Spiced Salmon with Sweet Potato Salad and Crunchy Pepita-Panko Crust

This vibrant salmon dish brings together bold North African flavors with a satisfying crunch. A creamy harissa-yogurt sauce doubles as both a marinade and a drizzle, while a pepita-panko crust adds golden texture to the roasted fish. Sweet potatoes roast alongside the salmon, soaking up the heat and are tossed with fresh mixed greens and a bright lemon dressing.

Everything comes together on one sheet pan in about 30 minutes, making it an ideal weeknight meal that feels special. The combination of spicy, tangy and earthy flavors will have you coming back to this recipe again and again.

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Ingredients

1 unit Harissa AioliView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Sweet PotatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Mixed GreensView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon YogurtView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Panko BreadcrumbsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 ounce PepitasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce SalmonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the top position and preheat the oven to 450°F. Wash and dry all produce. Peel the sweet potato and dice it into ½-inch pieces.
2. On one side of a baking sheet, toss the sweet potato with a drizzle of oil, half the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Roast on the top rack until the sweet potato begins to soften, about 10 minutes. (You’ll add the salmon to the sheet later.)
3. While the sweet potato roasts, in a small bowl, combine the harissa aioli and yogurt. Reserve half of this harissa-yogurt sauce in a separate small bowl for serving. Finely chop the pepitas. Quarter the lemon. Roughly chop the cilantro. In a third small bowl, combine the panko, chopped pepitas, remaining garlic powder, a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels; season all over with salt and pepper.
4. After the sweet potato has roasted for 10 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Carefully add the salmon, skin side down, to the empty side of the sheet. Evenly top the salmon with the remaining harissa-yogurt sauce (not the reserved serving portion), then mound the panko mixture on top, pressing gently to adhere. Return the sheet to the top rack and roast until the sweet potato is tender and the salmon is cooked through, 8-10 minutes more.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the juice from one lemon wedge (use two wedges for 4 servings), a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. When the sweet potato is done roasting, transfer it to the bowl along with the mixed greens. Toss to combine.
6. Divide the sweet potato salad and salmon between plates. Drizzle the reserved harissa-yogurt sauce over the salmon and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve with the remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of fish?

Yes, this recipe works well with other firm fish like cod or halibut. Adjust cooking time as needed based on thickness.

What can I substitute for harissa aioli?

If you don’t have harissa aioli, mix 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise with 1 teaspoon of harissa paste (or to taste) and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Can I make this recipe dairy-free?

Yes, use a dairy-free yogurt alternative in place of regular yogurt. The harissa aioli typically contains egg, so check labels if needed.