Harissa Paste

Harissa is a North African chili paste made with peppers, spices, garlic, olive oil, and lemon. My recipe is sweet, tangy, and aromatic, with a subtle kick of heat (see the notes below to make it spicier!). I love it in soups and sauces and on roasted vegetables, sandwiches, and more.

⏱️ Total: 45 mins 🔪 Prep: 45 mins 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Yield: 8 servings 🏷️ Main course
Harissa Paste

Ingredients

  • 6 dried ancho, guajillo, or pasilla chile peppers*
  • 2 roasted red bell peppers
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon whole caraway seeds (toasted and crushed)
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt (plus more to taste)
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Cut off the stems and remove the seeds from the dried chile peppers. Place in a bowl of hot water and soak for 30 minutes to soften, then drain.
  2. In a food processor, place the soaked chiles, roasted red peppers, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, caraway seeds, coriander, cumin, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the food processor as needed. Season to taste.