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This Sheet Pan Harissa Salmon + Roasted Veggies with Cashew Crema is foolproof and packed with flavor. The perfect recipe to impress any night of the week!
I know for some, salmon at home can be intimidating and messy if made on the stove. The solution? Pop it on a prepped sheet pan and bake it at 400°F. It’s foolproof every time – never dry.
In this recipe, I season the salmon with lemon juice and mild harissa paste for a tangy and spicy glaze. It’s then baked in the oven with turmeric-spiced carrots and cauliflower. While your oven is doing the work, you’ll have time to make the cashew crema. Together, you’ll build a bowl that is savory, a little bit spicy, tangy, herby and rich. Making this Sheet Pan Harissa Salmon + Roasted Veggies with Cashew Crema the perfect weeknight or weekend meal!
To ensure a smooth dinner, do not forget to soak your cashews well in advance, preferably overnight! Remembering to do that is probably the most difficult part of making this dish. But if you are in a pinch for time, you can speed up the process by soaking the nuts in very hot water for about an hour.
Ingredients:
- Cauliflower
- Carrots
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Turmeric
- Garlic Powder
- Ground Cumin
- Ground Coriander
- Smoked Paprika
- Kosher Salt
- Center Cut Salmon
- Mild Harissa Paste: See Note
- Lemon Zest and Juice
- Raw Cashews: Soaked in Water Overnight
- Jalapeño
- Fresh Garlic
- White Wine Vinegar
- Dill
- Cilantro
- Arugula
Step-by-Step:
Step One: Prep the Veggies
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Add the cauliflower and the carrots. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with turmeric, garlic powder, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, and salt. Toss well to combine so that all the florets and carrot coins are well-coated. Push the veggies to the edges of the sheet pan, making enough room in the center for the salmon.
Step Two: Prep the Salmon
Place the salmon in the center of the sheet pan, pat dry and sprinkle with the kosher salt. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, harissa paste, lemon juice, and smoked paprika. Pour the harissa glaze over the salmon and spread it across the entire fillet so that each inch of the salmon is completely coated. Top with the thin lemon slices.
Step Three: Bake
Transfer the sheet pan to the top rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and gently toss the veggies. Transfer back to the oven and continue baking until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily when pressed with a fork, about 10 more minutes.
Step four: Make the Crema
Drain the soaked cashews and rinse them well with water. In a high-speed blender or food processor, add the soaked cashews and additional crema ingredients. Blend on medium for about 3 minutes until the crema is extremely smooth and a pale green.
Step five: Assemble and Serve
When the salmon is done, sprinkle with the freshly chopped cilantro and dill. To assemble the bowls, add arugula and top with veggies, and flaked salmon. Top with a dollop of the cashew crema!
Recipe FAQ:
If you forget to soak your cashews overnight, soak them for one hour in very hot water!
Harissa can get very spicy so make note of the type you are buying! I usually buy the Mina Mild Harissa, which I find perfectly spicy but not overwhelming.
Just keep blending! At first, it will look like it will not come together, but with patience and more time, the mixture will come together perfectly!
I hope y’all love my Sheet Pan Harissa Salmon + Roasted Veggies with Cashew Crema! Comment below once you try this recipe!
For More Salmon Recipes:
Sheet Pan Gochujang Glazed Salmon
Grilled Salmon Tacos with Jalapeño Tartar Sauce
Sheet Pan Harissa Salmon + Roasted Veggies with Cashew Crema
Ingredients
For the Roasted Veggies:
- 1 large head cauliflower – cut into florets
- 2 large carrots – sliced on the bias
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. turmeric
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
For the Salmon:
- 1 ½ lb. center cut salmon – skin and pin bones removed
- 1 tsp. Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp. mild harissa paste, see note
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
For the Cashew Crema:
- 1 cup raw cashews – soaked in water overnight, see note
- 1 jalapeño – roughly chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic – peeled
- zest of one lemon
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
- ½ cup chopped dill – plus more for serving
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¾ cup water
For Serving:
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped dill
- 4 cups baby arugula
Instructions
For the Veggies:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Add the cauliflower and the carrots. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with turmeric, garlic powder, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, and salt.
- Toss well to combine so that all the florets and carrot coins are well-coated. Push the veggies to the edges of the sheet pan, making enough room in the center for the salmon.
For the Salmon:
- Place the salmon in the center of the sheet pan, pat dry and sprinkle with the kosher salt.
- In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, harissa paste, lemon juice, and smoked paprika. Pour the harissa glaze over the salmon and spread it across the entire fillet so that each inch of the salmon is completely coated. Top with the thin lemon slices.
- Transfer the sheet pan to the top rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and gently toss the veggies. Transfer back to the oven and continue baking until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily when pressed with a fork, about 10 more minutes.
Make the Cashew Crema:
- Meanwhile, drain the soaked cashews and rinse them well with water. In a high-speed blender or food processor, add the soaked cashews and additional crema ingredients. Blend on medium for about 3 minutes until the crema is extremely smooth and a pale green. At first, it will look like it will not come together, but with patience and more time, the mixture will come together.
Assemble the Bowls:
- When the salmon is done, sprinkle with the freshly chopped cilantro and dill.
- To assemble the bowls, add arugula and top with veggies, and flaked salmon. Top with a dollop of the cashew crema. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great recipe, everyone needs to make it! The flavors work very well together and it was absolutely delicious.
so happy you enjoyed it! so fresh and filling
This is so good! I love that you have so many awesome salmon recipes. The cashew crema is amazing- I froze the rest to serve with roasted veggies or fish tacos. I wonder what protein I could swap out for the salmon for people that don’t care for it – another fish? shrimp?
So yummy! I made this last year and will be making again for guests this week. Thinking of serving with couscous and a salad, but cannot think of what type of vinaigrette dressing would pair well. Any suggestions?
hi! I would do a simple vinaigrette! since the cashew crema and flavors are so strong, just a nice bright lemony vinaigrette or apple cider vinaigrette will be perfect here.