Harissa Paste Recipe | The Recipe Critic


This web site could comprise affiliate hyperlinks and promoting in order that we are able to present recipes to you. Learn my privateness coverage.

Harissa paste is a fiery and scrumptious condiment from North Africa that packs a punch. It combines spicy dried guajillo peppers, smoky roasted pink peppers, and different tasty seasonings to create a taste explosion that may elevate any dish!

Harissa paste is mostly identified for making harissa hen, nevertheless it’s truly tremendous versatile. Baste it on some grilled greens, add it to your favourite salad dressing, or combine into into selfmade hummus for a scrumptious, fiery kick.

Hero image of harissa paste in a glass jar.

What’s Harissa Paste?

Harissa paste is a spicy and flavorful condiment that originates from North African delicacies. It’s comprised of a mix of chili peppers, garlic, olive oil, and a bunch of fragrant spices like cumin, coriander, and caraway. This vibrant pink paste brings the warmth and a smoky, tangy kick to dishes. Folks in locations like Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria use it to jazz up stews, soups, marinades, and dips. Yow will discover it in some grocery shops and locations like Dealer Joe’s, however I personally like making it from scratch! It’s the key weapon for including a spicy punch to your cooking.

So, take a look at the ingredient listing beneath and escape your spice rack as a result of harissa paste is a must-make! Like different selfmade sauces, you may customise it to your liking. Add extra warmth, tone it down, make it extra savory, you identify it! Then you might have a tasty mix so as to add warmth and taste to your favourite dishes. Harissa paste is so nice! You’ll love having it round.

Is Harissa Paste Like Sriracha?

They’re each spicy sauces, sure, however they’ve some clear variations. Harissa paste has a thicker consistency and a extra deep, smoky taste. Sriracha sauce is thinner, sweeter, and extra tangy because of the addition of sugar and vinegar. Each are nice, however I wouldn’t advocate utilizing them interchangeably.

Elements Wanted

I do know it appears like loads, however harissa paste truly makes use of actually easy substances! Choose up some peppers and a can of tomato paste from the shop, then raid your pantry for all the spices and seasonings! Observe: actual measurements are within the recipe card beneath.

  • Dried Guajillo Peppers: These dried peppers pack some severe warmth and produce a wealthy, smoky taste to the harissa paste.
  • Tomato Paste: Tomato paste provides a contact of sweetness and tanginess to stability out the spiciness.
  • Roasted Crimson Peppers: You should utilize canned or jarred. Roasted pink peppers carry a pleasant smokiness to the combo.
  • Garlic Cloves: Garlic is a taste celebrity, and it actually shines in harissa paste. It makes it so savory and irresistible!
  • Lemon Juice: Lemon juice provides a shiny, citrusy zing that cuts via the richness of the opposite substances.
  • Additional Virgin Olive Oil: Olive oil not solely helps bind all of the substances collectively but additionally contributes a clean and luscious texture to the harissa paste.
  • Salt: You solely want a pinch to carry out one of the best in all the opposite substances.
  • Spices and Herbs: This recipe requires a mix of floor caraway, coriander, cumin, and clove. Collectively, this combination provides taste that’s heat, nutty, earthy, and spicy!

Make Harissa Paste

It’s so easy! All you must do is let your peppers soak in sizzling water after which mix your entire substances collectively. You’ll have a tasty paste prepared to make use of very quickly.

  1. Soak Chile Peppers: Add your dried chiles to a heat-proof bowl and pour boiling water over them. Enable them to soak and soften for about half-hour.
  2. Add Different Elements to a Meals Processor: Whereas your chiles are soaking, place your tomato paste, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and all of your spices right into a meals processor or blender.
  3. Mix: As soon as your chiles are prepared, add them to your meals processor or blender and mix the whole lot collectively till a clean paste kinds.
  4. Use or Retailer: Take away the harissa paste and add it to a container with a lid. Hold refrigerated for as much as 3 weeks.
3-photo collage of all the ingredients needed to make the sauce.

Ideas and Variations

Listed here are a couple of methods to customise and ideal your selfmade harissa paste. That’s the great thing about making selfmade sauces, you may change them up nevertheless you’d like!

  • Modify Warmth Degree: Harissa might be fairly spicy, so regulate the quantity of chili peppers or harissa paste based mostly in your spice tolerance. You possibly can add extra or fewer peppers to regulate the warmth. Begin with a smaller quantity and step by step improve if desired.
  • Sweeten it Up: For those who want a contact of sweetness to stability out the warmth, take into account including a teaspoon of honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar to your harissa sauce. Modify to style.
  • Spice it Up: Harissa is all about including your favourite spices. You possibly can throw in some additional flavors like smoked paprika, chili powder, or a touch of cinnamon for a cool twist.
  • Soften These Dried Peppers: For those who’re utilizing dried chili peppers, soak them in sizzling water for 15-20 minutes to melt them up. It’ll make them simpler to mix right into a clean sauce that’s filled with taste.
  • Enable Flavors to Develop: Let the harissa sauce sit for some time earlier than utilizing it to permit the flavors to meld collectively. This may improve the general style of the sauce. You possibly can retailer it within the fridge for a couple of hours or in a single day earlier than utilizing.

Top-down view of a jar of harissa paste with a wooden spoon inside.

How Lengthy Will Do-it-yourself Harissa Paste Final?

So long as you retain it in an hermetic jar within the fridge, selfmade harissa paste will final for about 3 weeks. The substances could settle the longer it sits, so give it a fast stir earlier than you utilize it!

4 pieces of harissa chicken on a white serving dish.


  • Add your dried chiles to a heat-proof bowl and pour boiling water over them. Enable them to soak and soften for about half-hour.

  • Whereas your chiles are soaking, place your tomato paste, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and all of your spices right into a meals processor or blender.

  • As soon as your chiles are prepared, add them to your meals processor or blender and mix the whole lot collectively till a clean paste kinds.

  • Take away the harissa paste and add it to a container with a lid. Hold refrigerated for as much as 3 weeks.



Serves: 1

Energy391kcal (20%)Carbohydrates31g (10%)Protein6g (12%)Fats31g (48%)Saturated Fats4g (20%)Polyunsaturated Fats4gMonounsaturated Fats21gSodium3565mg (149%)Potassium958mg (27%)Fiber10g (40%)Sugar13g (14%)Vitamin A6444IU (129%)Vitamin C61mg (74%)Calcium109mg (11%)Iron5mg (28%)

All dietary data is predicated on third celebration calculations and is just an estimate. Every recipe and dietary worth will differ relying on the manufacturers you utilize, measuring strategies and portion sizes per family.

Course pantry staple, Sauce

Delicacies north african

Key phrase harissa, harissa paste, harissa paste recipe, selfmade harissa paste



LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Read More

Recent