This perfectly cooked easy keto salmon is smothered in a delicious sweet and spicy sticky glaze, comes together in 20 minutes, and only requires 1 pan and no flipping!
¼teaspoonXanthan Gumoptional, for a slightly thicker sauce
Instructions
Mix together the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Use paper towels to pat the salmon dry and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Heat the butter and oil in a large, heavy-bottomed nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat (or slightly lower) for 2 minutes, until shimmering and hot. (If the pan is smoking, it's too hot!)
Once the pan is hot, right before you are ready to sear the salmon, season both sides with sea salt, pepper, and paprika.
Add the fish fillets to the pan in a single layer, skin side down. Use a spatula (or even better a fish spatula!) to press down on top of each fillet for 10 seconds. Then, cook for 3 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the fish fillets and transfer them to the preheated oven. Bake for 5 to 9 minutes, or until just cooked through and the edges easily flake with a fork or they reach your desired doneness: 130 degrees for medium or 145 to 150 degrees for well done, I prefer mine around 150. Keep in mind that the temperature will continue to rise after cooking. *Note- The USDA recommends cooking salmon to 145 degrees.
Scoop off and discard any white albumin that has formed, then spoon the sauce over the fillets, garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve hot.
Video
Notes
Use a heavy-bottomed non-stick or cast-iron skillet to ensure the fish doesn't stick and it cooks evenly.
The oil should be hot and shimmering but not smoking. If it's smoking, the pan is too hot!
Pat dry the salmon. This ensures that it browns evenly.
Don't move the fillets around while they cook. This prevents a good sear.
Press down on each fillet with a spatula for 10 seconds. This helps prevent the salmon from curling.
Season right before searing. If you season it too soon, the salt can pull out the moisture and dry it out.
This method works with any kind of sauce you prefer! Simply use my method to cook the salmon, then feel free to change up the sauce to anything you prefer!