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Harissa Glazed Salmon is pan-seared to perfection and coated with a fantastic sweet-heat sauce made with just 4 ingredients: harissa, honey, lemon, and oil. This salmon recipe with harissa paste really shines through with this mildly spicy sauce creating a sticky glaze over the fish. If you want to add new unique flavors to your dinner rotation, try this tender and flaky salmon recipe that’s fancy enough for special occasions and easy to make as a weeknight dinner.
Table of Contents
- why you’ll love this salmon with harissa paste
- Ingredients to make Harissa Glazed Salmon
- How to make harissa glazed salmon
- Tips for making harissa honey salmon
- popular substitutions & additions
- what to serve with harissa spiced salmon
- how to store & reheat salmon
- Frequently asked questions
- More salmon recipes:
- Harissa Glazed Salmon Recipe
why you’ll love this salmon with harissa paste
- Easy to make in one pan. All you need to make these deliciously harissa spiced salmon filets is a hot skillet and less than 10 minutes to cook. That means you can have dinner ready fast without all the extra dishes.
- Adds a punch of flavor to your weeknight dinner! Honey harissa glazed salmon is made with a Mediterranean pepper paste that’s easy to find at all grocery stores but gives the salmon a pop of color and a slightly sweet, tangy and spicy taste. Pair with simple side dishes like rice and broccoli and let the salmon shine through.
- Impressive recipe. Pan-seared salmon is already so good, so adding a spicy honey glaze takes it to the next level. With such an impactful punch of flavor, this salmon recipe will impress your guests, who think you’ve spent ages preparing it!
Ingredients to make Harissa Glazed Salmon
- Salmon: I recommend skin-off salmon fillets because you’ll want to get the harissa sauce all the salmon and not have any of it wasted on the skin. Use similar size salmon pieces to allow them to all cook at the same time.
- Harissa: This popular Mediterranean condiment is made with chili peppers, roasted red peppers, garlic, and spices, and it packs a punch of flavor and adds a bit of heat.
- Honey: Honey adds a touch of sweetness to the spicy pepper paste for a balance of sweet and spicy. You could also use maple syrup.
- Lemon: Lemon and seafood pair perfectly. A splash of citrus brightens the harissa glaze and adds a zesty pop of fresh flavors.
- Oil: Choose a neutral oil like extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil that adds fat content with a light flavor allowing the other ingredients to shine. Harissa usually has oil in it, so you don’t need it for the marinate – only for cooking in the pan so it doesn’t stick.
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to make harissa glazed salmon
Harissa salmon is pan fried on both sides with the sauce poured over and lightly heated to glaze the fish with a sweet and spicy sauce.
Prepare Harissa Sauce
- Add the harissa paste, honey, and lemon juice to a bowl.
- Whisk together and set aside for adding to the salmon after flipping.
How to cook Salmon with harissa
- Season the salmon with salt and pepper and place the fish flesh side down in a hot oil skillet.
- Flip the salmon and pour in the harissa-honey sauce.
- Continue cooking, spooning the sauce over the salmon.
- Once the salmon is glazed and reaches your desired temperature, it’s ready to serve!
Tips for making harissa honey salmon
- Use a hot skillet. Before adding the salmon, heat the skillet up to medium-high heat with oil. This will crisp up the flesh and sear it perfectly.
- Spice it up. Depending on how spicy your harissa is, you may want to add more heat. Try adding ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the sauce before you pour it into the pan for a little extra kick.
- Start the salmon top-side if cooking with skin-on (presentation side) down. Although it’s a standard recommendation to start cooking salmon fillets skin side down, we’re going to do the opposite because we’re only flipping the salmon once. Once flipped over, the skin will sear and crisp up while glazing the fish with the harissa honey sauce. Then, you can transfer the finished salmon to a plate for serving without flipping again.
- Spoon any excess fat out of the pan before adding the sauce. Since the harissa is made with oil already, you can remove some of the oil after cooking the salmon, so it does not become too oily. I usually just keep it in there since it’s only a small amount and serve it over plain white rice to absorb excess oil.
popular substitutions & additions
- Make homemade harissa. Harissa paste from scratch only requires 4 main ingredients, plus spices, and last in the fridge for 2-3 weeks! It’ll give you a fully flavored condiment where you can control the spiciness and create a delicious paste to add to many recipes.
- Use roasted garlic. Add roasted garlic to the harissa honey glaze for more depth. Harissa usually already includes garlic, so this will add more garlicky flavor. Use half or a whole head of roasted garlic to take this honey harissa glazed salmon recipe to new levels!
- Swap out the fish. Do you want to try this harissa glaze recipe with fish but skip using salmon? This sauce works with white fish like halibut or mahi mahi, or shrimp, too! Spread it over the fish after cooking to glaze the seared fish and add a peppery kick.
what to serve with harissa spiced salmon
how to store & reheat salmon
This salmon is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers will keep in the fridge. To reheat, simply cook in a skillet over low heat until warmed through. You can also reheat in the oven or air fryer at 200°F until warm.
how long will glazed cooked salmon last in the fridge?
Cooked salmon will last in the fridge for up to three days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
CAN I FREEZE COOKED SALMON?
Yes! Cooked salmon will keep in the freezer for up to two months. Again, be sure to store it properly in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat as desired.
Frequently asked questions
Marinating salmon in the harissa mixture isn’t necessary. When cooking the fish, the harissa glaze is added after cooking the salmon and flipping it over to melt down over it.
I recommend using wild-caught salmon for this recipe; however, any type of salmon works for this recipe. You can use fresh or frozen salmon. Just follow the proper thawing instructions on the packaging.
The best way to tell if your salmon is cooked through is to use a digital cooking thermometer. The internal temperature of the salmon should be between 125°F (medium-rare) and 160°F (well-done). You can also tell if it’s done by doing the fork test. Gently insert a fork into the thickest part of the salmon and twist. If the fish flakes easily with a fork, it’s done!
Dinners that pack in big flavors don’t have to be complicated, and this quick one-pan salmon recipe will prove that in under 10 minutes! This tender, flaky harissa honey salmon recipe is easy to make and will surely impress.
And if you have more harissa leftover from making this recipe, be sure to check out my Harissa Chicken, Grilled Harissa Chicken, and Harissa Eggplant Stew.
More salmon recipes:
- Panko Crusted Baked Salmon
- Lettuce Wraps with Salmon
- Pan fried Blackened Salmon
- Lemon Honey Salmon
- Greek Salmon
- Ground Salmon Burgers
- Fresh Salmon Cakes
- Grilled Pesto Salmon over Pasta
- Smoked Salmon Platter
- Baked Salmon with Feta
If you try this feel good Harissa Glazed Salmon recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Harissa Glazed Salmon
Ingredients
- ¼ cup harissa
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 6- ounce skinless salmon fillets preferably center cut
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Rice for serving
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the harissa, honey and lemon juice.
- Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Season the salmon filets on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add the salmon to the pan and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes. Flip the salmon and pour in the harissa-honey sauce. Cook, spooning the sauce over the salmon, until the salmon is glazed and reaches your desired temperature (about 2 more minutes to reach 125° for medium-rare).
- Transfer the salmon to a large plate, spooning any remaining sauce out of the pan and over the salmon. Serve with rice and parsley, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
We served it with millet (and some butter) and crisped the skins separately. Timing guideline was perfect in my cast iron.I also made Yumna’s very easy roasted garlic which turned out perfectly creamy and delicious. I love adding super healthy fresh herbs to these dishes for extra color, flavor and healthfulness. The spiciness was too much for my little one – I served hers without extra sauce from the pan and removed the obvious pepper flakes. The mild-medium sweet heat from the harissa glaze is perfect for my taste. She ate a good sized dollop of the roasted garlic!