Keto Oven-baked salmon in foil is my go-to weekday dinner! So easy to make and ready in under 30 minutes. This keto salmon with asparagus can be made in the oven or air fryer! Our salmon sauce is a garlic compound butter that is so flavorful and delicious.
This salmon recipe is perfect for the keto diet with only 2 net carbs. Salmon is packed full of healthy fats that melts in your mouth when cooked properly.
Buying a whole side of salmon is less expensive than purchasing individual fillets of salmon. So what are you to do with the leftover salmon? Try my Southwestern Salmon Cakes for a delicious dinner.
If you are a soup and stew lover like me, try my One Pot Salmon Stew. If you are anything like me, you are looking for dinner sides to pair with your salmon. I highly recommend our Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes or Boursin Mashed Potatoes.
The CHEF TIP for making salmon great is to have compound butter on hand. Compound what, you ask? A room-temperature butter flavored with whatever you like. We add lemon, garlic, parsley, and chipotle for a lovely kick.
Make a large batch of compound butter, roll them into logs, and freeze. Craving salmon, shrimp, or steak? Top with a thick slice of butter for an amazing sauce.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Chipotle spice - ½ teaspoon of chipotle powder add a bit of kick. Lemon and butter pair perfectly with a bit of heat.
- Compound Butter - is a great way to flavor butter for a quick sauce. In this recipe, we use parsley, lemon, garlic, chipotle, salt, and pepper.
- Foil Boats - making a foil boat allows you to bake the salmon and asparagus together, collecting the sauce.
Ingredients
To make this recipe you'll need:
- salmon
- garlic
- grass-fed butter
- lemon juice
- asparagus
- parsley
- salt and pepper
- chipotle powder
How To Make Keto Salmon
This is the BEST low-carb salmon dinner, here's how to make it!
Step 1: Let the butter come to room temperature. Place in a bowl with lemon juice, salt, chipotle powder, parsley, and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
Step 2: Place butter on a piece of parchment paper and shape it into a log.
Step 3: Transfer the log of butter to a large piece of plastic wrap. Roll the butter log in plastic wrap and twist the ends of the plastic in opposite directions to tighten. Place into the freezer for 1 hour.
Step 4: Using a 12 x 14-inch sheet of aluminum foil, make foil boats. Fold in each side of the foil until you have a square with four raised sides. This will contain the butter when it melts.
Step 5: Prep the asparagus by removing the woody ends. Cut away 2 inches from the bottom of the asparagus.
Step 6: Cut salmon into four 5-ounce fillets. You can purchase a side of salmon and do it yourself or ask your local butcher to do this for you.
Step 7: Remove compound butter from the freezer and slice into ½ - 1-inch slices.
Step 8: Place salmon, asparagus, and compound butter in foil boats. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Air Fryer Instructions
Keto-baked salmon is a breeze in the air fryer! Here's how to make it. For more detailed instructions I highly recommend this Air Fryer Garlic Butter Salmon recipe for step-by-step instructions.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°
- Place salmon, asparagus, and compound butter in foil boats. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes in your air fryer.
Substitutions
- Salmon: Any fish will work in this recipe. Some of my favorites are Halibut, Cod, Artic Char, or Dover Sole.
- Butter: You can make a compound butter with Ghee. Let soften slightly and mix all ingredients. Place on a sheet of parchment paper and shape into a log. Place into the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.
- Asparagus: Broccoli, green beans, baby potatoes, and brussels sprouts are great options.
- Parsley: Cilantro, chives, and tarragon all pair well with salmon.
- Foil: Parchment paper is a great way to cook fish. Take a large sheet of parchment paper and wrap salmon and veggies in an enclosed packet. In France, they call this En Papillote, click this link for detailed instructions.
- Whole 30: Omit butter and use Ghee.
Variations
- Add more veggies: Throw in sliced cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs to increase your veggie intake.
- Pesto Sauce: Try adding 2 tablespoons of fresh pesto to the softened butter. Omit chipotle and parsley.
- Scallops: Replace salmon with scallops. Garlic, parsley, and lemon go well with any type of seafood.
How to store and reheat salmon
Keto-cooked salmon is tender, flaky, and melts in your mouth. Chances are your plates will be licked clean. If you have an extra portion, salmon will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Store in a shallow air-tight container.
Compound Butter - I like to make multiple logs and keep them in the freezer. Top chicken, fish, or beef with compound butter to elevate the flavor!
Reheating Instructions
Cooked salmon likes to be reheated at a low temperature in the oven. I recommend placing salmon in the oven at 300°F for 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees.
Chef Tips
- Use a fatty piece of salmon for the best flavor. I like to use Atlantic king salmon for this recipe. Wild-caught coho salmon is very lean and dries out quickly.
- Grass-fed butter is WORTH it! I remember the day I switched to using Kerrygold butter. It was amazing how much flavor this butter had.
- Remove butter from the refrigerator and let sit out at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
- Use parchment paper to roll the butter into a log. Position the butter in the center of the paper. Fold the edge closest to you over the butter and shape, with your hands form a nice uniform log.
- Store log in plastic wrap for the best results. Transfer the log to plastic wrap and twist both ends of the plastic in OPPOSITE directions to tighten and secure the butter. Freeze until ready to use.
- Place a butter slice on the asparagus too. The compound butter is meant to flavor the salmon and veggies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few keto sides that salmon pair well with
Boursin Mashed Potatoes
Coconut Cauliflower Rice
Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Green Beans Almondine
Yes! All cuts of salmon are keto compliant because all fish are nearly carb free. People can kick themselves out of ketosis by topping salmon with sauces thickened with flour or carbs.
Flavored kinds of butter add a new dimension to the fish. In this recipe, we make herb-lemon butter. Feel free to add anchovies, sundried tomatoes, herbs, garlic, shallots, etc.
Keto Salmon Dinner Sides
This delicious keto salmon recipe pairs well with many sides! Here are a few we recommend.
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📖 Recipe
Keto oven Baked Salmon In Foil
Ingredients
- 4 5-ounce salmon fillets
- 1 bunch of asparagus
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Lemon-herb butter
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
- 2 tablespoon chopped parsley
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Lemon-Herb Butter
- Place room-temperature butter in a bowl with lemon juice, salt, chipotle powder, parsley, and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Place butter on a piece of parchment paper and shape it into a log. Transfer the log of butter to a large piece of plastic wrap. Roll the butter in plastic wrap and twist the ends of the plastic in opposite directions to tighten.
- Place butter into the freezer for 1 hour.
Salmon
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Using a 12 x 14-inch sheet of aluminum foil, make foil boats. Fold in each side until you have a square with 4 raised sides. Foil boats will contain the butter when it melts.
- Portion salmon into four 5-ounce fillets. Position salmon into individual boats rested against the left side of the foil boat.
- Cut off the woody ends of the asparagus. Place the asparagus next to the salmon.
- Remove butter from the freezer. Cut into ½ - 1-inch thick slices and remove the plastic wrap. Top salmon and asparagus with butter.
- Bake salmon in a 425-degree oven for 10-12 minutes. The internal temperature should be at least 145 degrees.
- Place salmon and asparagus on a dinner place and drizzle the melted butter onto the fish.
Notes
Air Fryer Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°
- Place salmon, asparagus, and compound butter in foil boats. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes in your air fryer.
Expert Tips
- Use a fatty piece of salmon for the best flavor. I like to use Atlantic king salmon for this recipe. Wild-caught coho salmon is very lean and dries out quickly.
- Grass-fed butter is WORTH it! I remember the day I switched to using Kerrygold butter. It was amazing how much flavor this butter had.
- Remove butter from the refrigerator and let sit out at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
- Use parchment paper to roll the butter into a log. Position the butter in the center of the paper. Fold the edge closest to you over the butter and shape, with your hands form a nice uniform log.
- Store log in plastic wrap for the best results. Transfer the log to plastic wrap and twist both ends of the plastic in OPPOSITE directions to tighten and secure the butter. Freeze until ready to use.
- Place a butter slice on the asparagus too. The compound butter is meant to flavor the salmon and veggies.
