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Baked Salmon With Harissa
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Baked Salmon With Harissa

This baked salmon with harissa is bold, vibrant, and effortlessly impressive. Tender salmon is coated in a fragrant North African–inspired marinade with lemon, garlic, cumin, coriander, and harissa, then baked over juicy tomatoes and shallots for a deeply flavorful, restaurant-worthy meal.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 47 minutes
Servings: 4 fillets
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mediterranean, North African
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Marinade
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds lightly crushed
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds lightly crushed
  • ⅓ cup fresh cilantro finely chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 4 tsp soy sauce use tamari for gluten-free
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2–3 tsp harissa paste adjust to heat preference
  • 4 cloves garlic finely minced
  • ¾ tsp sweet paprika
  • fine sea salt and black pepper to taste
For the Salmon
  • 4 fillets salmon center-cut, skinless (about 6 oz each)
  • 8 oz cherry tomatoes
  • 3 large shallots thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • fine sea salt and black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Lightly crush the cumin and coriander seeds. In a bowl, mix them with cilantro, olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, tomato paste, maple syrup, harissa, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth.
  2. Add the salmon fillets to the marinade and coat well. Let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes or refrigerate up to 4 hours.
  3. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the cherry tomatoes and sliced shallots with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  4. Place the marinated salmon on top of the vegetables and spoon any remaining marinade over the fish.
  5. Bake for about 22 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily and the tomatoes are soft and blistered. Garnish with extra cilantro and serve warm.

Notes

Check salmon early to avoid overcooking—it’s done when just opaque and moist. For a milder version, reduce harissa or serve with yogurt or tahini sauce. Vegetables like zucchini or peppers can replace tomatoes and shallots.