Harissa Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for harissa? ›

If a recipe calls for Harissa, often you just want some heat. In this case whatever hot sauce you have in the house will do the trick. Tabasco, sriracha, sambal oleck, chilli bean paste or korean Gochujang will all prove the kick needed. Just be careful to match the amount to your heat tolerance.

To create a paste, combine two teaspoons of harissa powder with ½ teaspoon of olive oil and ½ teaspoon of water. If the paste becomes too thick, add equal parts olive oil and hot water until you achieve the desired consistency. Harissa paste makes an excellent addition to soups, marinades, and dressings.

Harissa sauce is simply a variation of harissa paste where more olive oil has been added to form a thinner consistency than the paste.

Harissa Health Benefits

Aside from good flavor, capsaicin improves heart health, lowers blood pressure, aids in digestion, boosts metabolism and improves immunity. The spices: The coriander, caraway and cumin spices involved in traditional harrisa provide a complex flavor profile, but so much more.

Harissa is very pepper forward and often has a strong smoky taste thanks to the roasted peppers. There are also strong hints of garlic and citrus from the lemon juice. The flavor is slightly similar to sriracha, but sriracha tends to be sweeter than harissa.

What can I use if I don't have harissa? A combination of smoked paprika and cayenne makes a great harissa powder substitute. Add some coriander for earthiness, and mix with a dash of water if you need a paste-like consistency.

What Does Harissa Taste Like? If you've never tried this fiery sauce before, it has a very peppery, smoky flavor and can range in levels of heat, depending on which peppers and chiles make up the sauce. It also has a strong garlicky flavor that's brightened up with a kick of citrus.

When does harissa expire? Unopened, harissa paste can last for up to 2-3 years if stored properly, often outlasting the date on the package. Once opened, it should be used within 3-4 months for optimal freshness. If homemade, it's best to use within a week or so.

Harissa is most commonly found ready-made in jars, tubes and cans. A spice powder version is also available. Your best bet for finding harissa is Middle Eastern markets, specialty stores and in the ethnic section of most grocery stores.

Can I use curry paste instead of harissa? ›

or even curry paste sauce to change the flavor profile.

Harissa is most closely associated with Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Libya. However, it is most deeply rooted in Tunisian cuisine, and is sometimes described as Tunisia's national condiment.

“A lot of people think harissa is about spiciness,” he says, “but it's really about the quality of the chiles, the olive oil, the spices. The traditional harissa is valuable in two senses: the time and labor required to make it, and the value that you're getting, the amount of chiles and flavor instead of water.”

Harissa is a fiery and garlicky North African spice paste that's traditionally served alongside bread, stews, and couscous dishes. Recipes vary widely but it's usually made with spices including caraway, cumin, and coriander, and sometimes herbs, like mint.

Harissa Spice, also called harissa seasoning, harissa powder, or harissa spice blend, is a sugar-free, MSG-free seasoning blend. It is a powdered version of the hot chile paste that originated in Tunisia and is commonly found in North African cooking.

What Does Harissa Taste Like? If you've never tried this fiery sauce before, it has a very peppery, smoky flavor and can range in levels of heat, depending on which peppers and chiles make up the sauce. It also has a strong garlicky flavor that's brightened up with a kick of citrus.

Originally from Tunisia, harissa is a chile sauce or paste typically made of dry red chiles, garlic, citrus, extra virgin olive oil and a few warm spices including cumin, coriander and caraway seeds.

Harissa (Arabic: هريسة, romanized: harīsa, from Maghrebi Arabic) is a hot chili pepper paste, native to the Maghreb. The main ingredients are roasted red peppers, Baklouti peppers (بقلوطي), spices and herbs such as garlic paste, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, cumin and olive oil to carry the oil-soluble flavors.

I like to think of harissa as a more sophisticated version of smoked paprika or chili powder. It's more complex and adds a delicious flavor to everything from vegetables, to chicken, to eggs.