I love going to Costco. They have so many great things for keto dieters–avocado oil, both in bottle and cooking spray form, cheese whisps, beef sticks (the Duke’s Shorty Sausages are amazeballs), 8 different kinds of sparkling water, great meats and cheeses…the list goes on. One of my favorite things to get there if I don’t feel like cooking dinner is their salmon with basil pesto butter. You just pop the tray in the oven and you have enough salmon for dinner one night and lunch the next day.
My only issue is that the baked salmon doesn’t have the texture that I enjoy. I like my salmon crispy, with the skin still on, which you can only really get by pan-searing. So occasionally, when they’re on sale, I’ll buy some skin-on salmon filets to pan-sear. This time, I wanted the flavor of the pesto butter on a salmon that’s cooked more to my liking.
Start out easy. Get out 2 tablespoons of butter and put it in a ramekin to soften. This works better if you mash it or cut it into smaller cubes first. Then begin working on the pesto. You’ll need a food processor or blender. Begin with a packed cup of basil leaves, then add 1/3 cup each of parmesan cheese and pine nuts, and a clove of garlic. Pulse those a couple of times in your food processor, and then slowly add 6 tablespoons of olive oil while still pulsing. You want it to still be a bit chunky when it’s done. Add pepper to taste. Thanks to the parmesan, it shouldn’t need salt, but if you think it does, feel free to add some. Add two tablespoons of the pesto to the butter, mashing it up to mix the pesto and butter together, then store the rest in the fridge. It should last for up to 7 days. If you don’t think you’ll use all of it, you can also freeze it in an ice cube tray.
For the salmon, heat up a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, and add 2 tablespoons of avocado oil, just enough to lightly coat the entire bottom of the pan. Salt and pepper the salmon, then when the skillet reaches temperature, put it in there skin side up, and cook for 3-4 minutes, depending on how thick they are. Once you flip them, they should have the nice golden brown crispy crust that you can see in the pictures. Continue with the skin side down for another 3-4 minutes, then remove immediately, top with the pesto butter, and serve.
Crispy Pan-Seared Salmon with Basil Pesto Butter
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
Ingredients
For the Pesto Butter
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- black pepper to taste
For the Salmon
- 6 4-ounce salmon filets skin on
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Pesto Butter
- Place the butter in a ramekin to soften.
- Put the basil, parmesan, pine nuts, and garlic into a food processor. Pulse a few times, then slowly add the olive oil while continuing to pulse, scraping down the sides if necessary. Make sure this remains somewhat chunky and doesn't turn into a puree. When it's done, mix two tablespoons of the pesto with the butter, mashing together until blended, and store the rest of the pesto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to seven days, or freeze in an ice cube tray.
For the Salmon
- Heat the avocado oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Salt and pepper the salmon, then place it skin-side up in the oil and cook for 3-4 minutes, depending on thickness. Flip and cook for 3-4 minutes more. Remove from pan and serve with 1 tablespoon of pesto butter on each filet.
- Macros per serving: 373 calories, 1 gram net carbs, 37 grams protein, 24 grams fat.
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