Stoplight Piperade with Spicy Broiled Salmon Recipe

Updated March 20, 2025

Light but punchy, this dish is made from simple salmon broiled on a bed of piperade, a stewed mix of red, yellow, and green bell peppers, onions, garlic, olive oil, and, the secret ingredient, piment d'Espelette, a red pepper powder from the Basque region of France that is lightly spicy, and very earthy. Traditionally, you would cook eggs in place of the salmon, but I like this little update that gives everyday salmon so much exotic flavor.

Recipe Details

Stoplight Piperade with Spicy Broiled Salmon Recipe

Prep 5 mins

Cook 2 hrs 35 mins

Active 20 mins

Total 2 hrs 40 mins

Serves 2 servings

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1 medium yellow bell pepper, diced (about 3/4 cup)
1 medium red bell pepper, diced (about 3/4 cup)
1 medium green bell pepper, diced (about 3/4 cup)
3/4 teaspoon piment d’Espelette (or red pepper flakes), divided
1 (14.5-ounce) can of diced tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless salmon fillets
A few mint leaves

Directions

To make the piperade, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a sautépan over medium-low heat. When the oil shimmers, add onion. Cook, stirring frequently until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, bell peppers, and 1/2 teaspoon piment d’Espelette. Cook, stirring frequently until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juice, and season well with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat all the way down, cover, and cook slowly for 2 hours, stirring every half hour or so.
Adjust a rack to 6 inches below broiler element and preheat broiler to high. Remove lid from piperade pot, increase heat to high, and let it boil until the pan is nearly dry and the tomato broth has evaporated. Transfer the piperade to a food processor, and pulse until roughly chopped, about 6 one-second pulses.
Transfer the piperade to a broiler-safe baking dish. Rub the salmon fillets with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and season with salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon piment d’Espelette. Place the salmon on the piperade, and broil for 10 minutes, until the top is golden brown, and the salmon is cooked through. Tear some mint over the salmon. Serve with warm bread.

Special equipment

food processor

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
585	Calories
33g	Fat
31g	Carbs
43g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories	585
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 33g	43%
Saturated Fat 6g	29%
Cholesterol 107mg	36%
Sodium 495mg	22%
Total Carbohydrate 31g	11%
Dietary Fiber 8g	27%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 43g
Vitamin C 267mg	1,335%
Calcium 144mg	11%
Iron 3mg	17%
Potassium 1554mg	33%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.