Spicy Moroccan Salmon Recipe: A Kosher Delight

Nov 06, 2025 0

Introducing our new scandalous friend: Spicy Moroccan Salmon! This authentic Moroccan salmon recipe tastes like a scene from Casablanca - a light fiery heat, juicy salmon, and spices the color of the sunset. This is a quick easy dish to prepare and the salmon comes out so juicy with just a short bake in the oven.

Both of these fish recipes aren’t exactly mine, they are from Esther(my moroccan landlady), who hails from good ol’Morocco herself. We were handed down a fire-roaster(i’m sure there is a real name for this gadget), from Esther herself.

Take a bite of this salmon and you will feel like you’ve been transported to the Middle East! When my friend introduced me to Moroccan salmon I was literally licking my plate. The fireworks of flavor going on in my mouth was something I’ve never experienced before, it was amazing!

Moroccan-Israeli Salmon for Passover is an easy kosher-for-Passover recipe for salmon in a delicious slightly spicy tomato and red pepper sauce. Moroccan-Israeli Salmon for Passover is perfect for the week of Passover and even for the day of the seder!

Over the years, I have learned to adapt “normal” food for Passover so that my family won’t complain about boring, tasteless, or repetitive meals. I find that having good food and variety makes the week of Passover a very pleasant experience, and I hope this recipe will help make yours just that!

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I really wanted to title this blog “If I can make it, anyone can” because, honestly, if I can make it, anyone can. It has always been important to me that whoever eats at my table will have plenty to enjoy, and that includes my kids (I never agreed with the “You will eat what is served, or you won’t eat” ideology), and, because I keep it simple, I can prepare a variety of dishes in a relatively short period of time.

I have a philosophy regarding being a great cook: Prepare food according to the tastes of those who will be eating it, and they will love your cooking! As far as I am concerned, start with the basic ingredients that make the dish what it is, adapt according to taste, and voila! You are an amazing cook!

Nevertheless, as I said, if I can do it, anyone can!

Morocco was once the home of the largest Jewish community in the Muslim world. However, by the time of the Yom Kippur war, the majority of Morocco’s Jews had immigrated to Israel, and they brought their delicious cuisine with them.

That being said, “Israeli cuisine” is basically Middle Eastern (as opposed to Eastern European food) that was brought to Israel by Jews when they fled or were expelled from Muslim countries and moved to Israel mostly after the declaration of the State of Israel (collectively known as Mizrahi Jews).

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Recipes were passed from generation to generation, and although decades have passed, the foods are still known by the culture they came from, and everyone seems to have their own way of making them. That said, there are many variations of pretty much any “Israeli” recipe because of background, custom, or even just taste. When choosing a recipe, one has to know what actually constitutes a main ingredient - what makes the dish what it is - and what is left up to individual taste.

Spicy Moroccan Salmon

Key Ingredients for Moroccan Salmon

The Moroccan spice blend adds flavor and nutrition to this recipe. Using spices decreases the need for salt, which may help reduce hypertension risk and therefore promote heart health. Additionally, these spices contain powerful antioxidants which may help reduce inflammation in the body.

Turmeric: This healthy orange spice has been used for centuries in Moroccan cooking to get that rich golden colour we are so accustomed to seeing (cous-cous, tagine?). A superfood and powerful antioxidant, this ground spice is inexpensive.
Moroccan Paprika: Not just your normal paprika. Moroccans have taken it to the next level and added olive oil and sea salt to sweet paprika, producing a deep red spice that is full of flavour and eye popping colour.
Garlic: We love garlic in Moroccan cuisine! Once cooked, the garlic gets really soft and is perfect for smearing on warm pieces of challah bread soaked up with all the other flavours.
Fresh herbs: Parsley and cilantro, (as well as mint to flavour tea), are the favourite herbs of Moroccan cuisine.

Tips for the Perfect Moroccan Salmon

Salmon: Always try to get the freshest salmon available. A good fishmonger at your local grocery store can help you with the pin bones and skin.
Jalapeño Peppers: If you are afraid of the jalapeno being too spicy you can omit or swap for green pepper.
Cooking Time: It really only needs 20 minutes in the oven! Remember- over- baked salmon equals dry salmon.

Should you cook salmon with the skin on or off? For this recipe, it doesn’t matter. When you roast/bake fish in the oven with the skin side down, the skin doesn’t get crispy, so it’s not very appealing to eat.

Here are some possible substitutions for ingredients:

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Salmon: substitute arctic char or steelhead trout.
Cilantro: substitute Italian parsley, but note that the flavor will be different.

Health Benefits of Salmon

This is a nutrient-packed dinner recipe! The American Heart Association recommends eating two, 3.5-ounce servings of fish per week, and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 8 total ounces per week for the general population. Fish is a quality source of protein that is rich in vitamins and minerals.

Wild-caught is known for having a higher omega-3 content, but surprisingly, that’s not always the case!

Serving and Storing Instructions

Moroccan salmon is a delicious protein for wraps, bowls, or tostadas. This is the variation of our roasted fish base recipe featured in our Whole Life Meal Plan. It is perfect for wraps, bowls, or tostadas.

You can also freeze leftover fish. Let cool, then place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before heating. When ready to heat and serve, place on a pan and cover. Place in a cold oven, then preheat the oven to 350ºF. Once the oven reaches 350ºF, check the internal temperature of the fish. If it is 145ºF or above, it’s ready to serve.

Moroccan Salmon Recipe

Here's a simple and delicious Moroccan Salmon recipe that you can prepare at home:

Ingredients:

6 pieces of salmon
3 tbsp oil
15oz can tomato sauce
2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
4 cloves garlic
1 can chickpeas, drained
2 sprigs fresh cilantro or 4 frozen cubes
1 tsp salt
1 jalapeño, diced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika

Instructions:

Place the salmon in a 9×13 pan or oven to table dish, set aside.
Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan. Add the rest of the ingredients.
Bring to a boil and let simmer for 30-35 minutes checking it every so often. The long cooking times allows the flavors to steep and really come out!
Once done pour the sauce over the salmon.

While making the sauce from scratch is really so good and it’s worth it to go that extra mile. Understanding our busy lives, in a pinch I’ve taken a container of store-bought matbucha and substituted that. I like to buy sides of salmon and cut pieces to size. Any salmon will work. This dish is also delicious with white fish, I’ve made this with tilapia. If you are afraid of the jalapeno being too spicy you can omit or swap for green pepper. You can make this in a 9×13 pan, I like to make it in an oven-to-table dish and bring it directly to the table juices and all.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper, nonstick spray, or a light brush of oil. Place salmon on baking sheet, skin side down (if skin on). Blot the salmon dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Rub spice blend on top and sides. For maximum flavor development, let the spice blend sit on the salmon for ~15 minutes before cooking.

Roast 10 minutes for every inch of thickness. Salmon should flake easily with a fork and internal temperature should reach 145ºF. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and lemon juice.

You can make this in a 9×13 pan, I like to make it in an oven-to-table dish and bring it directly to the table juices and all.

Serve with bulgur, rice or couscous and spoon lots of sauce on each persons plate. It might be a good idea to have challah and/or pita to mop up the sauce with.

Moroccan Salmon Dish

Let us know how it turned out for you! And don’t forget to share it with all of your friends and family!