Quick Summary: Salmon fillets glazed with a creamy harissa-mayo sauce and broiled until golden. The North African spice blend adds warmth and complexity without extra carbs. Ready in 20 minutes. Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes | Serves: 4
Jump to: RECIPE | What is Harissa? | Uses for Harissa | Homemade Harissa | FAQ
Salmon is a nutritional powerhouse, especially for people on a slow-carb or ketogenic lifestyle. It also lends itself wonderfully to slow-carb sauces or rubs. This harissa baked salmon is one of my favorite Pesco Mediterranean recipes and can be a quick 10-minute weeknight dinner or a fancy-schmancy dinner party dish! I made it with some roasted Winter squash that I covered in the harissa sauce as well.
Harissa is a North African chile paste made with a blend of peppers, cumin, coriander, caraway, and cinnamon. The complexity is what sets it apart from a simple hot sauce. It adds warmth without overwhelming heat, especially if you choose a milder brand.
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What is Harissa?
Harissa is a paste or spice blend from Northwest Africa, typically featuring dried chiles, cumin, coriander, caraway, and cinnamon.
Commercial harissa pastes vary quite a bit by brand, some of them being extremely spicy. I tend to go for the milder harissa so I can taste the complexity of all of the spices and different chiles.
Ways to Use Harissa
Harissa comes as either a paste or a spice blend. Either way, it can be used as a rub on proteins like the salmon recipe below.
Other popular ways to use harissa include:
- Stirred into couscous.
- For a glaze on grilled main dishes.
- As a relish or condiment to have on the side with any roasted vegetable or protein.
- Stirred into scrambled eggs.
- Stirred into creamy winter squash dishes.
- Stirred into hummus.
Making Your Own Harissa
You can make harissa from scratch by toasting whole spices and blending with rehydrated dried chiles. It takes more time but lets you control the heat and freshness. Try this recipe for homemade harissa sauce if you want to make your own.
Of course, you can also purchase a mild harissa sauce if you prefer.
FAQ
It depends on the brand. Some are mild and aromatic; others are very hot. Start with a small amount if you’re unsure and taste the sauce before spreading it on the fish.
Yes. Mix the powder with a little oil or mayo to make a paste-like consistency. Start with about 2 teaspoons of powder in place of 1 tablespoon of paste.
Arctic char, trout, or any firm white fish. Adjust cooking time for thinner fillets.
Yes, but you won’t get the browned top. Bake a few minutes longer until the salmon is cooked through
Yes. Salmon, olive oil-based mayo, vegetables, and North African spices all fit the Pesco-Mediterranean pattern.
Seafood and fish are an integral part of the Pesco Mediterranean Diet. This article will fill you in on the details of the Pesco Mediterranean Diet to see if it might be something you want to try.
Harissa Glazed Salmon
Equipment
- 1 9” x 13” baking dish
Ingredients
- 16 ounces salmon or 1 large salmon cut into 4 oz fillets
- salt and pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1-2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon harissa paste either homemade harissa paste or store-bought
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 lemon thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat the inside of a 9 x 12-inch baking dish with oil or something like PAM. Sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper and arrange salmon in baking dish.16 ounces salmon, salt and pepper to taste
- In a bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, harissa paste, and smoked paprika, stirring until smooth. Spread the mayonnaise mixture over the fish as evenly as possible.1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1-2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon harissa paste, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Place the lemon slices around the salmon and bake in the preheated oven until the fish is hot and has begun to turn opaque (about 6 min).1 lemon
- Remove from the oven, turn the oven on broil, and raise the oven rack to the broil position. When up to broil temperature return the salmon to the broiler rack and broil until nicely browned, about 3 min.
- Enjoy the Harissa Glazed Salmon with roasted Winter squash and a side of harissa sauce to spread on the squash if desired. Refrigerate any leftover for tomorrow's lunch!
Dorothy Stainbrook says: 
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