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Craving mole by don't have the time to prepare it? Make this shortcut version instead! Mole spiced salmon takes the flavors of mole and turns it into a dry spice. Pair the salmon with homemade salsa verde, pomegranate molasses, and garlic labneh for a restaurant-worthy meal.
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What makes this dish special
Salmon seems to be one of the most popular fish options, but in all honesty, it can get so boring. Whenever I order salmon at a restaurant, it's nothing special. Just because I order a seafood dish doesn't mean I want light flavors; give me something flavorful like Thai BBQ salmon or pistachio-crusted salmon! So I'm taking control and making the most flavorful salmon dish, mole spiced salmon.
Take the same spices you'll find in a traditional Mexican mole sauce and use them to season the fish. Then, pair that beautiful fish with tangy pomegranate molasses, a fresh salsa verde, and garlic labneh for an insanely delicious meal. Say goodbye to boring salmon because this is anything but!
Recipe
Mole Spiced Salmon
Ingredients
Garlic labneh
- ½ cup labneh
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper
Salsa verde
- 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ground fennel
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- salt and pepper
Mole spiced salmon
- 1 pound salmon
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon aleppo pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dark cocoa
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make garlic labneh. Combine labneh with garlic and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and let sit for 30 minutes or overnight.
- Prepare salsa verde. Combine chopped parsley with olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, fennel, coriander, and red chili flakes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Combine mole spices for salmon including chili powder, aleppo pepper, paprika, cumin, brown sugar, black pepper, salt, oregano, cocoa, and sugar. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons evenly over the salmon and drizzle 1 tablespoons olive oil on top. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Bake salmon for 12-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Spoon garlic labneh on serving plate and spread in an even layer. Lay salmon on top and drizzle pomegranate molasses on top. Spread salsa verde on top and serve extra salsa on the side. Serve immediately.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Prepare salmon
Begin by preheating your oven to 425 degrees F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. This will ensure easy cleanup and prevent the salmon from sticking.
Now, let's infuse the salmon with those distinctive mole flavors. In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, Aleppo pepper, smoked paprika, cumin, brown sugar, black pepper, salt, dried oregano, dark cocoa, and granulated sugar.
The dark cocoa might seem like an odd ingredient, but if you ever made mole rojo before, you'll know that the sauce incorporates Mexican chocolate.
If you can't find Aleppo pepper, use ancho chili powder instead.
Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture evenly over the salmon, followed by 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Let the salmon sit for about 10 minutes to really soak in those flavors.
This recipe makes extra spice blend, so if you're planning on cooking double the amount of salmon, it works out perfectly. You can also reserve the remaining spice mixture and use it to season roasted root vegetables!
Step 2: Make sauces
While the salmon marinates, it's time to create two sauces: the salsa verde and garlic labneh.
For the creamy garlic labneh, take ½ cup of labneh and mix it with 2 teaspoons of minced garlic and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
This allows the labneh to really absorb that garlic.
Next, make the salsa verde. Combine chopped fresh parsley with olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, ground fennel, ground coriander, and red chili flakes. Season the salsa with salt and pepper to taste.
Feel free to make both of the sauces the day before.
Step 3: Putting it all together
Now it's time to put everything together. Bake the salmon in the preheated oven for approximately 12-15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Once baked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Although I don't normally rest seafood, I do for salmon and other fatty fish to prevent it from overcooking.
Assemble the plates starting by spreading the creamy garlic labneh in an even layer, creating a base for your salmon.
Next, lay the perfectly baked salmon on top and drizzle the pomegranate molasses on top. Finish with a drizzle of the herby salsa verde and enjoy it while it's hot!
And there you have it - a mole spiced salmon dish that's sure to delight your taste buds. The blend of mole spices, creamy labneh, and zesty salsa verde creates a flavor explosion that convinces me that restaurants need to take up the spices a notch.
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: The garlic labneh, mole spice blend, and salsa verde can be prepared the day before.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 3 days.
More salmon recipes
Looking for more salmon dishes? Try these:
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