What is harissa?
Harissa is a North African sauce made of dried red chili peppers, garlic, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and caraway seeds. It is believed to have originated in Tunisia although it’s now deeply embedded in the cuisine of other North African countries, including Algeria, Morocco and Libya, and Middle Eastern countries, including Israel and Armenia. The word “harissa” is derived from the Arabic word “harasa,” which means “to crush or pound" – a reference to how the paste is made. Harissa is an appetizing rich red color, thanks to the large number of chili peppers that go into it. It’s also smoky with chilies, cumin, coriander and caraway. There are many variations of harissa, and some include tomato paste and/or paprika. In our minimalist but extremely flavorful version we can skip those with no loss in flavor. And if you love spice blends from Mediterranean cuisine, be sure to try this Calabrian chili paste made with spicy Italian chili peppers.
Why you will love this recipe
It’s loaded with flavor. Harissa is a transformative ingredient. It completely changes the flavor profile of the dish you add it to, with so many complex and delicious notes. Try this recipe once and you’ll never want to be without a jar of harissa again! It takes just minutes to make. You need to soak the chili peppers for around 15 minutes and then roast them lightly with the other spices. After that all you do is push the button on your blender. No chopping and prepping and no more than 10 minutes of hands-on time needed. It is versatile. Although north African in origin, harissa is a versatile sauce and one that can be used to add a flavor wallop to nearly any of your favorite stews, soups, pastas or rice dishes. It’s everyone friendly. Vegan? Gluten-free? Low-Carb? Soy-Free? No worries! Everyone can eat harissa and enjoy it.
Ingredients and substitutions
Chili peppers. I use a mix of hot and sweet Mexican chili peppers in my harissa paste, because they add tons of flavor. My favorite combination is one mild but gigantic ancho pepper, which adds great color, two moderately hot guajillo peppers for smokiness, and six to eight arbol chili peppers for heat. You can deseed the peppers for less heat. Coriander seeds. These add a fruity, lemony aroma to the harissa. Caraway seeds. Caraway seeds add a sharp, nutty, bittersweet flavor with a hint of lemon. You can skip them if you don’t have them and add more cumin instead. Cumin seeds. Cumin adds an earthy and warm aroma. Extra virgin olive oil. This is for blending the harissa and it also rounds out the flavors of the spices nicely. If you want to use less oil, reduce to two tablespoons and add more of the chili pepper soaking liquid while blending. Garlic. With its spicy, pungent, addictive flavor notes, garlic is a traditional and essential ingredient in harissa. Lemon (optional). Lemon adds a nice finish to the harissa, but you can skip it if you don’t want to use because there’s already a lot of citrusy flavor here from the spices. You can also use a tablespoon of vinegar instead of lemon. Salt to taste.
Step by step instructions
More uses for harissa
Stir in some harissa to add vibrant flavor to an African Peanut Stew. Or make Vegan Harissa Meatballs for the ultimate appetizer! Use it to spice up a delicious tagine, like this vegan Jackfruit “Lamb” Tagine. Add harissa to the tagine instead of the ras el hanout spice mix. Use it as a dressing for this Moroccan Couscous Salad along with a dash of lemon. Use it to flavor a Moroccan Lentil Stew with veggies and mint. Or add it to this Roasted Eggplant Soup instead of za’atar.
Storage instructions
Refrigerate: Harissa can be refrigerated for up to two weeks. Freeze: Freeze the harissa in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw before using.
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