Harissa is a North African red chili paste or sauce with chilies, garlic, olive oil, citrus, and a few warm spices. This versatile harissa recipe is slightly sweet, smoky, tangy, and spicy but not too hot.
What is Harissa?
Today we’re going to chat about harissa sauce! This, along with my toum garlic sauce, belongs under versatile Mediterranean dips and condiments you’ll find yourself using over and over again!
I’ve heard people describe harissa as the ketchup or sriracha of North Africa and the Middle East.
It may be a red condiment that is as popular as ketchup because of the many ways it is used and enjoyed. But comparing the two does not do harissa justice. Harissa is much more complex in flavor and altogether addictive!
Originally from Tunisia, harissa is a chili sauce or paste typically made with dried red chilies, garlic, citrus, extra-virgin olive oil, and a few warm spices, including cumin, coriander, and caraway seeds.
What does it taste like? This harissa sauce recipe is mild with just enough kick, sweet, smoky, and a little bit tangy. Absolutely addictive!
And although you can find it at specialty grocery stores sold in jars or tins, homemade harissa is a completely different experience. Making harissa at home is easier than most people think; be sure to watch the video below.
The Best Chilies to Use When Making Harissa
Each batch of homemade harissa sauce may taste slightly different than the other, depending on the kind of chilies used. And as a result, some can be fairly hot, while others are mild. Think of it as a DIY chili paste where you control the spice level.
You can pretty much make harissa out of any dried red chile according to your own personal heat index.
Because I like to control the heat factor in my harissa paste, I like using:
- New Mexico chilies, which are milder but offer enough of a kick. (Cookbook author Paula Wolfert believes that Guajillo and New Mexico chiles are closest to the peppers of Nabeul and Gabès in Tunisia.)
- Use a combination of chili peppers rather than sticking with just one kind for a more complex flavor.
- Need more heat? Add a couple of de arbol peppers.
- If you like smokiness, add chipotle chilies.
Homemade Harissa Ingredients
When I tested my harissa paste recipe, it was important for me to find the perfect balance of spicy, sweet, smoky, and tangy all in one red chili paste, and the following ingredients did just that:
- Dry red chilies (7 whole chilies). I prefer New Mexico chiles or Guajillo chiles, which are milder (this allows me to add more heat as needed).
- Roasted red peppers (6 ounces or 2 large roasted red peppers). Jarred peppers will work here, just drain them well. You can also roast your own peppers. These will add sweetness and also support the texture of the harissa paste.
- Tomato paste (2 tablespoons) for the umami factor.
- Fresh garlic cloves. I usually use 4 cloves, but if you enjoy more garlic, go for it!
- Spices. A combination of North African flavors from 2 teaspoons each of coriander and cumin; 1 teaspoon caraway seeds toasted and ground (use a mortar and pestle, grinder, or food processor); 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (this adds depth and smokiness without adding more spice). I also use a pinch of cayenne pepper; start with 1/2 teaspoon and go from there.
- Kosher salt enhances the other flavors.
- Citrus. Juice of 1 large lemon. (Do not skip this as it adds brightness and rounds out flavor.)
- Extra virgin olive oil. This is drizzled into the food processor as the rest of the ingredients are mixing. Use a quality EVOO that you enjoy; I used Early Harvest Greek EVOO.
How to Make Harissa
- First, you’ll soak the dry red chilies (whatever combination of chili peppers you selected) in hot water to rehydrate. If you don’t rehydrate them, you can’t easily turn them into paste.
- From there, seed the chiles and blend them in a food processor with the roasted red peppers, garlic, tomato paste, spices, and lemon juice.
- Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil as the ingredients are mixing until you arrive at a beautiful, slightly chunky paste. That’s it!
It’s Even Better the Next Day!
You can use harissa sauce as soon as you make it, but if you refrigerate it and use it the next day or two, the flavors will meld well and create a much deeper chili paste you’ll love!
How to Store Harissa
Store homemade harissa in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Keep it in an airtight jar (like a ball jar) and cover the top of the harissa paste with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to help seal it and keep it fresh.
To freeze harissa, transfer it to a freezer-safe jar, and store it in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Ways to Use Harissa
Once you make harissa paste at home, you’ll find yourself using it in many different ways. Here are a few ideas:
- One of my favorite ways to use it is in this harissa chicken recipe. But it’s also great to season fish, fish kofta, or vegetables for grilling or baking. I also love the heat it brings to my Chicken Kofta Kebabs with Garlic-Mint Yogurt.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of homemade harissa to a soup like this red lentil soup or Moroccan vegetable stew or lamb stew. Or add some to your shakshuka for a little kick!
- Stir it into hummus or aioli to add a kick or as a topping to your chicken kofta or lamb burger in place of Tzatziki.
- Use on scrambled eggs just like hot sauce, or whisk it into your Tunisian-style frittata.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 7 Dried New Mexico Chiles or Guajillo Chiles, or a combination of dried New Mexico Chiles and another kind of dried hot chiles such as de arbol or chipotle chiles
- 6 ounces jarred roasted red peppers, drained rinsed, and dried (2 large peppers)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted and ground (use a mortar and pestle, grinder or food processor)
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt
- Juice of 1 large lemon, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons quality extra virgin olive oil, more for later
Instructions
- Soak and prepare the dried chiles. Place the dried chiles in a heat-safe bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside for 30 minutes until the chiles are tender and re-hydrated. Drain the chiles and remove the stems and seeds.
- Combine chiles with the remaining ingredients. Transfer the chiles to the bowl of a large food processor fitted with a blade. Add the tomato paste, roasted red peppers, garlic, ground caraway seeds, coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne (if using), and a large pinch of kosher salt. Add fresh lemon juice.
- Make the harissa paste. Run the food processor, and while it’s running, drizzle the extra virgin olive oil from the top opening. Stop the processor to scrape down the sides and run again until you reach the desired paste-like texture. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking (remember that harissa paste will deepen in flavor as it sits in the fridge over the next day or two).
- Store. Transfer the harissa paste to a clean mason jar. Cover with a very thin layer of extra virgin olive oil, then cover the jar with its lid tightly and refrigerate.
Video
Notes
- This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups of harissa paste. A serving size is 2 tablespoons.
- Cook’s Tip: You can use this homemade harissa paste as soon as you make it, but for best flavor allow it at least 1 to 2 days in the fridge.
- Storage: Homemade harissa can last in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks, properly stored in a covered mason jar and the top the harissa paste covered with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil. You can use a little bit of the harissa paste at a time, but be sure to add a bit more extra virgin olive oil to cover the top before storing in the fridge again.
- Can you freeze it? Yes! You can freeze harissa paste for up to 1 month or so. Best to freeze individual smaller portions.
- Visit Our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including spices and extra virgin olive oil used in this recipe.
Nutrition
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Can I use Mulato peppers?
Hi, Sandy. We’ve never tried this recipe with mulato peppers, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. If you give it a go, please stop back and share your thoughts!
I’m so grateful for this recipe! It’s so easy to make, i already had all the spices at home and its much cheaper than the itty bitty jar i can get at the store.
I am allergic to peppers. Do you have any suggestions for alternatives? or a non pepper harissa?
Hi, Julie. Peppers are pretty much the star ingredient of this recipe… there’s not really a good substitute here, unfortunately.
Then it won’t be a harissa paste anymore 🙄
This harissa recipe is absolutely amazing! I have bought what was considered a highly-rated store brand, but this recipe blows it away! I want to put it on everything now! I am stocking up on the peppers so I can make this recipe whenever I want more (which will be often). Thank you!
Thanks for such a lovely review, Lesley!
Packs a lotta heat! Made some for my slow cook morrocan beef tangine. A little dab will do ya. Perfect portion size in a small mason jar.
We made a big batch since moving to a small city and unable to find any in store. Lucky to have the dried peppers! It was excellent in the lablabi we made it for and then used in some lupini bean dip also!
I held back on the caraway and wish i hadnt! Next time though. Thank you!
Oh my oh my! Suzy, this is the BEST harissa recipe ever! I’ve made two batches of it, one I spooned out of the jar and ate every bit! Our local international market has stopped carrying a Tunisian brand I really liked. When I made this, it was far better than that canned stuff! So now I will make a double batch to get me through the week (wink wink). I love using harissa as a spread for sandwiches, as I cannot stand mayo. So versatile and SO very delicious! Thank you for sharing this spectacular recipe!!
The caraway seeds were very overpowering. Is there any way to tone it down without just adding more of everything else? I have tried to add more lemon but it’s still very strong and it’s already really spicy, the way I like it, so I don’t want to add more peppers or tomato paste
Hi, Sarah! Caraway is a potent spice. You can reduce the amount by half and leave all of the other ingredients the same to suit your personal tastes.
Hi Suzy! I want to send you a BIG Thank You! for this AMAZING Harissa Recipe! I’m somewhat of a Harissa snob and when my go-to international market stopped carrying my fave brand, I literally cried. So, what to do? Go to the Mediterranean Dish and try Suzy’s recipe. I had everything except the caraway seeds, so I just omitted it. IT IS PERFECT!!!! I seriously must have licked the food processor bowl clean with my fingers, it’s so delicious. Now I’m going to skedaddle over to the market and purchase everything for maybe another three gallons! Thank you again for these amazing recipes. Mediterranean Dish is just about the only recipe site I use. You cannot go wrong with perfection! XO Janet
I’ve read a few recipes for harissa that instruct you to reconstitute the dried peppers before seeding. Why not seed first then soak, seeding the peppers would be much easier dried then wet.
I can’t find the chilis. Can I use Ancho Chile powder seasoning? Is so how much in place of dried Chiles?
Hi, Kelly. To make the paste, you really do need to use the actual chiles here.
The way this recipe is presented, it is VERY difficult to import to a recipe database. But it sure looks and sounds good. Gave it five stars for the quantity of information.
How do i turn it into. Rose Harissa
Just add a tablespoon of rosewater, which depending where you are, you can buy in Indian shops or perhaps a large supermarket. Some recipes call for actual rose petals too but I tried mine without as I didn’t have any and it turned out fine.
I have trouble with with hot foods which is why I make my own instead of restaurants. I make my own condiments as well. What are the mildest dried chilies. For me, I find I can eat Jalapenos if I have seeded and taken out the ribs carefully. I hate this problem because I know I’m missing out on a lot of great food.
Thanks.
My understanding is that Ancho peppers are on the mild side.
Instead of rehydrating the chilis, why not use fresh ?
Hi, Dave. It’s just the way Suzy grew up making it. We have seen other recipes out there using fresh chilis, so that does seem to be an option, if you prefer. It’s just not something we’ve tried ourselves.
I LOVE ALL YOUR RECIPES YOUR BEAUTY IN THE KITCHEN ,YOU ARE MY GODESS CHEF,
Your are very sweet, Guy! Thank you!