Homemade Harissa Paste Recipe 

I love keeping a small jar of homemade harissa paste or sauce in my fridge. This traditional North African chili paste is a versatile condiment that adds a spicy, smoky kick to a wide range of dishes, from stews and grilled meats to sandwiches and dips. This easy recipe takes just a few minutes, simple ingredients, and you can adjust the spice to your liking. Here's how to make it.

What is Harissa?

Harissa is a spicy North African chili paste or sauce, especially popular in Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria. It's made from dried red chilies, garlic, spices, and olive oil, which gives it a fragrant, smoky, and slightly hot flavor.

You can use this homemade harissa paste to add instant flavor to a variety of dishes. Try it as a marinade for meats, spread it on bread, or mix it with yogurt or mayonnaise for a tasty dip. I like to make this harissa paste fresh, just before I grill these harissa chicken skewers.

What kind of red chilies are used to make Harissa?

Harissa paste or sauce gets its signature heat and color from red chili peppers. While Baklouti peppers are traditional, they're often hard to find.

You can still achieve authentic flavor by using a combination of easily accessible chilies, based on your preferred spice level and availability. Here are a few suggestions:

• For mild to medium heat and bright red color, try Kashmiri dried red chilies, or Guajillo and New Mexico for a fruitier touch.
• For moderate to hot spice, Chile de Árbol or dried Cayenne work well.
• To add a smoky flavor, use dried Chipotle or Ancho chilies.
• For a fiery kick, use Bird's Eye, Serrano, or Habanero (fresh) sparingly.

Other Ingredients:

• Toasted caraway seeds: They add a distinctive earthy flavor and are traditional in many harissa recipes, particularly Tunisian harissa. If you don't have them, no worries, your homemade harissa paste or sauce will still be good, but if you can get them, definitely give it a try.
• Fresh Red Bell Pepper: Roasting a fresh red bell pepper before adding it makes your harissa taste smoky and a little sweet, which helps balance out the chili heat. It gives your harissa that beautiful, bright red color and helps make it super smooth. If you're in a hurry (and who isn't sometimes?), you can use canned roasted red bell peppers.
• Fresh garlic: Adds aroma and flavor to the paste. Substitute with ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
• Tomato paste: Adds a deep umami flavor and tangy sweetness. It also enhances the color and makes your paste nice and thick. If you don't have it, you can use sun-dried tomatoes (which are super flavorful) or even cook down some tomato puree until it's thick.
• Olive oil: For me, extra virgin olive oil is the only way to go. It makes the harissa super smooth and creamy, prevents it from drying out, and makes everything taste richer. It adds that true Mediterranean and North African vibe. You could use other oils like vegetable or sunflower, but honestly, you'd be missing out on some of that authentic Harissa flavor.
• Lemon juice: The acidity of freshly squeezed lemon juice reduces the heat of chilies, balances the flavors, and adds flavor to the paste. Substitute with lime juice, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.
• Ground cumin: It adds a warm, earthy tone that’s classic to harissa. If you have whole cumin seeds, a pro tip is to lightly toast them in a dry pan until they smell amazing, then grind them in a mortar or pestle or a spice grinder. It makes a big difference.
• Ground coriander: Just like cumin, coriander adds another layer of warm, earthy flavor. If you have whole coriander seeds, toast them lightly in a dry pan until aromatic, then grind them in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
• Smoked paprika: If you want that deep, smoky flavor and even more red color, smoked paprika is your friend. It's awesome. If you only have regular sweet paprika, it will still add color, but you'll miss out on that cool smoky taste.

See recipe card for quantities.

Tips for Harissa

• Adjust the consistency: Slowly add the additional liquid, like more olive oil or a small amount of water (especially the water you used to soak your dried chilies in), while grinding the harissa sauce to achieve your desired paste consistency. You can make it a thick, spreadable paste or a smoother, looser sauce.
• Protect your hands: Always wear gloves when handling red chilies, especially the hotter varieties. The oils in red chilies can make your hands feel like they're on fire. And whatever you do, do NOT touch your face or eyes. Been there, done that, not fun.
• Customize to taste: This is the fun part. Harissa is yours to customize. As you blend, taste the paste and adjust ingredients such as salt, lemon juice, or even the amount of chilies to match your preferred flavor and spice level.
• Bring out those spice flavors: Want your harissa to smell and taste incredible? Here's a secret: gently toast whole spices like caraway, coriander, and cumin in a dry pan until they become fragrant before grinding them. You can grind them in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.

How to use Harissa sauce or paste

I love how harissa paste can instantly make so many dishes more flavorful with its spicy, smoky, and aromatic touch. Here's how I use it:

• To serve alongside: I often serve harissa just like a hot sauce. This spicy condiment goes very well with boiled eggs, next to grilled lemon garlic chicken, Mediterranean chicken kabobs, or stirred into my soup, adds a delicious flavor.
• Cooking essential: I find it excellent for mixing right into my cooking. I add it to stews, soups, or sauces to give them a much deeper flavor.
• Marinades and rubs: I use harissa to coat meats like chicken, lamb, or fish, or even sturdy vegetables like cauliflower and carrots, before grilling, roasting, or pan-frying. It creates a delicious flavor that fills them with rich aromatic spice.
• Dips and spreads: I love blending harissa with creamy things like Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, sour cream, or hummus to make tasty dips or spreads for my roasted Mediterranean vegetables, Chicken Shawarma salad bowls, or Mediterranean roasted potatoes.
• Quickly adds flavor: Just a small spoonful of harissa can improve simple meals. I often stir it into rice, couscous, pasta, Mediterranean shakshuka, or even scrambled eggs for an instant burst of North African flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions