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Honey harissa salmon with white rice and cucumber salad in a bowl, garnished with fresh dill on a neutral tablecloth.

Honey Harissa Salmon

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.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: harissa, salmon
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 518kcal
Author: Lola Jay

Ingredients

Honey Harissa Salmon

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
US Customary - Metric

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
    Hand slicing raw salmon fillet on a wooden cutting board.

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
    Whisk mixing sauce ingredients in a Pyrex measuring cup.
  • 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.
    Diced salmon in sauce being stirred with a spoon in a white bowl.

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.
    Diced raw salmon pieces in a white baking dish.
  • 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.
    Baked salmon bites arranged in a baking dish on a wooden table.

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
    Sliced cucumbers and red onions in a white bowl.
  • 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
    Cucumber salad with red onion and creamy dill dressing in a white bowl.

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.
    Grilled salmon with rice and cucumber salad in a white bowl, lemon and dill on the side.
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Notes

Nutrition facts are only estimates.
Storage
Store leftover salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in the oven at 300F for 8 minutes or in the air fryer at 350F for 4 minutes. Avoid the microwave as it will make the salmon rubbery and dry out the glaze. Store the cucumber salad separately in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The cucumbers will release some water as they sit so give it a good stir before serving and taste for seasoning. Not recommended for freezing.

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 667mg | Potassium: 1286mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 397IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg
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