5 from 24 votes
Easy Harissa Paste Recipe
Easy Harissa Paste Recipe guides you through making a vibrant chili paste from dried guajillo, ancho, and chile de árbol peppers, toasted garlic, cumin, coriander, and caraway seeds combined with tomato paste, Kashmiri chili powder, lemon juice, cider vinegar, olive oil, and salt. The result is a smoky, tangy, and moderately spicy condiment that adds warmth and depth to a variety of dishes.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Additional Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings:
24
Calories:
52 kcal
Course:
Condiments
Cuisine:
Middle Eastern, Moroccan, Turkish
Ingredients
- 6 guajillo chile dried
- 3 ancho chile dried
- 2 dried chile de árbol
- 4 garlic peeled, cloves
- 3 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoons caraway seeds
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1½ teaspoons kashmiri chili powder
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil , divided
- 1 teaspoon salt , more to taste
Instructions
- Place a frying pan or skillet over high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the dried chiles and garlic cloves. Toast until fragrantly smoky and charred – about 2 to 3 minutes. Pick out the garlic and set aside.
- Transfer the chiles to a heat-proof bowl and cover them with boiling water. Place a small plate on top of the chiles to fully submerge them. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain the softened chiles. Remove the stems and roughly chop them along with the toasted garlic.
- While the peppers rehydrate, add the cumin, coriander and caraway seeds to the same frying pan and toast over medium heat until fragrant – about 2 minutes. Add the toasted spices to a food processor and blitz for a minute to break them down.
- Add the rehydrated chiles, toasted garlic cloves, tomato paste, and chilli powder to the food processor bowl containing the spices. Pulse a few times until everything is roughly chopped and well combined. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add the lemon juice, cider vinegar, 4 tablespoons of olive oil and the salt to the food processor. Blitz until you have a coarse, thick paste.
- Transfer the harissa paste to a small bowl and stir through the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Refrigerate the harissa in a sterilised airtight container and use it within a week. Or, for longer storage, cover the surface of the harissa paste with a thin layer of olive oil. This way, it will last for up to four weeks.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- If you lack specific dried chiles, use available varieties but expect changes in flavor and heat.
- Substitute Kashmiri chili powder with ground cayenne for more heat or smoked paprika for mild smoky flavor.
- Whole spices can be replaced with ground versions if necessary, though toasting enhances flavor.
- Store harissa paste in an airtight container in the fridge to maintain freshness for several weeks.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1tablespoon
Calories
52kcal
(3%)
Carbohydrates
2g
(1%)
Protein
0.4g
(1%)
Fat
5g
(8%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Sodium
107mg
(4%)
Potassium
69mg
(1%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
724IU
(14%)
Vitamin C
2mg
(2%)
Calcium
7mg
(1%)
Iron
0.4mg
(2%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 24 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 52
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1tablespoon | |
| Calories | 52kcal | 3% |
| Carbohydrates | 2g | 1% |
| Protein | 0.4g | 1% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Sodium | 107mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 69mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 724IU | 14% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 7mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.4mg | 2% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.