Homemade Harissa Recipe

Harissa is a North African chile sauce/paste that is perfect to spice up all kinds of savory dishes. Learn how to make Harissa in less than 15 minutes.

Next time, try this Szechuan sauce recipe.

Using it as a condiment with grilled meat is my favorite, but you can also use it to add a smoky touch to your marinade or as a spread to your sandwiches.

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why You'll Love It
• 📝 Ingredients
• 🥄 Instructions
• 💡 Expert Tips
• 👩‍🍳 Variations
• 💬 FAQs
• How to use Harissa
• 📣 Related Recipes
• More Kitchen Basics
• Homemade Harissa Recipe

❤️ Why You'll Love It

I wanted to make harissa that is not intensely flavored so you can use it as a base then go wild from there. Adding caraway, preserved lemons and coriander seems to be limiting. We can always add these later on when using it as a marinade or as a dipping sauce.

Using dried chili peppers seemed daunting for some people who cannot find the varieties we have here in the US. I wanted a recipe that can work for us all wherever you are in the world. Going through many Tunisian and Moroccan home cooks recipes, whom I really trust, almost all of them used fresh peppers and not the dried varieties.

And finally controlling the heat was one of my biggest goals as we are all in different stages in our lives. Some of us have elders at home others have kids so I will give you some ratios to work with and see what is best for your family or the people you feed.

📝 Ingredients

🥄 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

1. First you will need to clean all peppers removing seeds and white ribs from red bell peppers.
2. Place all peppers and garlic in a microwave safe bowl.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and make some holes in the wrap. Microwave until tender.
4. Cut up all the peppers in chunks.
5. Place peppers, garlic, spices, oil and lemon juice in the food processor.
6. Pulse until you reach desired consistency.

💡 Expert Tips

• The ratio of bell pepper to hot pepper in harissa is up to you. Many Tunisian recipes use 1:1, few uses 1 :½ which is actually the ratio I used. A Tunisian woman noted that you can even make it all with just bell pepper if you cannot handle the heat. So it is actually all about you and what you like.
• It is better to use gloves when making the harissa to avoid what is called "jalapeño hands".
• If your sauce came out watery to your liking try running some through a sieve to take away some of the moistness. I've also seen some people cook it for like 5 minutes to thicken it.
• This recipe makes about 2 cups of harissa sauce to keep in your fridge for around a month. Make sure to seal it with a think layer of olive oil each time you take from it. Do not stir the olive oil in.
• I've noticed that the heat was intense right out of the food processor but as the harissa stayed in the fridge the heat subsided. You can kick it back up if you with a pinch of cayenne pepper or to your liking.

👩‍🍳 Variations

• You can actually make green harissa using green bell pepper and any green hot pepper like jalapeno.
• I've noticed that many Moroccan cooks also add preserved lemons without the skin in making harissa. Some also uses vinegar.
• Coriander. caraway. fresh cilantro. fresh or dried mint are among the warm spices you can add to the harissa.

💬 FAQs

How to use Harissa

• Much like Szechuan sauce, harissa makes a great marinade for lamb or any meat, but you can also use it as a condiment. Try a dollop over your morning eggs or to give your hummus a bright color and a kick. I also add a bit to my tahini and baba ganoush.
• Use it in this spicy harissa chicken kabobs or give this deviled eggs with relish some spicy notes.
• Use as a spread to your sandwiches or with couscous and Greek yogurt. Add it to your roasted veggies, it is an amazing addition to have in any meal throughout the day.

📣 Related Recipes

• This is how to make Alfredo Sauce Without Heavy Cream, a very easy and healthier recipe for all your pasta dishes.
• Chermoula, a traditional Moroccan sauce loaded with fresh herbs, earthy spices and deliciousness.
• The copycat Big Mac Sauce recipe is everything you love about the iconic Mcdonalds Big Mac but in a bottle. This is absolutely one you'll want to save that will take your homemade burgers to the next level deliciousness.
• Szechuan sauce is a spicy and savory sauce with a hint of sweetness originated in China. It can be used as a dip, sauce or a marinade for many dishes.You'll love my homemade version as it is very adaptable and comes together in less than 10 minutes.

More Kitchen Basics

• My cream of chicken soup substitute takes less than 10 minutes and very easy to make. A healthy alternative to your favorite stor bought can.
• Did you know that you can make fire roasted diced tomatoes at home? follow the same exact method and just dice your tomatoes instead.

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