Sauces & Dressings

Serving

Harissa Paste

Name: Harissa Paste
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Sauces & Dressings
Ingredients: 4 ounces dried red chiles, stemmed and seeded; 4 cloves garlic; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; 1 teaspoon caraway seeds; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 teaspoon fine salt

A fiery North African chile paste of rehydrated dried peppers, garlic, and warm spices stirred into stews, marinades, and dressings.

30 minutes

Serves 12

Sauce

14 min prep

23 min cook

No common allergens detected

Based on this recipe's ingredient list. Always verify with your own brands and labels.

Good to know

Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals

Instructions

5 steps

1
Soak the dried chiles in hot water for about 20 minutes until soft, then drain.
2
Toast the cumin, coriander, and caraway in a dry skillet until fragrant, then grind to a powder.
3
Combine the softened chiles, garlic, toasted spices, tomato paste, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor.
4
Pulse to a coarse paste, then stream in the olive oil until thick and smooth.
5
Transfer to a jar, smooth the top with a thin layer of oil, and refrigerate until needed.

Harissa Paste — plated and served — Serving moment. How Harissa Paste looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

69/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 100

Kid-friendly 35

Weeknight-easy 86

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 50

Pantry-friendly 37

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

Calories

1 g

Protein

6 g

Carbs

7 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Harissa is the fiery chile paste at the heart of Tunisian cooking, also beloved across the Maghreb in Algeria, Libya, and Morocco. It is built from rehydrated dried red chiles pounded with garlic, caraway, coriander, and olive oil into a deep red paste. So central is it to Tunisian identity that the country has more than one variety, and UNESCO recognized its know-how and traditions as cultural heritage in 2022.

Listahan note

This version leans on dried red chiles bloomed and blended with toasted whole spices so the paste tastes layered rather than simply hot. It keeps the olive oil generous so it stores well and spreads easily.

Technique cues

Toast the caraway and coriander seeds whole and grind them fresh, because that brief toast is what gives harissa its distinctive warm, earthy aroma that pre-ground spice cannot match.
Soak the dried chiles in hot water until fully soft before blending, since any leathery bits will leave the paste grainy instead of smooth.
Float a layer of olive oil over the finished paste in the jar, as that oil seal is what keeps harissa fresh and protects its color for weeks.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Soak the chiles while you toast and grind the spices so both are ready to hit the blender together.
Make-ahead: Harissa is made to be kept, so blend a batch ahead and let it mature in the fridge for deeper flavor.
Leftover move: Whisk a spoonful of harissa into yogurt for a quick dip, or stir it into soups and stews for instant warmth.
Cleanup rhythm: Rinse the blender with a splash of the chile soaking water to loosen the clingy paste before washing.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Dried red chiles

flavor and heat base

Purpose: The chiles provide the deep red color, fruity warmth, and the heat that defines harissa.

Handling: Stem, seed, and soak them in hot water until pliable before blending.

Adaptation: A mix of dried New Mexico chiles for body and a few hotter chiles for heat works well.

Caraway seeds

signature spice

Purpose: Caraway gives harissa its characteristic earthy, slightly anise note that sets it apart from other chile pastes.

Handling: Toast briefly and grind fresh just before blending.

Adaptation: Cumin can stand in if you have no caraway, though the flavor shifts noticeably.

Coriander seeds

aromatic spice

Purpose: Coriander adds a warm, citrusy backbone that rounds out the heat.

Handling: Toast with the caraway and grind together.

Adaptation: Ground coriander works in a pinch but loses some fragrance.

Garlic

pungent base

Purpose: Garlic adds the sharp, savory bite that grounds the spices and chile.

Handling: Peel the cloves and blend them raw with the chiles.

Adaptation: Roasted garlic gives a mellower, sweeter version if raw is too sharp.

Extra-virgin olive oil

binder and preservative

Purpose: Olive oil binds the paste into a spreadable consistency and seals it for storage.

Handling: Blend some in and reserve a little to float on top of the jar.

Adaptation: A neutral oil works for blending, though olive oil is traditional and adds flavor.

Technique notes

Stir in a little lemon juice or vinegar at the end, which both brightens the paste and helps it keep longer in the jar.
For a smokier rose harissa style, blend in a few rehydrated dried smoked chiles and a handful of rose petals.
Always top the jar with fresh oil after each use to reseal the surface and protect the color and flavor.

Ingredient swaps

Milder direction: Use mostly mild dried chiles like New Mexico or guajillo and only one hot chile to keep the heat gentle.
Smoky direction: Add a chipotle or a spoonful of smoked paprika for a deeper, smokier paste.
Quick shortcut: Blend roasted red peppers with chile flakes, garlic, and the toasted spices for a faster fresh-chile version.

Serve alongside

Couscous with roasted vegetables
Grilled merguez sausage
Warm flatbread
Carrot and harissa salad
Mint tea
Dry Tunisian rose
Sparkling water with lemon

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Store harissa in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a month with a layer of oil over the surface.
No reheating is needed, but let it warm slightly and stir before using so the oil reblends.
It freezes well in an ice-cube tray for up to six months, giving you single-spoon portions on demand.

Equipment

Food processor or blender
Small dry skillet for toasting spices
Spice grinder or mortar and pestle
Glass storage jar

Make this household-aware

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