This easy oven baked salmon is one of our favourite recipes! A simple spicy garlic butter makes it the best recipe for a quick and flavourful weeknight dinner.
Salmon is one of my favourite things to make for dinner. It's so quick to cook and makes the perfect base for so many different flavour combinations. I especially love it with something spicy like this harissa spiked butter.
I first used harissa with salmon in this harissa roasted salmon recipe and it works so well! I was also inspired by the spiciness of this spicy salmon linguine which I would highly recommend if you're looking for a recipe that uses tinned salmon.
Ingredients
- Salmon Fillets
- Butter
- Garlic
- Olive Oil
- Harissa - I get a paste from the supermarket. These can vary a lot in spice level so you might need to adjust the quantities slightly depending on which brand you use.
- Lemon
- Rocket (Arugula)
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Put the salmon fillets skin side down in a rimmed baking sheet.
Put the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat.
Bubble the butter for 5 minutes until beginning to brown then add the garlic slices.
Add the harissa and olive oil to the pan, season well.
Pour the spicy butter over the salmon fillets.
Bake the salmon for 12 minutes until it flakes easily. Squeeze over the lemon juice and serve.
Hint: Be careful when browning the butter! You can easily take it too far and ruin it so watch closely. You want brown specks to just be forming on the bottom of the pan, keeps whisking to lift them from the bottom and mix into the butter.
Substitutions
- Salmon - this spicy harissa butter would be a dream on pretty much any protein. try chicken or tofu and adjust the timings accordingly
- Butter - if you're looking to make this recipe lactose free then try using olive oil or vegan butter instead
Variations
- Spices - I love the harissa in here but you could switch it out for a different spice paste or hot sauce for a different flavour profile. Chipotle paste would be really good
- Spicy - you can adjust the amount of harissa in this recipe to control the spice levels. If you want it extra spicy a pinch of chilli flakes in the butter would also work
For another use for harissa try this amazing spicy pasta recipe with harissa and aubergine!
Equipment
I like to use a metal baking sheet with a high rim to make this salmon which helps to make sure you don't lose any of that butter!
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Leftover salmon would be delicious flaked into a sandwich or folded into an omelette!
Top tip
This salmon is great served with so many different thing! We had it with a simple salad but it would also be delicious with pasta, rice, couscous or potatoes.
FAQ
This varies depending on the temperature and the size of the salmon fillet. For this recipe we start with 12 minutes at 340°F/170°C. If the salmon flakes easily then it's cooked, if not it might need a little longer.
Want more? Try these other salmon recipes!
- Salmon Sandwich with Prosciutto & Garlic Mayo
- Salmon Couscous with Za'atar & Feta
- Honey Garlic Salmon with Asparagus
- Smoked Salmon Toasts with Cucumber Ribbons
- Smoked Salmon Pasta with Asparagus
- Honey Soy Salmon with Noodles & Pickled Cucumber
- Pan-Seared Honey Balsamic Salmon
Recipe
Oven Baked Salmon with Spicy Butter
Ingredients
- 2 Salmon Fillets
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- 4 cloves Garlic sliced
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoon Harissa Paste
- ½ Lemon
- Handful Rocket to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oven 340°F/170°C. Put the salmon fillets skin side down on a high edged baking sheet.
- Put the butter in a small saucepan and melt over a medium heat, keep cooking and whisking for about 5 minutes until beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds before adding the olive oil and harissa. Season the butter mixture then pour over the salmon.
- Put the salmon in the oven for about 12 minutes until just cooked. Squeeze over the lemon juice.
- Spread the rocket on plates and top with the salmon fillets. Serve with extra lemon wedges.
Notes
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Anjali says
Love this healthy recipe and that spicy butter is to die for! It's packed with flavor and totally makes this dish!
Jean says
The garlic butter was the perfect add-on to top the salmon with. My family loved it.
Irena says
Loved that spicy butter!!! I happened to have harissa paste in the back of the fridge and it was great mellowed out by butter. Might try it on chicken as well.
Kris says
The harissa was such a nice touch here! Absolutely divine.
Cathleen says
I can never say no to a good salmon recipe. This one is going to be a staple in my kitchen for dinner, thank you so much for sharing this recipe 🙂