Baked Harissa Salmon Over Lemon Quinoa

This oven-baked harissa salmon recipe is light, fresh, and flavourful! Inspired by Moroccan flavours, salmon is coated in a simple harissa sauce and served over a mixture of quinoa, kale, lemon, and raisins. A 35-minute healthy weeknight dinner idea!

This post is sponsored by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). As always, all words, thoughts, and opinions are my own. Thank you for continuing to support the brands who help make Walder Wellness possible.

I’m so excited to share this harissa salmon recipe with you today! It’s such a delicious way to add a TON of flavour to a simple, healthy baked salmon dish.

I made this recipe in partnership with my friends at the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a global science-based nonprofit dedicated to ending overfishing worldwide.

Our goal in this partnership was to show you how seafood products that feature the MSC blue fish label are good for you and the ocean, too!

In this post I’ll share some facts on the health benefits of sustainable seafood – for you, and for the planet. As a dietitian, these are both super important to me!

All products with the MSC blue fish label are wild caught, which means that they’re a naturally low carbon footprint protein (i.e. has less of an environmental impact than other sources of animal protein).

Luckily, identifying the MSC blue fish label on foods it’s SUPER easy – just check the packaging of any seafood product to see if you can find the same blue label as shown in the picture above!

If you love this recipe, be sure to check out MSC’s virtual Healthy Oceans Too Cookbook! This harissa baked salmon is featured in there, along with a digital collection of easy, healthy seafood recipes that you can make at home. I hope it inspires you to make the best environmental choice when buying the seafood you love 🙂

Recipe Ingredients Needed

You only need 10 simple, healthy ingredients to make this easy salmon recipe:

• MSC-certified salmon fillets
• harissa paste
• garlic
• olive oil
• quinoa
• kale
• lemon
• golden raisins
• salt
• pepper

Why Choose Sustainable Seafood?

Choosing sustainable seafood with the MSC blue fish label is a win-win for people AND the planet.

By choosing planet-friendly proteins like sustainable seafood, you can reduce your carbon footprint and promote the health of our oceans!

Did you know that:

• wild-capture fisheries contribute only 1% of food emissions, compared to the 30% that livestock and fish farms do?
• of all animal-based proteins, fish has the lowest impact on the planet in terms of greenhouse gas emissions per gram of protein?
• 40% of inhabitable land on Earth is used for food production, with only 2% of that used for producing fish + eggs? In comparison, 82% of that land is used to produce livestock.
• sustainable fishing helps to reduce carbon emissions by increasing efficiency!

With 1/3 of the world’s fisheries being overfished, it’s important to me that I choose sustainable seafood options so that future generations are able to enjoy the same delicious seafood dishes that I enjoy regularly.

Source: Institute for Marine & Antarctic Studies

Salmon Nutrition Benefits

Salmon is an excellent source of quality, complete protein:

• a 3-ounce serving provides 17 grams
• a 6-ounce piece will give you 34 grams

Protein helps to protect bone health and prevent muscle loss, among many other functions!

In addition to protein, salmon is rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3s. Omega-3s are known to support heart health, brain health, and to reduce inflammation overall.

On the micronutrient side, salmon is a great source of B vitamins like:

• vitamin B12
• vitamin B6
• thiamin
• riboflavin
• niacin

B vitamins act as coenzymes in many important metabolic processes throughout your body, such as turning the food we eat into energy!

Salmon is also a good source of minerals like potassium and selenium.

Source: Seafood Nutrition Partnership

How To Store & Reheat Baked Salmon

Cooked salmon will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

You can reheat salmon in the oven, stovetop, or microwave, although it will compromise the texture a little. Because of this, I often like eating any leftover salmon cold. Throw it into a salad or add it to a sandwich or wrap!

Recipe Modifications & Variations

While I recommend keeping the salmon recipe as is, you can easily serve the harissa salmon with something other than the lemon quinoa.

For instance, instead of quinoa you can use another grain like brown rice, farro, or couscous.

Instead of kale you could use another leafy green, like spinach or chard.

You could also serve the harissa salmon over a simple pasta, or with a side of roasted potatoes and/or roasted veggies!

More Easy, Healthy Salmon Recipes

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