spice

Harissa

Also called Tunisian chili paste

In a nutshell

A North African chili paste of red chilies, garlic, olive oil and spices such as caraway, coriander and cumin. It is hot, smoky and savory.

Harissa is a fiery North African chilli paste, most closely linked with Tunisia. It blends dried red chillies with garlic, olive oil and spices such as caraway, coriander and cumin. The taste is hot, smoky, garlicky and warmly earthy, with a peppery bite.

Cooks love it because a spoonful brings a whole spice cupboard at once. Stir it into shakshuka, rub it on lamb or chicken, roast carrots in it, or swirl it into yogurt for an instant sauce. Rose harissa adds a soft floral sweetness too.

Flavor profile

warm3

sweet1

pungent4

bitter0

floral0

earthy2

citrus0

smoky2

Aroma: smoky, garlicky, peppery, caraway

Good to know

Origin: Tunisia

Forms: paste, powder

Season: Available year-round; traditionally made after the late-summer chilli harvest, when peppers are dried in the sun.

Nutrition: Used by the spoonful, so it adds flavour more than nutrition; check the salt, as it varies a lot by brand.

Storage: Unopened, harissa keeps for a year or more in the cupboard. Once opened, refrigerate it and smooth a thin layer of olive oil over the surface to keep air out; it lasts about 1 month in jars and a bit longer in tubes. Use a clean spoon each time. Discard it if you see mould, the colour turns dull brown, or it smells sour. You can freeze spoonfuls in an ice-cube tray and pop out one at a time.

How to use harissa

Bloom in Oil

Fry a spoonful in oil with onions or tomatoes for a minute. Heat deepens its flavor and spreads it through the dish.

Mix Into Something Cool

Stir it into yogurt, mayonnaise or tahini for a quick sauce, or whisk it with lemon juice and olive oil for a marinade.

The science of harissa

Harissa's heat comes from capsaicin in the chillies. Capsaicin is fat-soluble, so the olive oil in the paste carries the heat evenly, and mixing harissa into yogurt, mayonnaise or tahini softens the burn.
Frying harissa in oil for a minute 'blooms' it: fat-soluble aroma compounds from caraway, cumin and coriander, such as carvone and cuminaldehyde, dissolve into the oil and spread through the dish.
Garlic in the paste contributes sulfur compounds that turn rounder and sweeter with gentle heat. Cooking harissa a little takes the raw edge off.
Many harissas use sun-dried or smoked chillies. Drying and toasting trigger Maillard browning in the chilli flesh, which is where the deep, roasty, smoky notes come from.
Its red colour comes from carotenoid pigments, which dissolve in oil. Bloomed harissa stains the cooking oil a glowing red, a good sign the flavour has spread.

How to choose harissa

Heat and salt vary hugely between brands, so try a small jar first and always taste before adding salt. Tubes are often hotter and saltier; jars with visible olive oil and spices tend to be more aromatic. Rose harissa, made with rose petals, is milder and more fragrant, and dry harissa powder is handy for rubs.

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Substitutes for harissa

Swap	Amount	What changes
Chilli paste + cumin + caraway	1 tbsp paste + 1/4 tsp each spice per 1 tbsp harissa	Gets the spiced North African character closest.
Smoked paprika + cayenne + garlic in olive oil	1 tsp paprika + pinch cayenne + 1 clove per 1 tbsp	Smoky and warm; adjust the cayenne for heat.
Sriracha	use two thirds as much	Brings heat and garlic but lacks the warm spices and smoke.
Gochujang	1:1	Sweeter and fermented, but a similar thick paste for glazes and rubs.

What goes with harissa

Lamb Shoulder. Harissa's smoky heat stands up to the rich, gamey flavor of lamb.
Chickpea. Chickpeas soak up harissa's heat and smoke in stews and roasted snacks.
Tomato. Tomato's acid and sweetness balance harissa's heat, as in shakshuka.
Egg. Eggs poached in harissa-spiced tomato sauce make shakshuka.
Olive oil. Olive oil carries harissa's flavor and smooths its heat.
Garlic. Garlic doubles down on harissa's savory bite.
Cumin. Cumin's earthy warmth is part of the harissa flavor itself.
Coriander Seed. Coriander seed's citrusy notes round out harissa's heat.
Lemon. Lemon's acid brightens harissa's smoky heat.
Yogurt. Cool yogurt tames harissa's heat in sauces and marinades.

Mistakes to avoid

Assuming all jars are equal. Heat and salt vary a lot by brand, so taste first.
Using the whole amount at once. Add a little, then more.

Ideas for tonight

Shakshuka with a spoonful of harissa
Harissa roasted carrots with yogurt
Harissa lamb with couscous

Harissa: questions

What does harissa taste like?

Harissa tastes hot, smoky and garlicky, with warm, earthy spice from caraway, coriander and cumin. It has a deep, slightly roasty chilli flavour rather than the sharp vinegar tang of many hot sauces.

How spicy is harissa?

It ranges from medium to very hot depending on the brand. Rose harissa is usually milder. Start with a teaspoon, taste, and add more; stirring it into yogurt or tahini makes it gentler.

How do you use harissa?

Bloom a spoonful in oil with onions and tomatoes for shakshuka or stews, rub it on lamb or chicken with lemon, roast vegetables in it, or stir it into yogurt, mayonnaise or tahini for a quick sauce.

What is rose harissa?

Rose harissa is harissa blended with dried rose petals or rose water. It is milder and gently floral, which makes it lovely with lamb, carrots, roast chicken and yogurt.

Does harissa need to be refrigerated?

Yes, once opened. Cover the surface with a little olive oil to stop it drying out and oxidising, and use it within about a month.

Is harissa the same as sriracha?

No. Both are chilli-based, but harissa is a thick paste with warm spices such as caraway and cumin, while sriracha is a smooth, tangy sauce made with vinegar, garlic and sugar.