butter sauce is one of the easiest ways to cook salmon and a family favorite meal.

The dried dill and freshly chopped parsley give the creamy sauce a fresh herby flavor while the lemon gives the salmon a pop of lemon zest. Heavy cream and shredded parmesan give the sauce a rich flavor while thickening the sauce too.

See recipe card below for quantities of each ingredient and full instructions.

• salmon fillets – fresh or defrosted frozen fillets
• heavy cream – double cream, whipping cream
• melted butter – salted or unsalted then season to your taste
• chicken broth – homemade chicken broth or store-bought
• parmesan cheese – shredded parmesan helps to thicken the garlic butter sauce
• garlic – fresh minced or crushed garlic is best
• olive oil – extra virgin olive oil or mild-tasting olive oil
• dried dill – or fresh dill
• parsley – fresh parsley is best but dried parsley can be swapped
• lemon slices – use to garnish and squeeze lemon juice over as much as you like

Instructions

To make this keto salmon recipe with creamy garlic butter sauce you will need to first heat a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Expert cooking tip: Try to not move the salmon around while it is searing until you are ready to flip the fillets. This will ensure your salmon has crispy skin on each side.

Substitutions

Are you missing an ingredient or want to reduce the calories? Below you can find recommendations for common keto salmon recipe substitutions.

Please only make 1 substitution so the recipe is as close as you can to the original low-carb salmon recipe card.

• Chicken broth – use vegetable broth, bouillon cube, or homemade bone broth.
• Butter – the butter can be omitted or replaced with coconut oil.
• Minced garlic – omit the minced garlic or replace it with 1 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
• Heavy cream – a heavy cream substitute can be made at home by combining 3/4 cup milk with 1/4 cup melted butter. Alternatively, you can use sour cream.

If you are using milk and butter in place of heavy cream you may need to allow your sauce to reduce a bit longer to thicken. Alternatively, you can use a bit of xanthan gum to thicken the sauce if necessary.

Variations

Keto salmon with creamy garlic butter sauce is the perfect base recipe for a delicious and easy meal. You can make this meal even more impressive with the recommended variations below as the salmon cooks.

• Herbed salmon – add additional fresh herbs like dill, basil, thyme, or rosemary.
• Add vegetables – toss a couple of handfuls of spinach or saute some halved Brussels sprouts in the sauce to make a delicious one-pot meal.
• Coconut salmon – use coconut cream instead of heavy cream for a sweet and savory coconut flavor. Garnish with desiccated coconut to serve.
• Garlic butter chicken – If you aren’t a fish eater, you can replace the salmon with chicken. The chicken just needs to cook longer to reach an internal temperature of 74C/165F.
• Salmon asparagus recipe – add chopped asparagus (or chopped broccoli) to the creamy sauce as you cook the salmon. It’s an absolutely delicious one-pan dinner.
• Red pepper flakes – adding a few pepper flakes with some Dijon mustard to your cream sauce makes a fantastic recipe with a spicy taste.

Top tip: If you love garlic butter salmon, you’ll also love one-pan pork chops in garlic sauce.

Equipment

You will need a large skillet to sear your salmon and make the sauce. A hot pan really contributes to a crispy crust on your salmon.

I used a large cast iron skillet to make my salmon, but any large skillet or large frying pan will do. The key is to make sure the pan and oil are hot before adding the salmon to the skillet.

How to store leftover salmon

Cooked salmon can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Leftover salmon can also be used in salmon quiches, served as salmon scrambled eggs for breakfast, or with a large keto salad for lunch.

How to reheat leftover salmon

Salmon is best reheated in the oven and not in the microwave. Reheat the cooked salmon to 150C/300F for 10 minutes in the oven. Be sure to place the salmon on a baking tray or oven-safe container before reheating.

Cover with aluminum foil or a baking lid to prevent the salmon flakes from drying out.

Expert tips

You can tell if your salmon is cooked through by watching the pink line on the side of the fillet. As it cooks the color of the pink will lighten. When the pink line gets halfway up the salmon fillet it is time to flip the salmon filets.

Recipe FAQ