Honey Harissa Salmon (with Garlic, Thyme and Lemon)

Honey Harissa Salmon fillets on a platter garnished with chopped cilantro and lemon wedges.

5 from 2 votes

Honey Harissa Salmon (with Garlic, Thyme and Lemon)

This Honey Harissa Salmon is the spicy-sweet sheet pan dinner of your dreams. It’s smoky, zesty, a little fiery, and perfectly balanced with sweet honey, lemon, and fresh thyme. Bonus: it’s wildly easy to throw together and makes your kitchen smell amazing while it bakes. The whole thing is ready in under 30 minutes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean, North African

Servings: Servings

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $20

Ingredients

Honey Harissa Marinade

3 tbsp Harissa paste
2 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp Grainy mustard
2 tbsp Fresh thyme leaves
1-2 Garlic cloves (minced)

Salmon Fillets

2 lbs Salmon fillets - 4 fillets, skin on or off
1 tsp Kosher salt
¼ tsp Black pepper

Garnish

Fresh cilantro
Lemon wedges

Instructions

Make the Marinade and Preheat the Oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). In a small bowl, whisk together the 3 tbsp Harissa paste, 2 tbsp Honey, 2 tbsp Lemon juice, 1 tbsp Olive oil, 1 tbsp Grainy mustard, 2 tbsp Fresh thyme leaves and 1-2 Garlic cloves (minced).
Prep the Salmon. Place 2 lbs Salmon fillets on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Pat dry with paper towels and season with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp Black pepper.
Coat with Marinade. Spoon the harissa mixture evenly over the fillets, spreading it to cover all sides.
Bake. Transfer to a preheated oven and bake for 17–22 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and reaches your preferred doneness. Garnish with chopped Fresh cilantro and serve with Lemon wedges.

Notes

Refer to the post above for step-by-step recipe photos, helpful tips and tricks.

Key Ingredient Notes:

Salmon Fillets. Skin-on or skinless both work. Choose center-cut pieces for even cooking. Obviously, fresh would be great, but most salmon available at the grocery store these days is thawed so there’s no shame in buying frozen fillets and thawing them yourself at home.
Harissa Paste: Harissa is a North African chili paste that is sweet, spicy, and savory. It’s an excellent base for stews and marinades because it has chili peppers, red peppers, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and spices like ground cumin, ground coriander, and caraway. I like to make my own Harissa Paste because I prefer it to be a little smoother for marinating recipes. But jarred works just as well. Jarred Harissa is available in Middle Eastern, North African, and international markets. These days, you might also find it in a well-stocked grocery store (Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s).
Honey: Balances the spice with natural sweetness. Maple syrup is a fine sub.
Fresh Herbs: I am using fresh thyme here. It’s earthy and aromatic. You can swap for dried thyme if needed.
Grainy Mustard: So this is a bit unusual. I love grainy mustard with salmon. It adds a tangy punch and texture. Smooth Dijon also works. But you can also just omit it.

Serve it with my plain white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, Middle Eastern Rice Pilaf, Saffron Rice, Vermicelli Rice, or with my Batata Harra (spicy Lebanese potatoes) or Garlic Rosemary Roasted Potatoes. You can even serve it with my garlic mashed potatoes.

Nutrition