You might expect to find this exact dish on a restaurant menu, and as a former chef, I can tell you that you probably would. Keto salmon with lemon herb butter sauce is on the table in under 30 minutes, with simple techniques any home cook can manage.

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This is a genuine sauce, an emulsion built by whisking cold butter into a reduced liquid off the heat. It sounds fancier than it is.

Chef Jenn’s Take on Salmon with Lemon Herb Butter Sauce

Never turn the heat back on once you start building the sauce. This is a genuine emulsion, butter whisked into a reduced liquid off the heat, and too much heat breaks it apart into a greasy mess.

Sear the salmon first and set it aside, then use the same pan for the sauce. Mince the garlic and cook it briefly, deglaze with chicken stock and lemon juice, and let that reduce by about half. Add the cream, then turn the heat off completely before whisking in cold butter one chunk at a time, letting each piece melt before adding the next. Buy de-boned salmon if you can, or you will be pulling pin bones out with tweezers. Skin-on is fine, it helps the salmon stay moist, just make sure it has been descaled.

Watch for white solids forming on the outside, a sign it is cooking too hot. The official recommended internal temperature for fish is 145 degrees, though I personally prefer mine closer to 130, right at medium.

Parsley is what I use most, but chives, basil, thyme, and oregano all work too. Skip rosemary, it is too strong a flavor for this dish.

What You’ll Love About Salmon with Lemon Herb Butter Sauce

• On the table in under 30 minutes, dressed up enough for company.
• Restaurant-quality flavor from simple techniques any home cook can manage.
• A genuine no-fail emulsion sauce, easier than it sounds.

Ingredients

• Salmon filets – Fresh, de-boned if possible. Skin-on is fine, just make sure it’s descaled.
• Salted butter – Cold, cut into chunks.
• Herbs – Parsley is the classic here. Chives, basil, thyme, or oregano all work too, but skip rosemary, it’s too strong.
• Chicken stock – Low sodium.
• Heavy whipping cream – Full fat.
• Garlic – Minced.
• Lemon juice – Fresh squeezed.
• Cooking oil – For searing the salmon.

How to Make Salmon with Lemon Herb Butter Sauce

Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the salmon for 3 to 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness.

Remove the salmon from the skillet and tent with foil to keep warm. Add the garlic to the remaining oil in the skillet and cook over medium heat for 1 minute.

Add the chicken stock and lemon juice, and simmer, letting the liquid reduce by about half. Add the cream and turn off the heat.

Keep the skillet on the warm burner, and whisk in the butter one chunk at a time, letting each piece melt before adding the next.

Add the herbs and spoon the finished sauce over the warm salmon.

Make It A Meal

Pair this with Roasted Vegetables, or a salad topped with Ranch Dressing.

If you love salmon, Salmon with Lemon-Dill Cream Sauce and Sheet Pan Salmon & Asparagus are both worth adding to the rotation.

Storage

This is not a good candidate for freezing. The sauce will separate, and salmon tends to dry out in the freezer unless it is fully submerged in liquid, like in a soup or casserole.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yield: 4 servings

Keto Salmon with Lemon Herb Butter Sauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Salmon and lemon are a delish combination and you can make this restaurant-quality dish at home with my no-fail lemon butter sauce!

Print

5.0 Stars (3 Reviews)

Ingredients

• 1 lb salmon filets (1 per person)
• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• 3 tbsp chicken broth
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp cooking oil

Instructions

1. Season the salmon filets with salt and pepper and heat the oil in a non-stick pan. Cook the salmon filets, skin side up, for 3-4 minutes then turn them over and cook an additional 2-3 minutes depending on the thickness.
2. Remove the salmon from the skillet and tent with foil to keep warm.
3. Mince the garlic and add it to the remaining oil in the skillet. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute.
4. Add 3 tbsp chicken stock and 3 tbsp lemon juice to the garlic and simmer, letting the liquid reduce by half.
5. Add 3 tbsp of heavy whipping cream and turn off the heat.
6. Keep the skillet on the warm burner and add the butter one chunk at a time, whisking to combine. Keep adding the butter, whisking as you go, until it is all incorporated.
7. Add the herbs and spoon the sauce over the warm salmon. Enjoy!

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  Cuisinart 622-30G Chef's Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 12-Inch Skillet with Glass Cover, Black

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1 filet and 4 tbsp sauce
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 511Total Fat: 45gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 302mgCarbohydrates: 1gNet Carbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 26g

All recipes reflect approximate nutrition values for your convenience. Data is gathered via Nutrifox, when available, or other similar online calculators. Nutrition values can vary for each recipe based on variables such as measurement accuracy, different brands of ingredients, and so on. We make every effort to be as accurate as possible, but readers should make their own calculations if exact calculations are required. Recipe authors are not nutritionists or dieticians and recipes are not to be considered as medical or nutritional advice. Please consult your primary doctor before making any changes to your diet.

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