Have an exotic easy weeknight dinner with one pan baked Moroccan salmon

Name: Moroccan Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 29 min
Total time: 34 min
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless (skin-on fillet of salmon (you can also use skinless salmon)); 1 head cauliflower; 1/2 cup pitted green olives; 5 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons harissa; 2 teaspoons cumin; 1 tsp turmeric; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 1 lemon

By: kseniaprints · Published: Jan 7, 2021 · Updated: Dec 1, 2023 · This post may contain affiliate links.

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This Moroccan salmon recipe with cauliflower, lemon, olives and spices is your ticket to the easiest exotic weeknight dinner.

A one pan bake that infuses salmon with the flavours of lemon, turmeric and cumin, and pairs it with punchy cauliflower, lemon and olives. This sheet pan dinner is guaranteed to bring an exotic twist to your weeknight meals!

Weeknight Dinner Doldrums

When I moved in with my first boyfriend, I fell under the mistaken impression that dinner must be made fresh, every day.

You see, in a typical Russian household, the mother cooks all the meals on a daily basis. Fathers cook a couple of times a year, on Mother's Day or for International Women's Day (which is a real Russian holiday). That's just the way the world turns.

When I was dating my high-school sweetheart, I watched his mom cook every single day. Omelettes, potatoes with sausage, rice with chicken kebabs, simple baked salmon; these were not elaborate meals, but they were made fresh daily.

But my mother was rarely home, and so we subsisted largely off of frozen meals, or reheated leftovers that my grandmother made. The occasional Moroccan baked fish, or delicious grilled salmon, would be the bright stars in an otherwise cloudy sky.

So when I moved into my first real household, I vowed to cook a fresh, delicious weeknight dinner for two, every day.

And then reality hit me.

It took me years to accept that dinners can be reheated, and that there's nothing wrong with leftovers. But I still longed for those easy, delicious weeknight dinner recipes.

And so I fell head over heels when I discovered this one tray baked salmon, the easy sheet pan dinner of my dreams.

Technique Spotlight: Sheet Pan Dinners

Sheet pan dinners are a favourite in our house.

Whether it's salmon with apples and potatoes, tofu with Asian vegetables, or paprika chicken with potatoes and mushrooms, I love easy weeknight dinners that require nothing but an oven. Known as sheet pan dinners or one tray bakes, these weeknight dinner hacks usually don't need detailed instructions - just some imagination and creativity.

Chopping vegetables, choosing a protein, mixing with some oil and spices, and placing it all on one tray in the oven is my favourite easy weeknight dinner recipe.

And this Moroccan salmon with cauliflower, olives and lemon is the perfect embodiment of this philosophy.

What is so special about this Moroccan Salmon Tray Bake

Once I tried it, this Moroccan baked salmon became one of my go-to easy salmon dinner recipes for two. I usually make it with frozen fish, and the vegetables on the side vary based on what I have in my fridge.

But always, this Moroccan Salmon recipe is:

easy to put together
delicious
filling
endlessly customizable
gluten-free
easily reheated
a great clean eating salmon recipe
Paleo
Keto
Whole 30 approved
ready in 30 minutes
requires nothing but a sheet pan and an oven

Ingredients for Moroccan salmon

To make some delicious, clean Moroccan salmon with cauliflower, lemon and olives in under 30 minutes, you need:

boneless, skin-on fillet of salmon (you can also use skinless salmon)
cauliflower
green olives
olive oil
harissa
cumin - sometimes i also like to use this Award Winning Dry Rub for Ribs for the flavor it gives
turmeric (if you are a fan of turmeric, you may want to try these ginger turmeric shots as well!)
salt
pepper
lemon
One baking sheet

See recipe card for exact quantities.

Directions for Moroccan salmon with cauliflower

Prep the ingredients

First, you need to preheat your oven. For perfectly grilled Moroccan fish, I like to set the oven to 400F / 200C. This ensure the vegetables and fish cook fully on the inside, while getting a nice crisp on the outside.

Prepare your baking sheet by covering it with parchment paper or a reusable silicone mat.

Cut the cauliflower into florets. Slice the lemon into thin slices. If you want to portion out your salmon prior to baking, then do so now by cutting it into 2-inch-wide slices of about 5oz each.

Mix the marinade

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, harissa, turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper. Whisk well to combine.

Brush the salmon and cauliflower with the marinade

Brush the salmon liberally with the marinade. Keep it on a plate aside.

In a large bowl, combine cauliflower florets, olives and half the lemon slices (reserve as many lemon slices as you have pieces of fish, or 3-4 slices for a large salmon fillet). Drizzle the leftover marinade onto the vegetables, and mix well to combine.

Transfer the cauliflower florets, olives and lemon slices onto the baking sheet.

Start by baking the vegetables

To ensure the best texture for your veggies, we start by baking them first and add the salmon after. Place the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Add spiced salmon to the oven

After 15 minutes, remove baking tray from the oven. Add salmon fillet onto the tray, nestling it among the cauliflower florets. Cover salmon with the reserved lemon slices that you had set aside.

Return baking sheet with cauliflower and salmon to the oven for 14 minutes.

Serve Moroccan salmon with cauliflower, lemon slices and olives on the side

After 29 minutes of total baking time, your fish should be slightly browned around the edges and flaky on the inside. The cauliflower should be easily pierced with a knife.

Once ready, remove the baking tray from the oven. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Serve your spiced Moroccan salmon with the baked lemon slices, and a mix of harissa and turmeric-tinged cauliflower and olives on the side. You may also enjoy a dollop of yogurt on the side.

Scaling the recipe

This Moroccan salmon recipe uses a 1-lb piece of skin-on salmon. I prepare a whole head of cauliflower with it. This is a generous dinner for two, with vegetable leftovers.

If you eat small portions, or serve this with another side like this Israeli salad, this will be enough for 4 servings.

If you want to cook a bigger piece of fish, no problem - but you may need to increase the baking time (a 2-lb piece of salmon will take 20-25 minutes to bake), or cut your fish into individual fillets.

Storage

Moroccan salmon with cauliflower is made in one tray, and can easily be stored together in one container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Making in Advance

One of my favourite things about sheet pan dinners is how easy they are to throw together when you're short on time. There are no separate components and no fuss.

But if you want to make this in advance, no problem - the Moroccan salmon tray bake can be frozen once cooked. Just let it cool to room temperature, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.

You can also prepare the cauliflower and salmon separately if desired, with the cauliflower baked for 15 minutes a day in advance and the salmon made right before serving.

Heating instructions

To reheat Moroccan salmon with cauliflower, the microwave works just fine. Putting it back in the oven will dry the fish.

Dominant flavors and ingredients

The main flavors in this Moroccan salmon tray bake are olives and lemon. Harissa and cumin provide just a faint aftertaste, and the turmeric is mostly there for colour.

If you're not a fan of olives, feel free to omit them. You can also skip the turmeric, but everything will look more pale. You can use curry powder in place of turmeric.

Top tips for oven-baked Moroccan salmon

This exotic weeknight dinner recipe couldn't be easier. My top tips to making this easy salmon dinner for two include:

If using frozen fish, defrost it first
As always, use good, fresh herbs and harissa
Double the fish for extra servings!
Preheat your oven in advance to ensure this is ready in under 30 minutes

Adaptations

This grilled Moroccan salmon recipe is naturally gluten-free and grain-free. It is also Paleo, Keto and Whole 30 approved.

Vegan and Vegetarian

You can omit the salmon altogether for a delicious Moroccan cauliflower bake with olives and lemon.

To substitute the salmon for a vegetarian alternative, use a block of tofu, sliced into ½ inch slices. We recommend tripling the marinade and marinating the tofu overnight for best results.

You can also substitute the salmon for 1 can of chickpeas. In that case, bake the whole tray together for 30 minutes.

Moroccan salmon tray bake variations:

Moroccan salmon with bell peppers and tomatoes - replace the cauliflower for 2 bell peppers, 1 onion and 2 tomatoes. Bake the peppers and tomatoes first.
Moroccan salmon with broccoli and bell peppers - replace the cauliflower for 2 bell peppers and 2 broccoli heads, cut into florets. Bake the broccoli and peppers first.

Equipment

The only equipment you need for this salmon sheet pan dinner is a sheet pan. Here are some of the ones I like and use:

Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet, 2-Pack, Silver

$36.56

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Nordic Ware Naturals Aluminum NonStick Baker's Half Sheet 13" x 18"

$18.98

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10/03/2024 05:27 pm GMT

Accompanying Dishes

As this Moroccan salmon with cauliflower is a full meal, you don't need much to go with it. If you're looking to serve this as part of a dinner party, or just looking for a nice light salad, here are some of my best suggestions:

When to Serve

This Moroccan Salmon recipe is perfect as a weeknight dinner.

I love making it in winter, as it makes the whole house feel warm and fuzzy, and it smells amazing!

If you're looking for more ways to cook salmon, try these:

For more easy sheet pan dinners:

Recipe

Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.

Moroccan Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner

Ksenia Prints

This Moroccan salmon with cauliflower, lemon, olives and spices is your ticket to the easiest exotic weeknight dinner.

4.87 from 38 votes

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 29

Total Time 34

Course Fish, Main, Main Course, main dish

Cuisine Middle Eastern, Moroccan

Servings people

Calories 773 kcal

Equipment

Baking sheet

Ingredients

1 lb boneless skin-on fillet of salmon (you can also use skinless salmon)
1 head cauliflower
½ cup pitted green olives
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons harissa
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 lemon