Keto Salmon Recipe: Pan Seared Salmon in a Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce.
This salmon recipe is everything you want from a recipe. It is easy to make. It uses common ingredients. It is good for you. Low-carb. Oh and did I mention it is seriously delicious? Like melt in your mouth, lick the pan clean tasty stuff.
I have always loved a good Pan Seared Salmon fillet. I mean, what is not to love about this protein rich, flaky, tasty fish? But some of my all time favorite recipes for salmon involve brown sugar of some kind. Like this Brown Sugar Spice Rubbed Salmon which is bathed in a creamy tomato basil vinaigrette that is to die for.
But yeah, I am trying to have a few less carbs and a lot less sugar in my life, which is why I have been seriously stoked about sharing this recipe with all of you. It checks all the boxes for me. From easy to delicious, and is great for those doing keto, low-carb, or healthy eating.
When it comes to salmon recipes, I love a good baked salmon that is easy to make. But this pan seared recipe is not any more difficult than baking, and is going to give you a flavorful outcome.
What is the best seasoning for salmon?
Salmon is so versatile I hate to say what goes “best” with it because everything does. But I am going to take a little leap and just say it: Lemon dill sauce! Lemon and dill are amazing at brining out the rich, creamy, flavors and textures of salmon and highlighting them in a mouthwatering way. So here you go, let’s look at how to make pan seared salmon with a lemon dill sauce.
Steps to Cook Salmon:
Step One: Season your salmon and get it in a pan to pan sear it.
How do you get a crispy salmon? You pan sear it. The trick is to wipe the salmon dry with a paper towel, add your seasonings, and put it in a hot pan with oil then leave it alone until that sear forms.
Step Two: Flip it and sear the other side.
Step twi is to sear that salmon on the other side, this probably could have been included in step one, but the idea is to give it a nice golden crispy exterior so you can get some extra texture, and that delicious flavor.
I honestly just set a timer when I do this and walk away and leave the salmon alone because I don’t want to be tempted to mess with it. If you want that golden sear, that crispy salmon, you have to let it sit on that heat and not disturb it.
Step Three: Remove Salmon
Remove salmon from the skillet pan and start making your sauce. I love this because it means only one dirty pan. You use the same skillet, and you also get to retain some of the flavor that the cooking of the salmon imparts.
Add butter and garlic, because I mean…butter. Delicious. Garlic. Also delicious.
This sauce is a Lemon Dill Sauce that is so simple to make, great for low carb diets because it has a good distribution of fat, and not tons of carbs. And it pairs beautifully with the salmon.
After you cook the garlic for a bit, you are going to add in all the rest of the sauce ingredients. Don’t do it too early or your cream will split and your sauce won’t be as good. But add all of the good stuff in. I mean sour cream, cream, and seasonings. I love a little Tabasco or hot sauce to give it some kick. But you can skip that for sure.
Step Four: Add salmon back in.
At this point you are going to have this totally luscious sauce you won’t be able to stop licking the spoon, but it is time to add your salmon back into the pan so it can bathe in it and soak up the creamy goodness.
Add the salmon back in and give it a couple minutes to cook in the sauce and reheat a little.
Step six: Spoon the sauce over the top of your salmon and enjoy!
I mean, I feel like it is obvious at this point that you are going to be digging in, but just in case you missed that part, here is where you get to do the best part–eat it!
Add a little extra dill as garnish if you want!
I love squeezing a little additional lemon over the top because I love lemon and can’t get enough. But taste, and adjust according to your personal preference.
I love to serve my salmon with a nice big Kale Salad. But I also love it with Rice Pilaf if you aren’t eating low carb, this is the best rice pilaf ever. Or you could serve with cauliflower rice if you are aiming for a lower carb meal.
Salmon with Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce (Keto)
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets 4 ounces each
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon dried dill
- 1 lemon juice
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken stock
- Tabasco (dash) optional
Garnish
- Lemon slices
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill
Instructions
- Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder together in a bowl.
- Liberally rub seasoning mixture over the salmon and lightly rub it in.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet at medium-high heat for about 2 minutes until pan is hot.
- Sear the salmon fillets face down for about 3 minutes until cooked halfway up the side of the fillets.
- Flip the salmon and cook another 3 minutes or until the other half is cooked all the way.
- Carefully remove salmon from the pan, and set on a plate.
- Add butter to the skillet, and minced garlic, and cook 1 minute, add in sour cream, dried dill, lemon juice, heavy cream and chicken stock, and a dash of Tabasco if desired.
- Stir well so it is well mixed. Taste and adjust seasonings to preference.
- Let simmer until reaches desired thickness.
- Add salmon back into the pan, cover in sauce, and cook 1-2 minutes.
- Garnish with lemon slices and fresh dill.
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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