Homemade Harissa Paste made with chilies, garlic and fragrant spices is a fiery, hot sauce. This uncooked, vegan kitchen pantry staple, is easy to make and incredibly versatile to use.
Harissa originated in Tunisia. I personally like it on pretty much anything: oatmeal, scrambled eggs, soups and stews or, more traditionally, with couscous.
Harissa Paste Ingredients
Making harissa at home isn’t complicated and won’t take much time. A food processor and a few simple ingredients are all you’ll need:
- DRIED CHILIES. It might sound like a lot, but you’ll need 30 of them for this recipe, which makes about a 2-cup batch. Select your favorite kind of chile pepper (or whatever’s most readily available), such as Guanjilo, New Mexico, or California. You can also make a mixture of chiles for a more nuanced flavor.
- Plenty of fresh GARLIC, for the signature savory harissa flavor.
- CORIANDER and CUMIN, two traditional North African spices.
- OLIVE OIL, which helps to emulsify everything into a smooth, creamy paste.
How To Make Homemade Harissa Paste
A few important notes before you get cooking:
- Avoid touching your eyes and face when working with chilies, or wear kitchen gloves—they’re HOT and it would burn.
- You can control the heat of your harissa paste by the number of chile seeds you leave in. Add them all if you like it super spicy. Or deseed the chiles completely (cut them horizontally and scrape with a knife) for a milder taste.
Once you’ve prepped your chiles, they need to soak in boiling water for 40 minutes to soften up before they’re ready to be processed.
When they’re soft, drain the peppers and add them to a food processor, along with the other ingredients.
Making Easy Harissa in a Food Processor
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and PROCESS.
- STOP and SCRAPE down the sides.
- While the processor is running, add olive oil in a slow stream, until a PASTE forms.
How To Store Homemade Harissa Paste
Ensure that your spicy condiment lasts as long as possible by adding a thin layer of olive oil to the surface after every use.
This helps keep the harissa sealed from the air and any potential bacteria that could spoil it.
And your paste will last for at least six months in the fridge, or in another cool, dark spot.
How to Use Harissa Paste in Your Kitchen
There are dozens of ways to use your homemade chili paste. It’s super spicy, so you’ll probably use anywhere between 1 teaspoon to 1–2 tablespoons, depending on your tolerance.
Some of my favorites include:
- A dollop on top of soft-boiled eggs with tzatziki, pickle, and olives.
- Smeared onto avocado toast sprinkled with hemp seeds and fresh herbs.
- Stirred into savory, spicy morning oatmeal.
- Place it on a charcuterie board alongside your favorite cheese and crackers for a spicy upgrade.
Recipes With Harissa Paste
You can amp up many of your favorite go-to recipes with a spoonful of harissa.
See any of my main dish recipes for inspiration, starting with these, which are all ready for a hit of spiciness:
- Cheesy Egg Nests
- Chickpea Tomato Curry
- Zucchini Slices With Feta and Parsley
- Vegan Tofu Scramble with Shishito Peppers
More Vegan Recipes to Avoid your Stove
Stay away from the heat of the oven or stove with more raw recipes like:
- Vegan Coleslaw with Flaxseed-Cilantro-Ginger Dressing
- Tomato-Pepper-Avocado Soup
- Raw Sprouted Lentil Chili
Now you.
What’s your favorite spicy condiment? Have you been to Tunisia or Morocco? What are you gonna use harissa on?
Tell me in the comments.
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Harissa: North African Chili Paste
- Prep Time: 40 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Cuisine: Tunisian
Description
Homemade Harissa Paste made with chilies, garlic and fragrant spices is a fiery, hot sauce. This uncooked, vegan kitchen pantry staple, is easy to make and incredibly versatile to use.
Ingredients
- 30 dried chillies, such as Guajillo, New Mexico, or California, or a mixture
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Put plastic disposable gloves on, or remember not to touch your face or eyes, to avoid burning.
- Cut the stems off the chillies and discard. Place chilies in a big bowl, and pour boiling water over them. Make sure they are fully submerged. You can place a plate with a heavy can on top.
- Soak until soft, about 40 minutes. Drain the chilies, making sure to squeeze out the water.
- If you don’t want to add seeds, or not as many, cut the chilies in half, and scrape the seeds out.
- Place the chilies, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt, and a ¼ cup of olive oil into a food processor and pulse. Stop and scrape the sides of the food processor. Pulse again, add more olive oil in a slow stream until a smooth paste forms.
- Transfer the harissa into a glass jar or another container, smooth out the surface, pour a thin layer of olive oil on top, and secure with a lid. Store in a cool place, dark place or refrigerator.
- After every use, make sure the surface is smooth and there’s a thin layer of olive oil. The harissa will keep for minimum six months.
Notes
- This recipe easily doubles.
- Put a bow on it and bring as a gift.
- My favorite ways to use harissa: stirred into savory oatmeal; stirred into vegetable soups and stews; with eggs, on toast; with couscous.
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