Piri-Piri Salmon with Chilli, Garlic and Lemon

Piri-piri salmon brings the chilli-garlic brightness associated with Portuguese-style piri-piri to a quick roasted fish dinner. A thick paste of red chilli, garlic, lemon, red wine vinegar, smoked paprika and olive oil coats the fillet, giving the rich salmon a sharp, smoky heat without weighing it down. Roasting keeps the preparation simple, while the juices on the tray become a ready-made sauce to spoon back over the fish. It is a practical choice for a fast dinner, especially with rice, potatoes or a crisp salad to catch the tangy pan juices.
Recipe by JustRecipes Editorial Team
Content validated: August 2026 How we create recipes
Made this recipe? Rate it
Cuisine style Portuguese-inspired
Flavor profile Fiery • Tangy • Smoky
Techniques Blending • Roasting • Basting
Key equipment Oven • Baking tray • Blender
Spice level Hot
Time commitment Under 30 minutes

Why this recipe works

  • Bold piri-piri flavour: Fresh chilli, garlic, smoked paprika and lemon create a punchy paste that seasons the salmon quickly and thoroughly.
  • Sharpness balances richness: Lemon and red wine vinegar cut through the natural oiliness of salmon, keeping the dish bright rather than heavy.
  • Fast cooking: Blending the paste and roasting the fillets keeps the method simple enough for a 25-minute dinner.

Get the most out of this recipe

Adjust the heat

  • For less heat: Remove the chilli seeds and membrane before blending, or use a milder red chilli.
  • For extra fire: Keep the chilli seeds in the paste or choose a hotter variety if you want a more assertive piri-piri bite.
  • Keep it balanced: If the paste tastes too sharp or hot before roasting, soften it with a little extra olive oil rather than more lemon.

Texture tips

  • Keep the salmon juicy: Pull the fish from the oven when the centre is just turning opaque; it will continue to cook gently as it rests.
  • Watch the thickness: Thinner fillets may be ready closer to 8 minutes, while thicker pieces usually need nearer 12 minutes.

Ingredient notes

  • Chilli choice matters: The heat level depends heavily on the chilli variety, so taste cautiously if using a hotter type.
  • Adjust the acidity: Red wine vinegar gives a sharper finish; using more lemon instead makes the paste fruitier and softer.
  • Use the zest as well as the juice: Lemon zest adds aromatic citrus flavour without making the paste too wet.

Serving ideas

  • Serve with something cooling: Rice, boiled potatoes, cucumber salad or simple greens work well with the chilli, garlic and lemon.
  • Finish with freshness: A little extra lemon at the table sharpens the pan juices and lifts the smoky paprika.

Equipment you'll need

Baking tray Blender Oven
Ingredients
Instructions
Print
  1. Heat the oven to 220°C (430°F). Put the salmon on a baking tray.
  2. Trim the red chilli and remove the seeds if you want less heat. Add the chilli, garlic, the zest and juice of the lemon, red wine vinegar, smoked paprika, fine sea salt and olive oil to a blender, then blend to a thick paste.
  3. Spoon the paste over the salmon and rub it in to coat the top and sides. Roast for 8 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness, until the salmon is just opaque and flakes easily at the thickest part.
  4. Rest for 2 minutes, then spoon the pan juices over the fish to serve. If the paste looks dry, tilt the tray to gather the juices and baste the salmon once before serving.

Made this recipe? Rate it — a comment is optional.

Recipe notes

Tips

  • For the juiciest result, pull the salmon when the centre is just turning opaque; it will finish cooking as it rests.
  • If cooking for anyone who is pregnant, elderly, or immunocompromised, cook the salmon until piping hot throughout and fully opaque.

Substitutions

  • Replace red wine vinegar with the juice of the lemon for a slightly softer, fruitier acidity.
  • Replace smoked paprika with half the amount of smoked paprika for a milder, less smoky finish.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 2 days
  • Cool, then refrigerate in a sealed container. Reheat on a baking tray at 180°C (355°F) for 6 to 8 minutes until piping hot, or flake and eat cold with the pan juices.

Ratings & reviews

Liked this recipe? Share your feedback to support our cooking community.

Tried this recipe?

Choose 1–5 stars. A comment is optional.

If you leave a comment, use 10–500 characters.

Stay inspired

Discover new recipes, seasonal favourites and cooking inspiration every day. Follow JustRecipes on Pinterest and Spillt.

Pinterest
Piri-Piri Salmon with Chilli, Garlic and Lemon
Image by JustRecipes
Pinterest

Recipe overview

  • Servings: 2 servings
  • Total time: 25min (15min active)
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Cuisine: Portuguese
  • Allergens:
    Fish
Beginner friendly
Pinterest Signal WhatsApp

Plan your meals and get a complete grocery list automatically.

Add to meal planner

Equipment you'll need

Baking tray Blender Oven

Got ingredients left?

Find recipes using ingredients from this recipe or what you already have at home.

Find recipes with these ingredients →

More variations

View all

More from this course

View all

Cook with these ingredients

Fine sea salt

1 cup ≈ 268.8 g
Convert ingredient→

Olive oil

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
Convert ingredient→

Red wine vinegar

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
Convert ingredient→

More with similar ingredients

View all

You might also like

Browse alphabetically

Looking for a specific recipe? Choose a letter below to jump directly to recipes starting with that letter or number.

Explore the Recipe Index

Enjoy cooking with JustRecipes?

Add JustRecipes as one of your preferred Google sources to discover our recipes more easily across Google Search.

Add JustRecipes to Google

Every recipe on JustRecipes follows the same structured editorial process. Learn how recipes are created, validated, translated, illustrated, and continuously improved across the platform. How we create recipes.