Air Fryer Harissa Salmon with Herbed Couscous
Skin-on salmon fillets are coated in a smoky, lightly sweet harissa glaze and air fried at 400°F until the edges caramelize and the center turns tender and flaky. Served over fluffy lemon-parsley couscous with toasted almonds, it's a bright North African-inspired dinner that takes about 50 minutes, most of it hands-off.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 13 min
- Wait
- 18 min
- Total
- 51 min
- Makes
- 4 servings (4 salmon fillets with about 1 cup couscous each)
Steps
Before you start
- Take the salmon out of the fridge when you start so it isn't ice-cold going into the air fryer, and pat it very dry with paper towels.
- Harissa brands vary a lot in heat and saltiness. Taste a little first: if yours is very hot, use 2 tablespoons harissa plus 1 tablespoon extra olive oil.
- You need a 5–6 quart (4.7–5.7 L) air fryer basket to fit four fillets in one layer. With a smaller basket, cook in two batches and keep the first batch warm, loosely covered with foil.
- The salmon marinates for 15 minutes while you make the couscous, so read through the steps once and work in the order written.
- Boil about 1½ cups (355 ml) of water in a kettle just before step 5.
Mix the harissa glaze
- In a small bowl, stir together the harissa, olive oil for the glaze, honey, grated garlic, cumin, and the salt for the salmon until smooth and spreadable, like a thick paste.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The glaze is a uniform deep red-orange paste with no streaks of oil or honey.
Tip: Keep the honey to 2 teaspoons. Too much sugar can scorch at 400°F (200°C) and taste bitter.
Coat and marinate salmon
- Set the dry salmon fillets on a plate or tray, skin-side down.
- Spread about 2 tablespoons of glaze over the top and sides of each fillet, leaving the skin bare.
- Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes while you work on the couscous.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Tops and sides of the fillets are evenly covered in a thick red layer.
Tip: Don't marinate longer than 30 minutes; the salt in the glaze will start to firm up the flesh.
Prep the herbs and lemon
- Finely chop the parsley and mint, thinly slice the scallions, then zest the lemon with a fine grater (about 1 teaspoon) before juicing it (about 2 tablespoons / 30 ml).
- Combine the parsley, mint, scallions, and lemon zest in a small bowl and keep the juice separate.
- Cut the small lemon into 4 wedges for serving.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Herbs are finely chopped and the lemon has yielded about 2 tablespoons of juice.
Tip: Zest the lemon before cutting it, because a whole lemon is far easier to grate.
Toast the almonds
- Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the sliced almonds and stir or shake the pan constantly for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Tip them onto a plate right away so they stop cooking.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Almonds are light golden brown at the edges and smell nutty.
Tip: Sliced almonds go from golden to burnt in seconds. Pull them when they're a shade lighter than you want.
Steam the couscous
- Put the couscous, 1 tablespoon of the extra-virgin olive oil, the salt for the couscous, and the currants (if using) in a medium heatproof bowl and stir.
- Pour the freshly boiled water over the top, stir once, and cover tightly with a plate or lid.
- Leave undisturbed for 10 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: All the water is absorbed and the grains are tender with no hard center when you taste one.
Tip: Keep the lid on and don't stir during the 10 minutes. Peeking lets out the steam the grains need.
Preheat the air fryerOven 400°F / 205°C
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 4 minutes.
- Lightly brush the basket with a little oil from the remaining tablespoon of olive oil so the skin doesn't stick.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The air fryer shows it has reached 400°F (200°C).
Tip: Use only a thin film of oil. Excess oil can smoke at this temperature.
Air fry the salmonOven 400°F / 205°C
- Using a spatula, transfer the fillets to the hot basket, skin-side down, with about ½ inch (1 cm) between them.
- Cook at 400°F (200°C) for 8 to 10 minutes without flipping.
- Start checking at 8 minutes by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part.
- If your basket holds only 2 fillets, cook in two batches and add 1 minute to the second batch.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Thermometer reads 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part; the glaze is dark and slightly sticky and the flesh flakes easily with a fork.
Tip: For a silkier, medium center, pull the fish at 130°F (54°C); it will climb a few degrees as it rests. Use 145°F (63°C) if you want the USDA-recommended temperature.
Rest salmon, finish couscous
- Move the salmon to a clean plate and let it rest for 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, uncover the couscous and fluff it with a fork, breaking up any clumps.
- Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and the lemon juice, then fold in the herb mixture, toasted almonds, and black pepper.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Couscous grains are light, separate, and fluffy, with flecks of green throughout.
Tip: Fluff with a fork, not a spoon, to keep the grains light instead of mashing them.
Plate and serve
- Divide the couscous among 4 plates.
- Slide a spatula between the flesh and skin to lift each fillet (or leave the skin on, crisped side up) and set it on top.
- Spoon a dollop of Greek yogurt alongside if using, and serve with a lemon wedge on each plate.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Salmon is hot and glossy, and the couscous is warm.
Tip: Squeeze lemon over the salmon right before eating to brighten the harissa heat.
Good to know
Tips
- Pat the salmon dry before glazing. Surface moisture steams the fish and keeps the glaze from caramelizing.
- Start with skin-side down so the skin crisps against the hot basket and protects the flesh from drying out.
- Fillets of different thickness cook differently. If one is much thicker, start it 1 to 2 minutes before the others, and check each with a thermometer.
- Add more harissa at the table or a pinch of cayenne to the yogurt if you want extra heat.
Make ahead
"The harissa glaze can be mixed up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in a covered container. The couscous (without the herbs, lemon juice, and almonds) can be steamed up to 1 day ahead, cooled, and refrigerated; fold in the fresh ingredients just before serving. Cook the salmon fresh for best texture."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: store salmon and couscous separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Freezer: cooked salmon keeps up to 2 months, wrapped tightly; couscous is best eaten fresh or frozen up to 1 month. To reheat, warm salmon in the air fryer at 300°F (150°C) for 3 to 4 minutes until hot throughout (165°F / 74°C), and microwave the couscous with a splash of water, covered, for 1 to 2 minutes. Cold leftover salmon is also good flaked over the couscous as a salad."
Substitutions
- harissa paste → 2 tablespoons tomato paste + 1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper or 1½ teaspoons chili flakes + ½ teaspoon smoked paprika + 1 tablespoon extra olive oil. Gives a similar smoky heat but a less complex flavor; adjust chili to taste.
- skin-on salmon fillets, about 1 to 1¼ inches (2.5–3 cm) thick → Arctic char or ocean trout fillets of the same weight. Cook times are the same; thinner fillets may need 1 to 2 minutes less.
- dried small Moroccan couscous → Pearl (Israeli) couscous. Simmer in salted water for 8 to 10 minutes and drain, rather than steaming; the grains are larger and chewier.
- sliced almonds → Pistachios or pine nuts. Use the same amount; chop pistachios and toast pine nuts for 1 to 2 minutes only.