Harissa Paste Recipe
Harissa paste is a bold, spicy, and aromatic chili pepper condiment that originated in North Africa. Made with dried chiles, garlic, olive oil, and toasted spices, this homemade harissa recipe is the perfect way to add heat and depth to your favorite dishes. Use it to spice up chicken, beef, or roasted vegetables, swirl it into soups and stews, or mix it into dips like hummus or whipped feta for an extra layer of flavor.
Servings: 24 tbsp (approx.)
Calories: 45kcal
Ingredients
- 20 dried chiles de árbol - Use less for a mild, less spicy harissa
- 3 dried guajillo chiles
- 1 dried ancho chile
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 5 cloves garlic - smashed
- 1 large lemon - juiced (or 2 tbsp preserved lemon)
- 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup olive oil - plus ¼ cup for storage (see notes)
Instructions
- Rehydrate the chiles: Transfer the dried árbol, guajillo, and ancho chiles to a large heatproof bowl or cup. Pour boiling water over the chiles until they are fully submerged. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and allow the chiles soak for 20-30 minutes, or until completely soft.
- Deseed the chiles: Remove the stems and as many of the seeds, ribs, and inner membranes as possible. (Wearing gloves is strongly recommended) Set the cleaned chiles aside in a bowl.
- Toast the spices: In a clean, dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant. This takes just 2-3 minutes (don't walk away!) Stir frequently to prevent burning and remove from heat once fragrant.
- Make the base paste: Add the toasted spices and smashed garlic to a small food processor. Pulse until the mixture is finely ground and begins to form a paste. Add the rehydrated chiles and blend again, scraping down the sides as needed, until a coarse, chunky mixture forms.
- Build the flavor. Add the lemon juice (or preserved lemon), white wine vinegar, tomato paste, smoked paprika, and salt. Blend until well combined and mostly smooth, scraping the sides as needed.
- Emulsify with olive oil. Transfer the mixture to a larger food processor or high-speed blender with an opening in the lid. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in ½ cup of olive oil until fully incorporated and smooth.
- To store: Transfer the prepared harissa paste to a jar or container and cover with the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil.
Notes
Yield: This recipe makes approximately 1¼ to 1½ cup, or 20-24 tablespoons. The serving size is 1 tablespoon (24 tablespoons total).
Tools and Equipment: Wearing gloves is recommended when handling hot chili peppers. You will need a mini food processor or spice grinder AND a regular large food processor or blender. The smaller food processor or spice grinder is needed to grind the toasted cumin and coriander seeds (a regular food processor or blender is too large and will not work to complete this step).
This recipe is very spicy. For a more mild harissa paste, reduce the total amount of chiles de árbol by about half.
Storage: Homemade harissa will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks when stored properly. Transfer it to a clean, airtight jar (like a mason jar) and pour a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil over the top (about 2-4 tablespoons) to seal in freshness. Each time you use some, add a little more olive oil to cover before returning it to the fridge. You can also freeze harissa paste for up to 1 month. It's best to freeze in smaller portions for easy use.
As written, this harissa recipe is vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free.
Nutrition
Calories: 45kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 60mg | Potassium: 33mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 107IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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