Rinse the salmon fillets and pat them dry with paper towels.

Zest one lemon, then slice it. You'll use the zest, slices, and juice for different steps.

Mince the garlic cloves and chop the herbs, if using.

Drizzle the salmon fillets with olive oil on both sides. Season them with salt, pepper, lemon zest, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using).

Place 1-2 lemon slices on top of each fillet.

Pour the chicken or vegetable broth into the Instant Pot. The liquid is essential for generating steam to pressure cook.

Place the trivet (which typically comes with the Instant Pot) inside the pot. This will elevate the salmon above the liquid and ensure it steams rather than boils.

Arrange the salmon fillets on the trivet. Ensure they are in a single layer and not overlapping too much.

Secure the Instant Pot's lid. Ensure the pressure release valve is set to the "Sealing" position.

Set the Instant Pot to "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" on high pressure for 3-4 minutes. (The exact time may vary depending on the thickness of the salmon fillets. Thicker fillets might require an additional minute.)

Once the cooking cycle is done, let the Instant Pot release pressure naturally for 5 minutes. After that, carefully turn the release valve to "Venting" to release any remaining pressure.

Carefully open the Instant Pot lid. Using a spatula, lift the salmon fillets out of the pot and transfer them to serving plates.

Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and sprinkle with chopped herbs if desired. Remove the cooked lemon slices from the top of the salmon before eating, or you can leave them for presentation.

Serve the lemon salmon with your favorite side dishes and enjoy!