Baked Salmon with Lemon and Dill (5 g of Fat)

Baked Salmon with Lemon and Dill (5 g of Fat)

Salmon has a reputation as a fatty fish, and it is — but the fat is the useful kind, and portion size does the work that avoidance usually does. A 130 g fillet lands at about 5 g of fat once you bake it rather than pan-fry it, which puts it comfortably inside a low-fat day and makes it one of the few oily fish that fits.

This is the version I make most often: lemon and dill doing what butter would, rice underneath to catch the juices, and green vegetables steamed rather than sautéed. Twenty-five minutes, one tray.

Why This Works on a Low-Fat Plan

• Baking, not frying. A salmon fillet absorbs nothing in the oven. The same fillet in a pan with oil picks up 5–10 g of fat it did not need.
• Portion is the lever. 130 g is a proper serving and keeps the fat where you want it. A 200 g restaurant fillet is a different meal entirely.
• Lemon and dill carry the flavour. Acid and fresh herbs read as richness — this is the single most useful substitution in low-fat cooking.
• Steam the greens. Broccoli and green beans soak up oil like a sponge if you sauté them. Steamed, they add nothing but colour and fibre.

Ingredients

• 4 salmon fillets (130 g / 4.5 oz each), skin on or off
• 2 lemons — one sliced thin, one for juice
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh dill, plus more to finish
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 300 g green beans, trimmed
• 250 g broccoli florets
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Pat the salmon dry and set the fillets on the tray, spaced apart. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Mix the oil, garlic, half the dill and the juice of one lemon. Spoon it over the fillets, then lay two lemon slices on each.
4. Bake 12–14 minutes. The salmon is done when it flakes at the thickest point and the centre is just opaque — pull it a minute early rather than a minute late.
5. Meanwhile cook the rice in salted water according to the packet, and steam the green beans and broccoli for 4–5 minutes until bright and just tender.
6. Serve the salmon over the rice with the vegetables alongside, scattered with the remaining dill and any pan juices.

Nutrition per serving

Fat: 5 g  ·  Calories: 380  ·  Protein: 32 g  ·  Carbs: 42 g  ·  Fibre: 4 g

Estimates from standard ingredient values; your fillet size and brand of rice will move the numbers a little.

Variations

• Lower still: swap the salmon for cod or haddock and the dish drops to about 2 g of fat a serving.
• Sheet-pan version: add the green beans to the tray for the last 8 minutes instead of steaming them.
• Different herbs: tarragon or parsley both work; skip anything heavily spiced if you are cooking for a sensitive gut.
• Make it a lunch: flake the cold leftovers through the rice with extra lemon.

Leftovers

• Refrigerate within two hours and eat within two days.
• Reheat gently at low heat, or better, eat it cold — reheated salmon dries out fast.
• Does not freeze well once cooked.

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Questions People Ask

Is salmon allowed on a low-fat diet?

In measured portions, usually yes — and it is worth including for the omega-3s. The usual guidance on a very low-fat plan is to cap oily fish at around 85–130 g per serving and keep it to a couple of times a week. If you are recovering from a pancreatitis flare, check the portion against the daily fat allowance your clinician has given you.

How do I know when salmon is done without cutting into it?

Press the thickest part with a fingertip: it should flake and separate rather than feel springy. At 200°C a 130 g fillet is reliably done between 12 and 14 minutes.

Can I use frozen salmon?

Yes. Thaw it fully in the fridge overnight and pat it very dry, otherwise it steams instead of roasting and the lemon slides off.