Restaurant worthy yet easy enough for a weeknight meal, this keto-friendly salmon with avocado salsa is our new favorite recipe! It takes only 25 minutes from start to finish and can be made in either the oven or air-fryer. We love serving the salmon over a bed of greens, but it would also pair well with your favorite low oxalate vegetable.

Salmon with avocado salsa: Keto-kidney highlights

Not only is this recipe both delicious and easy, it’s full of healthy fat and only 9 grams of net carbohydrates, checking all of the boxes for an ideal keto-kidney recipe. Worried about the amount of potassium in this dish if you have kidney disease? Let’s dive into some common myths about potassium and how to determine how much potassium is right for you!

Potassium- friend or foe?

You may have noticed that this dish contains almost 1,000 mg of Potassium per serving. If you have kidney disease, this might be a bit shocking to see in a “kidney-friendly recipe”. Most people with kidney disease have heard that they should be limiting potassium and many wonder if too much potassium can harm their kidneys.

Potassium is a mineral and an important nutrient because it helps with muscle and nerve function. The kidney’s are responsible for maintaining potassium balance. Unlike sodium, too much potassium from food is not harmful to the kidneys.

While hyperkalemia (high potassium level in the blood) is a concern, it typically does not occur until late stage kidney disease. One way that potassium can become elevated is by consuming a high amount of potassium rich foods. However, most people do not consume the recommended amount of potassium, even on a potassium restriction. In addition to foods, there are other factors that can influence blood potassium levels, including: medications, poorly controlled diabetes, and constipation.

Getting to know your unique potassium needs:

Each person with kidney disease has unique nutritional needs. While some individuals need to limit the amount of potassium from their diet, others may benefit from eating more potassium. In fact, if you have high blood pressure, a diet high in potassium can help. Potassium helps rid the body of sodium in the urine and can relax blood vessels, both of these mechanisms help to decrease blood pressure.

So, how do you know if you need to restrict your potassium intake or if it’s safe to consume more? There are two easy solutions!

1. Monitor your potassium trends closely. We recommend tracking your labs in this great lab tracking tool from the National Kidney Foundation.
2. Work with your physician and a Renal Dietitian to determine the right amount of potassium for you!

A ketogenic renal nutrition approach for Polycystic Kidney Disease

If you have PKD and want to find out more about how this diet may help, join the PKD nutrition Facebook group. If you are not a Facebook member or are looking for more one-on-one support consider scheduling a consultation with one of our expert Renal Dietitians.

Keto Salmon with Avocado Salsa (oven or air fryer)

Looking for an easy, yet delicious recipe for salmon? This restaurant-worthy meal is incredibly easy to make and checks all of the boxes for a perfect keto-friendly meal!

Recipe developed and tested by Diana Bruen, MS, RD.

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Course: Main

Cuisine: Southwestern

Keyword: Keto, Low Calorie, Low Carb, Low Phosphorus, Low Sodium

Diet Type: PKD

Servings: 2 servings

Calories: 385kcal

Author: Diana Bruen, MS, RD

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup red onion chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 medium tomato diced
• 1 avocado diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 6 ounces fresh salmon filet

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450℉.
• Combine the onion, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper in a small bowl and let marinate for 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes, add diced tomato, avocado and minced garlic to the bowl. Stir to combine the salsa and set aside.
• Coat salmon with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Place the salmon skin side down on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through. It will flake easily with a fork when done.
• Divide the salmon between two plates and top with avocado salsa.

Notes

To make in air fryer: Make salsa per recipe. Preheat the air fryer to 400℉. Oil and season salmon per recipe. Place skin side down in the air fryer and cook 5-7 minutes, or until cooked through.

Make a meal: Serve as a salad on top of a bed of greens or with you favorite side of low-oxalate vegetables

Oxalate estimate: 16.5 mg oxalate per serving. Estimate calculated using Harvard's published oxalate list.

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 345mg | Potassium: 1246mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1206IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg | Phosphorus: 264mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @KNI_Care or tag #KNIrecipes!

Recipe adapted from Skinnytaste.

_{ALL information you read on KidneyRD.com is purely for informational and educational purposes. Information is not intended to treat, cure, or prevent any disease.}