Samke Harra is a popular Lebanese seafood dish, and its a must-try. Popular in coastal cities like Tripoli, this recipe features baked cod topped with a zesty sauce made from tahini, lemon juice, garlic, fresh cilantro, and toasted nuts. The combination of heat, tangy lemon, and fragrant spices truly hit the spot. Samke Harra is surprisingly easy to prepare – I’ll guide you step-by-step on how to make this authentic Lebanese fish recipe right at home.

Pieces of golden fish smothered in a white sauce with golden pine nuts and chopped parsley on a blue patterned tray with handles, a beige dish towel, a small blue patterned bowl with pine nuts and a wooden handled serving spoon at the side on a beige and white background.

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Samke Harra: Lebanese Spicy Fish

If you’ve never tried tahini with fish – you’ll be quite surprised at just how well they go together! The tangy, garlicky tahini sauce adds creaminess and cools down the spicy cod fillets creating a balanced bite. I often make a tomatoey fish recipe, and this samke harra is a welcome variation for us from time to time.

The dish is meant to be spicy (hence the “harra” which means spicy in Arabic) – but I often make it a bit mild to suit my kids palettes. I love using chili powder for the heat element since it has a few more warm spices mixed in, but you can also use cayenne pepper or dried chili flakes. You can also finely chop red chillies and add them to the tahini sauce.

This dish is made in many variations, and the traditional Tripoli way of serving it involves stuffing it in pita bread with lettuce and tomatoes. When I’m making it for dinner though, my favourite way is to serve it over vermicelli rice or yellow rice with a side salad.

Recipe Notes & Substitutions

Grab your ingredients. Here are a few important notes to keep in mind for substitutions and such.

Ingredient shot with white fish on a dark green plate, a white bowl with tahini, a small white plate with chopped garlic, small bowl with salt, green rimmed bowl with water, white bowl with chopped cilantro, small bowl with spices, white bowl with chopped onion, white bowl with olive oil, glass bowl with toasted pine nuts on a marble background.

Best fish to use: Cod. It has a mild flavour, perfect for absorbing the spices, and it flakes nicely when cooked. You can also substitute other white fish varieties like sea bass and red snapper. I’ve also made it with tilapia (what I often have on hand) and it works well.

Cilantro vs. Parsley: Here’s the thing – I hate cilantro. I said it. So I make this with parsley in both the tahini sauce and the garnish. But if you’re a cilantro lover, it’s more traditional to use it in the tahini sauce.

Pine Nuts: They are expensive and sometimes hard to find, therefore feel free to substitute slivered almonds or cashews.

The Heat: In this recipe, I use chili powder (the blend of spices) because I love the flavour and the fact that the heat is more mild. But you can use cayenne pepper or dried chili flakes to amp up the flavour. Finely chopped chilis also work well as garnish.

Step by Step Process

Start by patting the fish dry – this is really important, especially if you’re using frozen fish fillets. Season the fillets on both sides and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

How To Tell When Cod Is Cooked: It’ll be opaque and flake very easily with a fork. The exact time will depend on the thickness of the fillet, so rely on these visual cues more than the time! Overcooked fish will be rubbery and its best to avoid it.

Six pieces of white fish in a white baking dish with a blue rim.
Six white pieces of fish in a white baking dish with an orange hued spice mix on top.

While the fish bakes, whip up the tahini sauce in a small saucepan. Taste and adjust with more salt and lemon jucie.

A metal pot with chopped parsley and chopped onions softening with a light blue spatula.
Metal pot with a white creamy sauce with specks of chopped cilantro and a light blue spatula with a wooden handle.

Plate the cod fillets and then drown them in the tahini sauce. I often keep a few fillets under seasoned to make sure my kids can eat it without the extra heat!

Cooked fish coated in orange coloured spices in a white baking dish with a dark blue rim.
Pieces of golden fish smothered in a white sauce with golden pine nuts being sprinkled on top and chopped parsley on a blue patterned tray.

Garnish with the toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley and serve with vermicelli rice.

Pieces of golden fish smothered in a white sauce with golden pine nuts and chopped parsley on a blue patterned tray with handles, a beige plate with rice a piece of golden fish with white sauce and golden pine nuts, a beige dish towel, a small blue patterned bowl with pine nuts and a wooden handled serving spoon at the side on a beige and white background.

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5 from 2 ratings

Samke Harra (Lebanese Spicy Fish)

Yield: 6 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Author: Amina Al-Saigh
Perfectly spiced flaky white fish is smothered in a delicious tahini sauce for an easy, bright and flavorful weeknight meal! Top with
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 kg cod fish filets, cleaned, washed and patted dry
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper, or ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder, or substitute 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the Tahini Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic , crushed
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped (or sub parsley)
  • 1/2 cup tahini, (235 ml)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice, (100 ml)
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

For Serving

  • 1/2 cup blanched almonds, cashews or pine nuts , to fry
  • 1/2 cup parsley, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 400℉.
  • Place the 1 kg cod fish filets on a baking tray with parchment paper. Pat dry with a kitchen towel. Brush each piece with 2 tablespoons olive oil and coat with the 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bake the cod filets for 15 to 20 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. The exact time will depend on the thickness of the fillets; check them at the 15 minute mark.
  • Meanwhile, start on the tahini sauce. In a small saucepan, heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil then sauté the 4 cloves garlic until fragrant. Add the 1 medium yellow onion and cook until translucent for 5-7 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup cilantro (or parsley) and cook for an additional minute. Add the 1/2 cup tahini along with the 1/2 cup water, 1/3 cup lemon juice and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk until combined and homogeneous. Cook together for a few minutes for a pourable texture, then set aside.
  • Once the fish is cooked, place the fish on a serving plate and cover with the tahini sauce. Top with the 1/2 cup blanched almonds, cashews or pine nuts and 1/2 cup parsley. Serve with a side of rice or pita.

Notes

  • You may use other types of fish for this recipe like sea bass or red snapper. Just make sure it is fatty and will not dry out.
  • The traditional Tripoli way of serving samke harra is in a pita bread with lettuce and tomatoes.
  • For more heat, you can increase the chili powder and/or cayenne pepper to taste.
  • Some prefer to use a whole fish instead of the filets. In this case the fish is deep fried and served on top of the sauce for a nice presentation. I personally have not tried it this way since I know my kids will have trouble eating it! 
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 391kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 788mg, Potassium: 954mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 787IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 3mg
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