Do you struggle to come up with delicious keto/low-carb dishes that are tasty, different, and easy? If you do, then you’re in luck, because this Salmon with Lemon-Herb Butter Sauce is a dinner winner and I’ll show you all my cheffy tricks to make this a stunning meal no one will forget!
On the table in under 30, you might expect to find this kind of dish on a restaurant menu. As a professional chef, I know that restaurants are serving this dish. But, I’ve made it easy for you, with a no-fail lemon-herb sauce and simple cooking techniques that any home chef can master.
Ready to impress everyone at the table? Let’s get started making this Salmon with Lemon-Herb Butter Sauce!
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What You Need To Make Salmon with Lemon-Herb Butter Sauce
- Large skillet – I LOVE this non-stick skillet with a lid. Makes cooking so much easier!
- Whisk – if you’re using a non-stick skillet, you’ll need a silicone whisk. This is my pick.
- Sharp knife – Henckels are my knives of choice. Great value and quality!
- Cutting board – use a dishwasher safe cutting board for easy cleanup
Ingredients to Make This Easy Keto Salmon Recipe
- Salmon – start with fresh, wild-caught salmon if you can get it. De-boned will make your life easy!
- Butter – use a good quality salted butter
- Herbs – I kept it simple with parsley. See Chef Jenn’s Tips below for other herb suggestions
- Chicken stock
- Heavy whipping cream
- Garlic
- Lemon juice – fresh is best!
- Cooking oil
- Pink Himalayan salt and pepper
How To Make Keto Salmon with Lemon-Herb Butter Sauce
- Add the oil to the skillet and preheat it over medium high heat. Season and cook the salmon 2-3 minutes per side or until just cooked through. Set side.
- Mince the garlic and add it to the skillet. Cook through for 1 minute or until aromatic.
- Turn off the heat and add the chicken stock to the pan. Reduce the chicken stock by about half, then add the heavy whipping cream.
- Keeping the heat off, add the butter one chunk at a time, swirling it in with the whisk. When the chunk has melted, add the next.
- This should create a lovely and velvety sauce. Add the herbs and spoon over the salmon.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Change up the herbs! Fresh herbs are best – try chives, basil, thyme, oregano. Rosemary is too strong for this dish.
- Buy de-boned salmon, otherwise you’ll need a pair of tweezers to pull out all the pin bones.
- Skin-on salmon is fine – it helps the salmon stay moist, but get your salmon de-scaled.
- Don’t overcook your salmon! If you see white solids forming on the outside of your salmon, you’re cooking it too at too high a temperature. Salmon is best when it is just barely medium, about 130-F but the recommended internal cooking temperature for all fish is 145-F. I like mine at 130-F.
- When making the sauce, don’t turn the heat back on! This is an emulsion sauce, meaning the butter is whisked into the other liquids to create a cohesive sauce. Too much heat will cause the sauce to break and the butter to separate.
- Love seafood? Try this keto sushi from my friend Zuzana!
- Finish your meal with this scrumptious keto peanut butter pie!
What To Serve With This Keto Salmon with Lemon-Herb Butter Sauce Recipe
You can pair this tasty keto seafood recipe with any number of side dishes, but some of my favorites include simple roasted vegetables or a great salad topped with a creamy dressing.
Is This Keto Seafood Dish Freezer Friendly?
Not really, no. The sauce will break (separate into a buttery mess), and salmon tends to dry out in the freezer unless it is smothered in liquid like in a soup or in a casserole.
Yes, totally! Salmon is a great source of protein and healthy fats, making it a GREAT choice on a keto diet.
Salmon, especially if it comes to room temperature before cooking, cooks in minutes. Keep the heat at medium-high and start skin side up and cook it in a pan for 3-4 minutes depending on the thickness. Turn it over and cook an additional 2-3 minutes for a medium salmon.
Salmon and lemon are best friends – the flavors really compliment each other!
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Step By Step Process
Ingredients to make Salmon with Lemon Herb Sauce Prepped ingredients. Sautee the seasoned salmon filets first. Cook the garlic in the reducing chicken broth. Add the cream and take off the heat. 
Whisk in the butter one chunk at a time. 
Add herbs. 
Mix well and spoon over salmon.
Keto Salmon with Lemon Herb Butter Sauce
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
- 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.
- Remove the salmon from the skillet and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Mince the garlic and add it to the remaining oil in the skillet. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add 3 tbsp chicken stock and 3 tbsp lemon juice to the garlic and simmer, letting the liquid reduce by half.
- Add 3 tbsp of heavy whipping cream and turn off the heat.
- 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.
- Add the herbs and spoon the sauce over the warm salmon. Enjoy!
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Want even more seafood? Check out these keto soups and chowders for some great shrimp and salmon recipes. If casseroles are more your thing, this chicken taco casserole is a dinner winner, and for more meaty goodness, this sausage dish is hearty and delicious!
The sauce looks lush and I like your idea of changing the herbs.
I loved this Salamon recipe so much that 3 days later, I was making it again. Perfectly done and had a wonderful lemon flavor. I had zero complaints from the hubby, who is extremely picky about fish. I will be saving this recipe!
It’s a frequent dish in my house, too! So glad you loved it 🙂
We love salmon! This will be on dinner repeat!
I love to have a dinner of salmon once a week, but was in a recipe rut, this salmon recipe though really livened up dinnertime!
You’re so right – salmon and lemon really are best buddies, aren’t they? And this gorgeous sauce is such a rich, flavorful topping for super-simple, easy salmon. A decadent dinner that feels special … in minutes!
I’m not doing keto, just lower carbs, but this looks amazing (even if you can have as many carbs as you want). Fish and lemon sauce is always a winner!
Thanks for commenting, and I agree! Seafood and lemon is a match made in heaven!
This was SO GOOD! So simple and SO GOOD! Will be making it again soon! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it! The sauce puts it over the top!