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Quick recipes with salmon and couscous

Harissa-Glazed Salmon with Warm Couscous & Charred Lemon

weeknightspicyseafood
10 minPrep15 minCook4Serves

Ingredients

  • 4 fillets (6 oz each)salmon fillets (skin-on)
  • 1 cupcouscous
  • 1½ cupsvegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoonsharissa paste
  • 1 tablespoonhoney
  • 3 tablespoonsolive oil
  • 2lemon
  • ½ mediumred onion
  • ¼ cup packedfresh cilantro
  • ·salt
  • ·black pepper

Prep

  1. 01

    Halve 2 lemons lengthwise.

  2. 02

    Dice 0.5 medium red onion.

  3. 03

    Chop 0.25 cup fresh cilantro.

Method

  1. 01

    Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.

  2. 02

    In a small bowl, whisk together harissa paste, honey, and 1 tablespoon olive oil to make a glaze.

  3. 03

    Pat salmon fillets dry and place skin-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper, then brush the harissa glaze over the flesh side of each fillet.

  4. 04

    Roast salmon for 12–14 minutes, until it flakes easily with a fork and is cooked through.

  5. 05

    While salmon cooks, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the halved and charred lemon halves, cut-side down, and cook for 3–4 minutes until lightly blackened. Set aside.

  6. 06

    In the same skillet, bring vegetable broth and a pinch of salt to a boil. Stir in couscous, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

  7. 07

    Divide couscous among bowls. Top each with a salmon fillet. Scatter diced red onion and cilantro over and around the salmon. Serve with a charred lemon half for squeezing.

Spice Tips

For deeper heat, add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the harissa glaze or sprinkle red pepper flakes over the finished bowls. For a cooling contrast, dollop Greek yogurt or labneh on the side. A splash of pomegranate molasses stirred into the couscous adds fruity complexity.

Harissa varies in heat; if you prefer milder spice, reduce to 1 tablespoon and add an extra 1/2 tablespoon honey for sweetness. The recipe reheats poorly, so cook and serve fresh.

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