THE BEST HOMEMADE HARISSA

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 Harissa is a North African hot sauce/spread and being half Moroccan and half Libyan, I grew up putting it on everything and I mean everything! It’s so flavorful and adds a nice kick to so many dishes from sandwiches to eggs and even marinades. It takes less than 30 minutes to make this beautiful vibrant spicy red sauce so let’s do it!

Now there are so many ways to make Harissa out there. Every country and every family I’m sure has a unique way of doing it. This is the way I’ve learned how to make it and have perfected it to my taste and I know you’ll love it too!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

Harissa is super simple to make and doesn’t require too many ingredients!

Here is what you need:

  • Fresno chilis
  • roasted red bell pepper
  • garlic
  • olive oil
  • tomato paste
  • spices
For the chilis, I like to use Fresno chilis. They have the perfect heat level for me and for the harissa I like. They’re basically like red jalapeños. If you can’t find them, use the closest red chili you can find to it.

Now roasted red bell peppers are not an essential ingredient in harissa but I can’t go without adding it. The slight sweetness and smokiness of it just balances out the flavors so well. You can buy them in a jar at the grocery store where all the pickles and jar peppers are.

For the spices, I like to keep it very simple. We’re just using salt, cumin, and coriander. Feel free to add more cumin or coriander to taste. A lot of recipes will use whole cumin and coriander seeds – toast them and grind them – and while you can do this, I like to make this recipe as easy and accessible as possible for everyone!

HOW TO MAKE THE HARISSA

To a food processor, add the Fresno chilis and roasted red bell pepper. Pulse a few times until broken up and no more chunks. It should be like a thick puree. Don’t over-blend it.

Heat a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, tomato paste, and garlic. Cook down the tomato paste to remove any acidity. It should turn a darker red color, about 2 minutes.

Then add in the chili pepper paste to the pan. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes and then add the liquid from the roasted red pepper jar or simply just use water and then season with cumin, coriander, and salt. Optional, add a squeeze of lemon here.

Mix together, lower the heat, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

Taste and adjust anything to your liking. I like to add more olive oil at the end.

STORING THE HARISSA

To store any leftover harissa, just transfer it to an air-tight jar or container and store in the fridge for a week. To prevent any molding in the fridge and to preserve it longer, add a layer of olive oil at the top of the jar and this will help. You can also store it in the freezer if you plan to use it longer than a week!
If you tried this recipe and loved it, drop by down below and let me know how you liked it with a rating and comment! Feel free to also leave a question there about this recipe and I’ll get right back to it.

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INGREDIENTS

  • 12 fresno chilis, cut in half and stem removed
  • 1 cup roasted red bell peppers
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic, more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup water (or use liquid from roasted red pepper jar0
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • optional: squeeze of lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. To a food processor, add the Fresno chilis and roasted red bell pepper. Pulse a few times until broken up and no more chunks. It should be like a thick puree. Don't over-blend it.
  2. Heat a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, tomato paste, and garlic. Cook down the tomato paste to remove any acidity. It should turn a darker red color, about 2 minutes.
  3. Then add in the chili pepper paste to the pan. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes and then add the liquid from jar or just water and cumin, coriander, and salt. Optional, add a squeeze of lemon here.
  4. Mix together, lower the heat, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
  5. Taste and adjust anything to your liking. I like to add more olive oil at the end.
  6. Transfer to an air-tight jar and store in the fridge for a week or in the freezer longer.

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