This homemade harissa recipe is surprisingly easy, and once you learn how to make it, you’ll find a million ways to use it in your cooking.

Homemade harissa paste--made of dried red chile peppers, garlic, caraway and coriander seeds, and olive oil--in a mason jar with a spoon

Harissa is an intensely hot, complexly flavored Tunisian chile paste. It is having a moment, and it’s about time. I’ve been having my own steamy love affair with it for years.

If you’ve ever shared a meal with me, you know how much I love a bold kick of spice. I’m a hot sauce junkie, and I have favorites that vary by cuisine.

For Chinese, I’m all about a simple but hot chili paste or hot chili oil studded with tangy fermented black beans.

Korean food is best fortified with mouth-searing gochujang, the fermented chile paste the cuisine is famous for.

Mexican food—and just about any egg dish—begs for the pure chile heat of an unadulterated hot pepper sauce like Tapatio or my own Homemade Hot Sauce.

And Then There’s Harissa

Harissa paste ingredients including soaked dried red chiles, raw garlic, caraway and coriander seeds, and paprika.

Harissa was born in North Africa and plays starring roles in virtually every cuisine of that region.

It delivers intense heat, and because it is made with raw garlic and toasted spices, its flavor is deeply complex. At its most basic, harissa paste combines sun-dried chiles, garlic, toasted and ground caraway and coriander seeds, and olive oil.

You’ll see variations that include everything from cumin, saffron, smoked paprika, or tomato paste to rose petals and/or rose water.

Lately harissa is popping everywhere—in marinades for meat and fish; as a condiment for couscous, roasted vegetables, lamb burgers, or falafel; or stirred into soups or stews.

And they even sell a version at Trader Joe’s. The TJ’s version is made in Tunisia and surprisingly tasty. But really, nothing beats homemade harissa. And by learning how to make harissa paste at home, you can customize the heat level and vary the other flavors however you like.

Keep a Jar of Homemade Harissa in Your Fridge

Ideally, homemade harissa should be refrigerated for a day or two before serving to give the flavors a chance to meld together and mellow a bit.

One of the things I love about this harissa recipe is that it lasts a long time—you can keep it, in a glass jar, for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.

It’s Versatile, Too

Since I created this harissa recipe, I’ve been using it to make Quick and Easy Harissa Chicken and Spicy Harissa Dressing. The possibilities are endless:

Spread it on burgers
Spice up a falafel or hummus sandwich
Use it as a dip for Homemade Pita Bread
Spread it on fish or meat as a marinade
Stir it into plain yogurt or mayonnaise for a creamy and spicy dipping sauce
Dollop it onto couscous
Thin it with additional olive oil and use it as a finishing sauce

Dolloped on my breakfast eggs, it even gives Tapatio a run for its money.

More Jewish holiday recipes you’ll love

Classic Tunisian Harissa Paste

Name: Classic Tunisian Harissa Paste
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 16 min
Cuisine: African
Ingredients: 1 cup dried red chiles, stems, seeds, and ribs removed; 1 teaspoon caraway seeds; 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds; 1 small garlic clove; 2 tablespoons paprika; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 cup olive oil, plus additional if needed

Homemade harissa paste is easy to make and is a versatile condiment to have on hand. It's great as a buger or sandwich spread or as a marinade or finishing sauce for meat or fish. I also love it on my breakfast eggs. You can use any type of hot red chili you like. Dried cayenne chiles work well. I like to use dried serranos from my garden when I have them. This condiment is meant to be spicy, but if you are using very hot chiles, be careful to remove as much of the ribs and seeds as you can or the result may be unbearably hot.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 minute

Additional Time 5 minutes

Total Time 16 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup dried red chiles, stems, seeds, and ribs removed
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 small garlic clove
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil, plus additional if needed

Instructions

In a small, heat-safe bowl, cover the chiles with very hot water and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain the chiles, discarding the soaking liquid.
Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat and toast the caraway and coriander seeds, shaking the pan occasionally, until they begin to pop and become aromatic, about 1 minute. Remove the seeds from the hot pan immediately and grind them in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
Transfer the chiles to a blender or food processor and add the garlic, ground spices, paprika, salt, and olive oil. Puree to a paste.
Transfer to a clean jar and store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Notes

I highly recommend that you wear gloves when you are handling the dried chilies to remove the stems and seeds. I use disposable nitrile gloves (the kind used for medical exams). I buy them in boxes of 200 for around $15.
Harissa paste will keep, in a tightly covered jar in the refrigerator, for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 53Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 1mgSodium 1mgCarbohydrates 0gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 0g

Jewish Recipes

Jewish recipes are the heart of every Jewish holiday celebration. There’s a special dish (or five!) for every occasion, from the high holidays to Shabbat dinners! Here are my favorite Jewish recipes for the holidays or any day.

The Best Rosh Hashanah Honey Cake

The best, moistest, most delicious honey cake you'll ever eat!

Brisket with Apricots, Prunes, and North African Spices

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Potato Latkes

You can make a gluten-free version by substituting gluten-free brown rice flour for the flour. You can also jazz up the recipe by adding thinly sliced scallions or substituting sweet potatoes, parsnips, or apples for some (or all) of the potatoes. This recipe serves about 4 people and is easily doubled or tripled.

Instant Pot Applesauce

This Instant Pot applesauce is super quick and easy to make. It's delicious on top of crispy potato latkes--or just eat it plain!

Instant Pot Falafel

Crispy, golden brown patties are tender and moist on the inside. They're seasoned just right with cumin, coriander, cayenne, and fresh parsley.

Instant Pot Hummus

This Instant Pot hummus from scratch starts with dried chickpeas and takes less than an hour to make—and that's start to finish time. There's no need to soak the beans. The result is lush, rich, creamy, and full of flavor.

Israeli Couscous Salad with Pomegranate Seed, Pistachios, and Hummus Vinaigrette

This is a great way to use up leftover cooked couscous. The dressing can be whisked together in a bowl, but is especially easy to make in a food processor—chop the parsley leaves in the processor first, then add the other ingredients and process until smooth.

Lamb Kofta Kebabs

Ground lamb is mixed with lots of fresh herbs, aromatics, and spices and then grilled on skewers. I like to serve these with pita bread, hummus, tzatziki, harissa or chermoula, and a salad of romaine, cucumbers, and tomatoes with lemon dressing. Brown basmati rice is a great accompaniment as well.

Homemade Pita Bread

Pita bread is surprisingly easy to make and watching the rounds puff up in the oven is so, so satisfying. Use them for sandwiches or cut them into triangles and use them to scoop savory Middle Eastern dips like my Instant Pot Hummus, baba ganoush, or tzatziki.

Matzoh Fattoush or Bread Salad for Passover

This bright, fresh, kosher for Passover salad—a take on the popular Middle Eastern bread salad called fattoush—gives the plain crackers new life. Spiced, baked matzo “chips” replace the usual flat bread, but other than that, this hearty salad packs all the fresh herby, tangy, spicy flavor you expect from fattoush.

Whipped Feta Spread with Garlic and Fresh Dill

Whipped Feta Spread is a great addition to a mezze appetizer platter. It's a tangy, salty, creamy dip with a punch of garlic and fresh dill. Scoop it up with pita chips or raw veggies.

Chopped Liver

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Grandma Fran's Vegetarian Chopped Liver

Made of mostly walnuts, butter, and onions, this chopped liver is just as good as the original, but meat free!

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