Fish is one of those meats that people either love or hate. But if you’re on the keto diet, fish is a food you should be eating more of!
Fish is an excellent source of protein and healthy fats, and like all other types of meat, it has no carbs at all, so it’s no wonder it’s such a popular choice for people on the keto diet.
There are endless possibilities for recipes that include fish as the main ingredient, so we’ve put together a list of some of the best keto fish recipes out there! Whether you’re looking for something simple and quick or a little more gourmet, we’ve got you covered.
20 Best Keto Fish Recipes
We wanted to provide you with as much diversity as possible, so we’ve collected 20 of the best keto fish recipes from around the web. These recipes are all different, but they have two things in common:
- They’re all delicious
- They’re all low in carbs
1. Baked Halibut and Asparagus
Topping off our list of best keto fish recipes is a simple meal of baked halibut and asparagus courtesy of Julia’s Album.
It’s one of the most basic ways to cook any kind of fish, and you can easily use whatever other kind of fish you want, including tilapia, cod, or even salmon.
Ingredients:
- Halibut fillets
- Asparagus
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Minced garlic
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Shredded parmesan cheese
One thing you must understand about fish, in general, is that it’s a very delicate kind of meat, so in most recipes where you have to fry or bake it, you’ll usually have some kind of crust or breading involved.
With this recipe, that crust is made up of a thin layer of shredded Parmesan cheese, which gives it a nice flavor and helps keep the fish moist.
One serving of this dish contains 477 calories and just 5 grams of net carbs, and you can pair it with roasted asparagus or other green vegetables like broccoli or Brussels sprouts.
Note: There’s more than one way to cook halibut, and we’ve put together a list of some of the best halibut recipes to try out!
2. Keto Salmon with Pesto and Spinach
Salmon is undoubtedly the best fish you could possibly eat while on the keto diet because it’s rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which have all sorts of health benefits.
This recipe from Diet Doctor combines salmon with two other keto-friendly ingredients: pesto and spinach.
Ingredients:
- Boneless salmon fillets
- Mayonnaise, vegan mayonnaise, or sour cream
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
- Green pesto or red pesto
- Butter or olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh spinach
Typical pesto is made using European pine nuts, coarse salt, crushed garlic, basil leaves, and hard cheese, which are not only safe for the keto diet, they’re encouraged!
So, pairing together pesto and salmon is pretty common, as they both are sources of healthy fats.
As for the cooked spinach, it’s rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals, all of which help round out this dish and make it a complete meal.
3. Bell Pepper Sandwich with Salmon and Avocado
Another way to get your daily dose of healthy fats is to pair salmon with avocados, which is what this Keto Diet App recipe does.
Instead of traditional bread, this sandwich uses bell peppers as the “buns,” and it’s a pretty genius idea if we do say so ourselves.
Ingredients:
- Smoked salmon
- Cream cheese or goat’s cheese
- Everything bagel seasoning
- Green bell pepper
- Avocado slices
The bell peppers provide a crunchy contrast to the smoothness of the avocado and salmon, and the everything bagel seasoning gives it a nice flavor that makes you forget you’re not eating an actual bun.
As for the avocado, many consider it the vegetable equivalent of salmon since it’s also packed with healthy fats and has a creamy consistency.
4. Keto Baked Garlic Parmesan-Crusted Salmon
Remember how we mentioned that adding a crust is vital when baking fish?
This recipe from Health Starts in the Kitchen revolves around that idea, as the salmon is crusted with a parmesan-based mixture.
Ingredients:
- Wild-caught salmon filet
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Butter or ghee
- Dried parsley
- Mayonnaise
- Garlic
Since salmon is particularly flaky and moist, it’s important to have a crust that can withstand the oven’s heat and not fall apart.
The parmesan in this recipe does just that, and it also gives the salmon a nice flavor that complements the other ingredients perfectly.
One serving of this classic dish contains 354 calories and almost zero carbs, so it’s perfect if you’re on a stricter version of the keto diet.
5. Keto Salmon Patties
People love eating burgers, and everyone knows that you can make burgers out of beef, pork, and poultry, but did you know that you can also make them out of salmon?
Well, they’re not exactly burgers, but these salmon patties from Tastes Lovely come close.
Ingredients:
- Canned wild Alaskan salmon
- Finely chopped fresh parsley
- Finely chopped fresh chives
- Finely chopped fresh dill
- Garlic powder
- Almond flour
- Mayonnaise
- Lemon juice
- Avocado oil
- Eggs
- Salt
Normally we’d recommend fresh ingredients instead of canned or frozen, but when making salmon patties, canned salmon is the superior choice.
More so, notice that you’ll be using almond flour as a low-carb substitute for wheat flour or breadcrumbs since it contains next to no carbs, yet it’s high in fiber and healthy fats.
One salmon patty contains 360 calories and 5 grams of net carbs, and we recommend pairing them with a hefty bowl of cauliflower rice.
6. Keto Teriyaki Salmon
Few can pride themselves on being masters of fish meals like the Japanese, so it was only a matter of time until a Japanese-inspired dish made its way onto our list.
We went with this salmon teriyaki from Simply So Healthy simply because of how ingenious they were at replacing typical high-carb ingredients with keto-friendly ones.
Ingredients:
- Salmon fillets
- Allulose
- Avocado oil
- Minced garlic
- Minced ginger
- Rice wine vinegar
- Thinly sliced green onions
- Low-sodium gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos
- Sesame seeds (for garnish)
Traditional teriyaki uses sugar to make the sauce. Still, allulose is a great keto sugar substitute that does the job just as well without the negative effects on blood sugar levels.
As for the other ingredients, they’re all staples in Japanese cuisine, and they’ll add a sweet and savory flavor to the salmon that’ll have you feeling like you’re eating take-out.
One serving of this dish contains 403 calories and 2 grams of net carbs.
7. Keto Sushi Smoked Salmon Roll-Ups
Another staple of Japanese cuisine is sushi, but many of you may wonder how sushi can be on this list since it’s usually made with lots of rice.
Well, in this recipe from the Keto Diet App, instead of wrapping salmon in rice, you’ll be wrapping a mix of cream cheese, avocados, and cucumbers in salmon.
Ingredients:
- Smoked salmon
- Cream cheese
- Avocado slices
- Julienned cucumber
- Sugar-free furikake, sesame seeds, or dried seaweed flakes
- Coconut aminos or tamari sauce (for serving)
Since salmon meat is very malleable, you don’t have to worry about your keto sushi coming undone, and the cream cheese and avocado will help hold everything together.
As for what you can serve them with, there’s no need for any side dish, although you could add some wasabi or ginger if you want to stay true to the sushi experience.
Six rolls are considered a serving; each serving contains roughly 445 calories, 3.7 grams of net carbs, and around 30 grams of protein.
8. Keto Sashimi Salad with Sriracha Mayo
aOur last Japanese-inspired dish is a recipe for sashimi, and we discovered it at Diet Doctor.
It pairs salmon with a rich and flavorful sriracha mayo sauce and a hefty salad, making it a well-rounded meal.
Ingredients:
- Thin sashimi-grade salmon slices
- Thinly sliced red chili peppers
- Roasted sesame seeds
- Tamari soy sauce
- Ground ginger
- Sesame oil
- Lime juice
- Olive oil
- Finely chopped cilantro
- Thinly sliced cucumber
- Thinly sliced avocado
- Thinly sliced carrot
- Sliced scallions
- Rice vinegar
- Sriracha sauce
- Minced garlic
- Mayonnaise
One thing that sets this recipe apart from the other salmon recipes is that you’ll have to marinate the fish before you add it to the rest of the ingredients, but it’s worth the wait.
Once the salmon has soaked up all the flavored juices, you can mix everything in a large bowl in a typical salad style.
For those who want to cut back on the heat a bit, you can opt to use a hot sauce much milder than sriracha.
9. Seafood Dim Sum
After showcasing 3 amazing Japanese recipes, we figured it would be only fair to showcase a Chinese one.
This seafood dim sum from I Heart Umami uses sea bass, scallops, shrimp, and mushrooms as the main ingredients, and it will satisfy your dim sum cravings.
Ingredients:
- Skinless, boneless sea bass or other meaty fish fillets
- Full cap fresh shiitake mushrooms
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Peeled and deveined shrimp
- Toasted sesame oil
- Asparagus spears
- Chopped carrots
- Scrubbed clams
- Coconut aminos
- Coarse salt
- Scallion-ginger dipping oil (for serving)
The only caveat of this recipe is that you’ll need a steamer basket to make it, but other than that, it’s pretty straightforward.
After you’ve prepped all of your ingredients, you’ll just have to carefully arrange them in the steamer basket and let them cook until they’re done while steadily removing the ingredients that cook first, so they don’t overcook.
One serving contains around 379 calories and 7 grams of net carbs.
Note: The original recipe also teaches you how to make scallion-ginger dipping oil, with further details available on the website.
10. Almond Flour Fish Nuggets
If you’re a big fan of finger foods, then nothing is as perfect as nuggets, and while most of you are probably used to eating chicken nuggets, don’t forget that white fish is an excellent alternative.
This recipe from Food and Wine uses almond flour to coat salmon fillets, which gives them a nice golden crispy exterior without all of the unnecessary carbs, and it also showcases how you can make a mayo-based sauce.
Ingredients:
- Flakey white fish (e.g., hake or cod)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Chile powder
- Vegetable oil
- Pickled relish
- Almond flour
- Mayonnaise
- Kosher salt
- Cayenne
- Eggs
The only drawback of this recipe is that you have to deep-fry the fish nuggets, which greatly adds a lot of calories to the dish without actually being nutritious.
As for the mayo sauce, you can go ahead and swap it with whatever sauce you like most, or if you lack ideas, you can go ahead and check out this list of keto sauces for inspiration.
11. Keto Air Fryer Fish Sticks
If you like fish nuggets, then you definitely like fish sticks, and this recipe from All Day I Dream About Food uses a similar approach as the previous one, except you’ll be using pork panko instead of almond flour.
However, there’s another key difference: you’ll be air-frying the fish sticks instead of deep frying them in oil, so they’re much healthier and won’t feel as heavy.
Ingredients:
- White fish such as cod
- Cajun seasoning
- Pork rind panko
- Salt and pepper
- Dijon mustard
- Mayonnaise
- Water
Another great alternative to bread crumbs when making readings and crusts is pork panko (a.k.a. crushed pork rinds), and it’s great for the keto diet since it’s rich in both fats and protein.
As for the cooking method, anyone committed to following the keto diet should invest in a good air fryer since it allows you to cook all sorts of keto-friendly meals with little to no oil.
One serving of fish sticks contains 243 calories and only about 0.5 grams of carbs, much less than your typical store-bought fish sticks.
12. Keto Baked Tilapia
Tilapia is a very popular fish, and for a good reason: it’s very versatile and can be used in all sorts of recipes.
This recipe from My Life Cookbook shows you how to make a simple but effective tilapia dish coated with Asiago cheese and baked in the oven.
Ingredients:
- Tilapia filets or tilapia loins
- Grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
- Crushed garlic
- Onion powder
- Pepper
- Thyme
- Mayo
- Basil
- Salt
Considering that this dish only requires 25 minutes to prepare, we think it’s worth considering, especially if you don’t have much time to spare for cooking.
However, don’t let convenience trick you into believing that this isn’t a tasty dish because, trust us, it is.
One serving contains 341 calories and less than 2 grams of net carbs, so it’s worth including in your keto meal plan.
13. Parmesan Baked Cod
It’s time we gave cod the parmesan treatment it deserves with this recipe from Cooking With Mamma C.
This dish is similar to the tilapia recipe we mentioned earlier, except that it has a much zestier flavor thanks to the extra lemon and herbs.
Ingredients:
- Fresh cod fillets
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Garlic powder
- Salted butter
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- Paprika
Instead of spreading a bit of cheese mixture on top of each fillet, you’ll be dipping each fillet in the mixture, resulting in an even thicker and more crunchy crust.
One serving of this dish contains 303 calories and 2 grams of net carbs.
As a side dish, we recommend pairing this crusted cod with some cauliflower rice or some mashed cauliflower (a.k.a. faux mashed potatoes).
14. Keto Fish and Chips
Those of you that have ever had the chance to visit England have probably tried fish and chips, and while it’s not the healthiest meal out there, it can be made keto-friendly.
However, while fried fish can be made to be keto, what do you do about the chips?
This recipe from Healthy Little Peach has the answer: jicama fries!
Ingredients:
- Cod fillets
- Thinly sliced jicama
- Old Bay seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Almond flour
- Dried parsley
- Black pepper
- Sea salt
- Olive oil
- Eggs
Regular potato fries are out of the question since they’re loaded with carbs, so jicama is the perfect alternative since it’s similar in texture but much lower in carbs.
Another alternative would be to bake a big batch of zucchini fries, especially since zucchinis are much easier to find than jicama.
One serving of fish and jicama chips contains about 430 calories and just 8 grams of net carbs.
15. Keto Fish Pie
If you’re looking for new ideas on how to cook fish, then turning it into a casserole or pie is always a good option.
This recipe from Keto Diet App uses various fish, including salmon, mackerel, cod, and haddock, which are then covered in a creamy sauce before being topped with mashed cauliflower.
Ingredients:
- Haddock or cod fillets
- Mackerel fillets
- Salmon fillets
- Sea salt and ground pepper
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Freshly chopped chives
- Heavy whipping cream
- Ground nutmeg
- Butter or ghee
- Ground cloves
- Dijon mustard
- Cauliflower
- Red onions
- Bay leaves
- Water
- Eggs
- Fresh parsley (for garnish)
This dish will require some cooking experience since many steps are involved, but it’s worth it.
This casserole has several layers: cooked fish, boiled eggs, herbs, cauliflower mash, and a top layer of shredded cheese to give it a lasagna-like appearance.
One serving has 616 calories and 8.3 grams of net carbs, making it a filling meal perfect for large family dinners and/or gatherings.
16. Keto Tuna Casserole
If you like the idea of preparing a fish-based casserole, but the previous recipe seemed way out of your cooking abilities, then this low-carb tuna casserole from Healthy Recipes Blogs is a great alternative.
Not only is the list of ingredients a lot shorter, but there are fewer preparation steps involved.
Ingredients:
- Canned tuna in water
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Dijon mustard
- Cayenne pepper
- Minced red onion
- Avocado oil mayonnaise
- Shredded gruyere cheese
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Long story short, you’ll prepare this dish as if it were a tuna salad, except that after you mix everything, you transfer the ingredients to a baking tray, cover everything in cheese, and then bake it for 15 minutes.
If you want to make the casserole a lot more filling, you can add a cup or two of cauliflower rice to the tuna mix.
Half a casserole is one serving, containing 465 calories and 2 grams of net carbs.
17. Keto Tuna Salad
One of the quickest fish-based meals you can prepare is a quick tuna salad, especially since there’s no cooking involved.
That said, we chose this recipe from Healthy Recipes Blogs because it’s not your standard tuna salad; it’s a lot more flavorful and interesting, thanks to the addition of avocado, dill, lemon juice, and onion.
Ingredients:
- Canned tuna in water
- Hot sauce
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Dijon mustard
- Minced fresh garlic
- Avocado oil mayonnaise
- Chopped cilantro or parsley
As you can expect from a salad, once you’ve drained the tuna and flaked it with a fork, you must mix everything in a big bowl.
You can serve this tuna salad inside half a bell pepper, or you can bake a fresh batch of keto breakfast bagels and use them as buns.
Half a recipe is one serving, containing 211 calories and 1 gram of net carbs.
18. No-Bake Keto Tuna Pizza
You’re probably asking yourself: how can pizza be keto and no-bake simultaneously?
The answer is simple: you use baked eggplant slices instead of the pizza crust.
That’s the secret of this recipe from Keto Recipes, and it’s something that you should try at least once.
Ingredients:
- Tuna fish
- Salt
- Eggs
- Olive oil
- Oregano
- Eggplants
- Lemon juice
- Tomato paste
- Red chili flakes
- Fresh coriander
- Mozzarella cheese
- Worcestershire sauce
For best results, we recommend getting the biggest eggplants you can find since bigger eggplants mean bigger pizzas.
Alternatively, you can choose small or medium eggplants and skip cutting them into slices when they’re done; the choice is yours.
One average eggplant tuna pizza contains around 165 calories and 3 grams of net carbs.
19. Blackened Catfish
Southern cooking is known for many things, and one of those things is the multitude of ways you can cook catfish.
Take this recipe from A Girl Called Adri, for example: it has all the makings of a great Southern dish, except it’s keto-friendly, and a refreshing salsa accompanies it.
Ingredients:
- Catfish fillets
- Sea salt
- Olive oil
- Lime juice
- Dried celery
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Smoked paprika
- Cayenne pepper
- Red pepper flakes
As expected from a Southern dish, you’ll need a good quality cast-iron skillet to cook the catfish. The fillets will be nice and flaky on the inside while being slightly charred on the outside.
To make the salsa, you’ll need some Roma tomatoes, jalapeños, fresh cilantro, red onions, cucumbers, and lime juice.
One serving of this dish has 272 calories and 2 grams of net carbs, which is very low-carb, considering that this is an adaptation of a classic Southern recipe.
20. Keto Seafood Chowder
We’ll be wrapping up our list of fish-based keto recipes with a keto seafood chowder from All Day I Dream About Food.
This chowder is hearty and filling, and it’s perfect for hot summer days when all you need to feel full is a big bowl of fresh soup.
Ingredients:
- White fish or canned clams
- Chopped onions
- Chopped bacon
- Chicken broth
- Cubed turnip
- Heavy cream
- Dried thyme
- Pepper
- Butter
- Salt
- Glucomannan (optional)
One common ingredient in classic chowder is potatoes. Still, as you can’t have potatoes on keto, this recipe uses turnips instead, adding glucomannan to thicken the soup since there’s no starch from the potato.
One serving of this chowder has 285 calories and 5.3 grams of net carbs, so you can go ahead and ask for seconds without kicking yourself out of ketosis.
Frequently Asked Questions
This next part of our article is dedicated to answering some of the most frequently asked questions about fish and how it can fit into the keto diet.
Can you eat fish on a keto diet?
Both fish and shellfish are some of the best sources of protein and nutrients you can eat on a keto diet.
Not only do they not contain any carbs, but they’re also generally lean, and the few fish that are fatty (e.g., salmon) are rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
What fish is best for the keto diet?
Since your focus is to supplement the lack of carbs in your diet with a surplus of healthy fats, the best fish to eat on keto are those that are fatty and rich in omega-3s, such as salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines.
Is canned tuna OK on the keto diet?
Canned tuna comes in two forms: brine or oil.
If you’re on keto, both are just as good for you, but if you’re watching your calorie intake, we recommend choosing canned tuna in water.
However, if you choose the canned tuna in oil, check the label to ensure that it’s packed in olive oil or another healthy fat.
Is fried fish allowed on the keto diet?
Fried fish itself is completely keto; the real concern is the crust or breading that usually accompanies fried fish.
If you’re eating fried fish battered or breaded, make sure the crust is made of keto-friendly flour like coconut flour or almond flour.
What is the healthiest way to fry fish?
The healthiest way to fry fish is to air fry it using an oil with a high smoke point like avocado oil, peanut oil, or vegetable oil.
Closing Thoughts
Twenty recipes should be plenty to help you mix up your usual fish dinner routine, and we hope you’ll find at least a few new favorites.
Don’t forget to check back soon for more keto recipe roundups!
