Homemade Harissa Recipe - The Spruce Eats

Skip to Content

• Recipes By Diet
• Spicy Foods
• Spicy Ingredients

Homemade Harissa By Saad Fayed Saad Fayed A restaurateur and food writer, Saad Fayed has published hundreds of recipes and articles about Middle Eastern cuisine. Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process Updated on 08/31/23 (69) Save Write a Review Print Close

Prep: 10 mins Cook: 5 mins Total: 15 mins Servings: 8 servings 69 ratings Write a Review Add a comment SaveRecipe

Harissa is a hot chile paste that is commonly found in North African cooking, mainly Moroccan, Algerian, and Tunisian cuisine. Recipes vary among different countries, but most versions of this spicy paste include a blend of hot chile peppers, garlic, olive oil, and spices, including caraway, cumin, coriander, and mint. Other common ingredients include tomatoes and rose petals.

Harissa is considered the North African version of Sriracha or ketchup in the sense that it is a common condiment; it is added to couscous, soups, pasta, and a wide range of other dishes. Harissa is sold in jars and can be purchased in Middle Eastern markets, but it is also simple enough to make at home.

One of the benefits of preparing from scratch is that you can adjust the heat to your liking. For a very spicy harissa, use a blend of cayenne, chile de arbol, or cayenne with a milder chile like ancho chiles. For medium spiciness, use a blend of New Mexico chiles with guajillo chiles.

Harissa can be used to season meats and vegetables or included in a salad dressing for a spicy kick. It can also be stirred into hummus (store-bought or homemade) for another layer of flavor.

Never Lose a Recipe Again!

Love a Spruce Eats recipe? With MyRecipes, your personal home for recipes, easily save and organize your favorites, plus thousands more, in one convenient place. Keep Screen Awake

• 10 to 12 dried red chile peppers

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 teaspoonkosher salt

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

1. Gather the ingredients

2. Soak dried chiles in hot water for 30 minutes.

3. Drain and remove stems and seeds.

4. In a food processor, combine chile peppers, garlic, salt, and olive oil. Process until blended.

5. Add coriander, caraway seeds, and cumin and blend to form a smooth paste.

6. Transfer to an airtight container. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top to keep the harissa fresh. It will keep for a month in the refrigerator.

7. Incorporate into a variety of recipes and enjoy.

Recipe Variations

• You can use whole coriander, caraway seeds, and cumin seeds in this recipe; toast them first in a dry skillet and then grind them in a spice grinder.
• If you'd like a little bit of smokiness, add a pinch or two of smoked paprika along with the other spices.
• If you don't care for the licorice taste of caraway seeds you can simply eliminate them.

How to Use

• Harissa really adds spice and flavor to any cut of red meat, especially flank steak. Flank steak is thin enough that it really absorbs the flavors.
• You can also use your homemade harissa to spice up a beef or lamb stew, or a vegetarian soup.
• Turn plain olives into a fiery appetizer.
• Some Middle Eastern countries use it as a marinade for fish or meat, like lamb.
• Use as a spread on a sandwich; mix with mayo to add a bit of a kick.
• Harissa can be a nice foil to sweet ingredients, like the dates and apricots in a one-pot Moroccan Cornish game hen dish.
• Olive tapenade is kicked up a notch when a bit of harissa is added.

• Condiments & Sauces
• Middle Eastern Culture
• Pepper Recipes
• Recipes By Diet
• Spicy Foods

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
44	Calories
4g	Fat
3g	Carbs
1g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label ×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	44
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g	5%
Saturated Fat 1g	3%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 80mg	3%
Total Carbohydrate 3g	1%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 9mg	45%
Calcium 22mg	2%
Iron 1mg	3%
Potassium 78mg	2%
*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.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

• Pepper
• middle eastern
• family dinner
• condiment

Rate This Recipe I don't like this at all. It's not the worst. Sure, this will do. I'm a fan—would recommend. Amazing! I love it! Thanks for your rating! Spicy Pepper Vinegar 30 mins Ratings Moroccan Olives with Harissa Recipe 9 hrs Ratings How to Make Chile Oil 15 mins Ratings Matbucha—Moroccan Tomato and Pepper Salad 45 mins Ratings Falafel Hot Sauce 25 mins Ratings Tfaya: Moroccan Caramelized Onions With Raisins 70 mins Ratings Easy Homemade Whole Egg Mayonnaise 5 mins Ratings Buttermilk Jalapeño Cornbread 45 mins Ratings Tarator Sauce 5 mins Ratings Moroccan Baked Fish Tagine With Potatoes, Carrots, Tomatoes and Peppers Recipe 90 mins Ratings Moroccan Chermoula Marinade 10 mins Ratings Kasundi: Eastern Indian Tomato Chutney 50 mins Ratings Tahini Sauce Recipe 10 mins Ratings Moroccan Saffron Rice Pilaf Recipe With Vegetables 50 mins Ratings Quick Balti Curry Spice Mix Recipe 10 mins Ratings Homemade Moroccan Pasta Sauce Recipe with Mini Meatballs 80 mins Ratings