Samkeh Harra (Spiced Baked Fish)

Name: Samkeh Harra (Spiced Baked Fish)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

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Creamy tahini, herbs, pine nuts, and oven-baked fish fillet—Samkeh Harra (Spiced Baked Fish) done my way. Simple and bursting with flavour.

PREP TIME

15 minutes

COOK TIME

15 minutes

SERVES

About this recipe

Samkeh Harra (Spiced Baked Fish) is a traditional Lebanese dish made with white fish, garlic, lemon, herbs, and tahini. Some people bake the fish, some fry it, and every family does it a little differently. This is how I make it—baked in the oven with a creamy tahini sauce and a sizzle of pine nuts on top. My mum made her Samkeh Harra on the stovetop. She’d sauté the garlic and herbs in olive oil, then stir in the tahini directly while it was still on the heat. I do it slightly differently. I cook the aromatics first, then mix them into the lemon and tahini off the heat. It thickens more gently that way and gives the sauce a creamy finish without getting too hot.

The nutty, tangy tahini flavour is something that shows up at every Lebanese table—whether it’s with kafta, fish, or falafel. It’s one of those ingredients that never leaves the fridge.

This tahini sauce itself is just beautiful. You sauté your aromatics in olive oil until fragrant, pour them into the tahini and lemon mixture, and spoon it all over the fish before baking. Once it’s out of the oven, it gets topped with sizzling golden pine nuts. And if you want to go all out, you can roast some baby carrots or add a few vine tomatoes to the tray. It’s the kind of dish that feels special but is so easy to pull off.

This dish is also perfect for entertaining. Everything can be prepped ahead of time— from the tahini sauce to the herbs—and once it’s in the oven, you’re free to focus on your guests. It’s impressive, flavourful, and simple to serve, making it a favourite for my dinner parties. If you’re planning a menu, you might like to check out my tips on how to host a dinner party. If you’re after more fish recipes, check out my Whole Baked Snapper with Vegetables, it was actually the first fish dish I ever made after getting married or my quick and vibrant Pan-Seared Fish with Tomato and Capers, a meal you can have at the table in under 20 minutes.

Ingredients

For the tahini sauce

1⁄2 cup tahini paste
1⁄2 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
Up to 1⁄2 cup cold water (added slowly)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1⁄2 cup olive oil (maybe more)
1 fresh chilli, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup fresh coriander, finely chopped
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
Salt, to taste

For the fish

1 large fish fillet (approx. 500 grams), skin on ( I used snapper)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to season

For the topping

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts

Optional sides

Cherry tomatoes on the vine
Baby carrots, halved diagonally, tossed with olive oil and salt

Notes from Rouba

Add your water to the tahini slowly—it can go from thick to too runny quickly.
If your sauce is too runny, stir in more tahini to bring it back.
Use pine nuts or slivered almonds—either is fine.
If you’re feeding a crowd, get both sides of a whole snapper filleted and bake them side by side.
Ask your fishmonger for the bones and head—they make a great stock for rice dishes.

Method

Step 1. Prepare the Fish

Preheat your oven to 200°C (fan-forced). Line a tray with baking paper or lightly oil it. Pat your fish fillet dry and season both sides with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place it skin-side down on the tray. If using, place whole cherry tomatoes on the same tray—no need to oil them.

Step 2 Make the Herb Tahini

In a bowl, whisk together the tahini and lemon juice. It will thicken at first—this is normal. Gradually add cold water, a little at a time, whisking until the sauce becomes creamy and pourable. Add salt and stir in the ground coriander.

Heat 1⁄2 cup olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and diced fresh chilli. Sauté for about a minute, then stir in the chopped coriander and spring onion. You want to be generous with the olive oil here—if you feel like the herbs and garlic are absorbing it too quickly, just add a little more oil. Cook just until soft and fragrant—don’t let them brown. Pour this mixture into the tahini base and mix to combine.

Step 3. Assemble and Bake

Spoon the tahini-herb sauce over the seasoned fish. You’ll likely use about three-quarters of the sauce here—save the rest to serve on the side. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.

Step 4. To Garnish

Once the fish is out of the oven, heat olive oil in a small pan. Add the pine nuts and toast until golden, spoon the sizzling nuts and oil directly over the top.

A Few Things You’ll Want to Know

Can I skip the pine nut topping?

Yes! I’ve made it without, and it was still absolutely delicious—but the nuts do add a beautiful crunch and depth.

What fish can I use?

I used snapper fillet. Salmon fillets work well, or any firm white fish like barramundi or kingfish. Just adjust cooking time based on thickness.

What about the tomatoes and carrots?

The tomatoes go straight on the tray—no oil needed.

For the carrots, halve them diagonally, toss them with olive oil and salt, and bake in a separate tray at 200°C for about 25–30 minutes until golden and softened.

How do I stop the tahini from splitting?

Always add water slowly and whisk well. Use cold water, not warm, and stir until creamy. If it splits, keep stirring or add a touch more lemon or tahini.