Keto Sheet Pan Salmon with Green Beans

This keto sheet pan salmon is salmon fillets and green beans roasted together on one tray with garlic, lemon and olive oil, then finished with toasted almonds and parsley. It takes about 25 minutes and serves 2, with about 35 g of protein and roughly 7.5 g of net carbs per serving. Salmon is one of the best foods you can eat on keto: it’s rich in protein and omega-3 fats, and it cooks in the time it takes the beans to roast.

• Serves: 2
• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 15 minutes
• Total time: about 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 salmon fillets, about 150 g (5 oz) each, skin on or off
• 250 g (9 oz) green beans, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon: juice of half, and the rest cut into wedges
• 15 g (2 tablespoons) flaked almonds
• A small handful of parsley, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper
• A pinch of chili flakes (optional)

Method

1. Set the oven to 220°C (425°F), or 200°C (400°F) with the fan on, and line a large tray with baking paper so nothing sticks.
2. Pile the green beans on the tray with the sliced garlic, half the olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Mix with your hands, then spread them out flat and give them a 5-minute head start in the oven.
3. While the beans start roasting, blot the salmon fillets with kitchen paper and rub them all over with the remaining oil, a pinch of salt, black pepper and the chili flakes.
4. Take the tray out, slide the beans into two rows along the edges, and lay the fillets down the center, skin side down, with the lemon wedges tucked in beside them.
5. Return the tray to the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. The salmon is done when it has turned from translucent to pale pink, separates into flakes when pressed, and reads 63°C (145°F) in the thickest part, the target the FDA gives for fish.
6. Use those minutes to toast the flaked almonds in a small dry pan, shaking it often, until they smell nutty and turn light gold.
7. To finish, squeeze the half lemon over the whole tray, then shower it with almonds and chopped parsley. Bring the tray to the table with the charred lemon wedges for squeezing.

Tips

• Blot before oiling. A dry surface lets the oil and seasoning cling and limits the white curd (albumin) that sometimes seeps out of salmon as it cooks.
• Thickness sets the timing. Center-cut fillets around 3 cm (1¼ inches) thick need the full 12 minutes or a little more, while thinner tail pieces can be ready in 8.
• Pull it a little early. Salmon carries on cooking for a minute or two off the heat, so a fillet that’s just opaque in the middle will be perfect by the time you eat.
• Give the beans room. Crowded beans steam and turn soft; a single layer gives blistered, slightly charred tips.
• Keep the skin if you like it crisp. Skin-on fillets stay juicier, and the skin peels away easily after roasting if you’d rather not eat it.
• Line the tray with baking paper or foil to save on washing up.

Swaps and variations

• Vegetables: asparagus, broccoli florets, zucchini or cherry tomatoes all work. Broccoli needs the same 5-minute head start.
• Herb butter: top the cooked salmon with a teaspoon of butter mixed with garlic and dill.
• Mustard crust: brush the salmon with Dijon mustard and press on chopped almonds before roasting.
• Other fish: trout, cod or sea bass. White fish may need a minute or two less.
• Pesto: drizzle with a spoonful of basil pesto instead of lemon.
• Not on keto? Add baby potatoes, halved, to the tray 20 minutes before the beans.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

One serving is one salmon fillet with half the beans. These figures were calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for raw farmed Atlantic salmon, green beans, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, almonds, parsley and salt.

Most of the fat in this meal is unsaturated, from the salmon, olive oil and almonds. Farmed salmon is one of the richest sources of the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, and it provides vitamin D and vitamin B12. The NHS recommends at least 2 portions of fish a week, one of them oily, and our guide to omega-3 foods compares salmon with other sources. Green beans add fiber, vitamin C and vitamin K.

Contains: fish and tree nuts (almonds).

Storage and reheating

Cool leftovers quickly, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours. Eat within 2 days. Reheat gently, covered, in a low oven until hot all the way through, or eat cold salmon flaked into a salad. Our keto chicken avocado salad works well with leftover salmon instead of chicken.

What to serve with it

• Our creamy keto cauliflower mash.
• A green salad with one of our keto salad dressings.
• Cauliflower rice tossed with herbs.

Common questions

Is salmon keto?

Yes. Salmon contains no carbohydrate and is rich in protein and healthy fats. Our article on whether seafood is keto covers other options.

Are green beans keto?

Yes, in normal portions. They have about 4 g of net carbs per 100 g, according to USDA values.

Wild or farmed salmon?

Both are good choices. Farmed salmon is usually higher in fat, including omega-3, while wild salmon is leaner. Both are low in mercury.

Safety note: Keto isn’t suitable for everyone. If you have diabetes, kidney or liver disease, take regular medication, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor before cutting carbs this far (why it matters).

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA FoodData Central and will change with the brands and amounts you use. If you follow a diet for a medical reason, check the recipe with your doctor or dietitian.