Keto Sesame Ginger Salmon
A lot of people assume that keto is all red meat all the time, but seafood can fit into a keto lifestyle just as well as the more stereotypical steak or bacon. Salmon is an especially good choice, since it’s a great source of protein as well as omega-3’s and other healthy fats. Another bonus? The compounds that give salmon its color may also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
This keto salmon recipe ups the ante with a super flavorful sweet and spicy sesame ginger sauce. It’s relatively easy to whip up, and is great paired with stir fried veggies or cauliflower rice. I also suspect it be nice if made on the grill instead of the stove/oven, but I haven’t gotten around to trying it yet.
Keto Sesame Ginger Salmon Recipe
This keto salmon recipe pairs flaky fish with a flavorful sesame ginger sauce. Per ~6oz fillet: 510kcal, 36g fat, 42g protein, 2.5g total carbs – 1.5g fiber = ~1g net carbs
- Prep Time: 30m
- Cook Time: 10m
- Total Time: 40m
- Serves: 2
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets, 5-7 ounces each
Marinade
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (or additional olive oil)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Sesame Ginger Sauce
- 1 tablespoon coconut or rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or liquid aminos
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon erythritol or other sweetener to taste
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha or 1/2t crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
Instructions
Marinate Salmon
- Whisk together all marinade ingredients. Place salmon in a plastic bag or shallow bowl. Add marinade and toss to coat. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, and up to six hours.
Prepare Sesame Ginger Glaze
- In a small sauce pan over medium heat, whisk together all sauce ingredients, except for xanthan gum. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Whisk in xanthan gum and simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Prepare Salmon
- Preheat oven to 425F. Add ~1T of oil to an ovensafe skillet/pan over high heat.
- Once pan/oil are very hot (necessary to prevent sticking), remove salmon from marinade and add to pan, skin side up. Sear for 3 minutes.
- Carefully flip salmon so that it is skin side down. Generously top each piece with sesame ginger sauce, reserving some for serving if desired. Place skillet in preheated oven and bake for 5-6 minutes, or sauce is set and salmon is cooked through.
- Allow to rest for 3-5 minutes before serving. Serve topped with reserved sauce, chopped green onion, and/or additional sesame seeds.
Notes:
- Short on time? You can skip the marinade if needed. You’ll need to add some extra oil to your pan to sear the salmon, and you’ll miss out on the added flavor boost, but the results should still be tasty!
- Make sure your pan is hot before adding the salmon! And don’t be tempted to move it around before the three minutes are up; it’s key to getting a nice sear on the salmon without it sticking.
- The xanthan gum is used to thicken the sesame ginger sauce. If you don’t have any, you can try simmering the sauce a little longer or maybe adding a pinch of coconut flour.
