honey harissa salmon with lemony cucumber, mint & chickpea salad
a spicy, sweet and healthy 30 minute meal to enjoy this week!
Sometimes, just buying one ingredient sparks an entire dinner idea for me. In this instance, I saw the harissa paste at Trader Joe’s last week and decided that I needed to make some honey harissa salmon immediately. Then, I just looked in the fridge/pantry and threw together an easy salad to pair it with. The result? This.
If you’re all about the hot honey trend (aka honey that is spicy) you will undoubtedly love a honey harissa combo. Harissa is a North African chili paste that’s bold, smoky, and just the right amount of spicy. It’s typically made with roasted red peppers, hot chilies, garlic, olive oil, and spices like cumin, coriander, and caraway. You’ll find versions that range from mild and slightly sweet to fiery and intense. The Trader Joe’s one was actually much spicer than I imagined, so keep that in mind if you’re sensitive to heat!
In this recipe, harissa brings a deep warmth and complexity to the salmon—it’s the kind of flavor that tastes like you did something fancy, even though it comes straight from a jar.
Look for it near the international or Mediterranean section of your grocery store. Some favorite brands include Mina, NY Shuk, and Trader Joe’s.
I paired the honey harissa salmon with this crisp, crunchy cucumber salad because it’s already rich and flavorful, I didn’t want to overpower it with an intense side. This salad is light, vibrant and filling. If you aren’t into chickpeas you can also skip them!