Honey Harissa Salmon is the recipe that proves a five-ingredient sauce can completely transform a piece of fish. Salmon cubes tossed in a smoky harissa, honey, lemon, and olive oil marinade, broiled until caramelized and slightly charred at the edges, served over white rice with a creamy cucumber salad on the side. Bold, sweet, a little spicy, and on the table in 20 minutes.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Honey Harissa Salmon
🕒 Ready In: ~ 20 minutes
👪 Serves: 4 servings
🍽 Calories: ~ 518 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Salmon, honey, harissa, cucumber, dill, Greek yogurt
👌 Difficulty: Easy
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Growing up in Paris, North African food was never exotic or unfamiliar. Harissa showed up at the table constantly, the way olive oil does in a Mediterranean kitchen, used as a condiment, stirred into sauces, and rubbed onto meat before it hit the heat. The sweetness tames the heat and the two together create a glaze that caramelizes under the broiler in a way that makes the edges of the salmon slightly charred and deeply, deeply good
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Honey harissa salmon under the broiler in 8 to 10 minutes with a sauce that does all the heavy lifting.
The honey harissa glaze caramelizes under the broiler into something sweet, smoky, and slightly charred that you will want to put on everything.
The creamy cucumber salad with toum is the cool tangy counterpoint that makes the whole plate feel complete.
Honey Harissa Salmon Video
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Ingredient Notes
Salmon: Cutting the salmon into cubes rather than leaving it as fillets gives you significantly more surface area for the marinade to caramelize on under the broiler. More surface area means more of those sweet charred edges and more flavor in every bite.
Harissa: Harissa is a North African chili paste made. It's made from roasted red peppers, hot chilies, garlic, and spices such as cumin and coriander. It originated in Tunisia and spread across North Africa and into the Middle East and France. Rose harissa is slightly milder and more floral if you want less heat.
Honey: The honey balances the heat of the harissa and creates the glaze that gets those charred, sticky edges under the broiler. Local raw honey has the best flavor here but any good quality honey does the job.
Toum: The secret weapon in the cucumber salad. Toum is a Lebanese garlic sauce made from garlic, oil, lemon juice, and salt. It emulsifies into a fluffy, intensely garlicky white cream. It is used widely across Lebanese and broader Levantine cooking. Also, adds a punchy garlic richness to the cucumber salad that regular mayo or plain yogurt simply cannot replicate.
Persian Cucumbers: They are less watery than English cucumbers! They stay crisp even after they are dressed and sitting for a few minutes.
Sumac: Listed as optional in the cucumber salad but I always use it. Sumac adds a tangy citrusy note that makes the dressing taste more complex and distinctly Mediterranean. It is the same spice used across my Mediterranean Hummus Bowl and my Pearl Couscous Tabbouleh for the same reason. Once it is in your pantry, you will use it constantly.
Smoked Paprika: Shows up in both the salmon marinade and the cucumber salad dressing. In the marinade, it adds depth and warmth to the harissa and honey. In the salad, it adds a subtle smokiness that ties the two components of the plate together.
Pro tip
The Secret to Perfect Salmon
Do not marinate for more than 30 minutes. The lemon juice in the marinade will start to break down the flesh of the salmon if it sits too long and you will end up with mushy rather than firm cubes.
Substitutions & Variations
No harissa? Sambal oelek with a pinch of cumin and smoked paprika gets you somewhere close. The flavor will be less complex and more straightforwardly spicy but the recipe will still work. Harissa is genuinely worth seeking out though. Once you have a jar you will use it on everything.
Want more heat? Add an extra tablespoon of harissa to the marinade. The honey will balance it but the heat will be noticeably more present.
Different base? This works beautifully over my Lebanese Rice for a more elevated version.
FAQ
Yes but you will get less surface area for the marinade to caramelize on and fewer of those charred edges per bite. If using fillets, broil for 10 to 12 minutes depending on thickness and check the internal temperature which should reach 125F for medium or 145F for fully cooked.
With 2 tablespoons of harissa and a quarter cup of honey the heat level is moderate. The honey does a lot of work to balance the spice. If you are heat sensitive, start with 1 tablespoon of harissa and taste the marinade before adding more. If you want it super spicy, go up to 3 tablespoons.
The salmon is best broiled fresh and served immediately. You can mix the marinade ahead and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days, then toss the salmon in it and broil right before serving
More Salmon Recipes You'll Love
- Pasta alla Salmone25 Minutes
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⭐️ Recipe
Honey Harissa Salmon
Ingredients
Honey Harissa Salmon
- 2 lbs salmon cut into 1.5 inch cubes, skin removed
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 tablespoon harissa
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Cucumber Salad
- 4 Persian cucumbers thinly sliced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup full fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon toum or mayo with a teaspoon of garlic
- 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon sumac optional but recommended
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill minced
Instructions
Prep the salmon
- Cut the salmon into roughly 1.5 inch cubes and remove the skin if still on. Pat the cubes completely dry with paper towels. Moisture on the surface of the salmon will prevent caramelization under the broiler and you will miss those charred sticky edges that make this recipe worth making.2 lbs salmon
Make the marinade
- In a large bowl whisk together the honey, harissa, extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and onion powder until fully combined. Taste it. It should be sweet, smoky, and have a gentle heat. Adjust the harissa up if you want more spice.⅓ cup honey, 2 tablespoon harissa, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Add the salmon cubes to the bowl and toss gently until every piece is evenly and generously coated in the marinade. If you decide to marinate, do not marinate for more than 30 minutes. The lemon juice will start to break down the flesh if it sits too long. I cooked mine immediately.
Broil the salmon
- Position your oven rack as close to the broiler element as possible. Preheat your broiler on high. Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment paper for easier cleanup. Spread the marinated salmon cubes on the sheet pan in a single, even layer with a little space between each piece. Do not crowd the pan or the salmon will steam rather than caramelize.
- Broil on high for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges of the salmon cubes are caramelized and slightly charred and the honey glaze is sticky and deeply golden. The difference between perfectly caramelized and burnt is about 60 seconds under a broiler so keep a close eye on it.
Make the cucumber salad
- Slice the Persian cucumbers as thinly as possible, using a mandoline if you have one. Slice the red onion thinly as well. Add both to a medium bowl.4 Persian cucumbers, ½ red onion
- Add the Greek yogurt, toum, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, sumac, and minced dill. Toss until everything is evenly coated and the cucumber and onion are fully dressed. Set aside while the salmon broils. The flavors develop as it sits and it will taste better after a few minutes than it does right away.¼ cup full fat Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon toum, 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon sumac, 1 tablespoon fresh dill, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Serve
- Heat the microwaveable white rice according to package instructions. Spoon the rice into bowls and top with the honey harissa salmon cubes. Serve the cucumber salad alongside. Spoon any remaining honey harissa glaze from the sheet pan over the salmon before serving. That caramelized sauce at the bottom of the pan is pure flavor and should not be left behind.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!