You can buy good harissa sauce from grocery stores, but ain’t nothin like making your own homemade version to be used for all your favorite foods.
This spicy sauce will enhance any dish as a condiment or as an ingredient in a dish. Don’t fear the “spicy” description as it’s beyond tolerable and you can control the amount of heat, if any, that you want.
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This sauce is FIRE! Enough said.
So What Exactly Is Harissa Sauce?
Harissa is a North African chili sauce that is used as a condiment traditionally in Moroccan cuisine. It’s a complex mix of dried chili rehydrated and blended with garlic, unique spices, and acid (vinegar and/or citrus). Depending in the ingredient harissa can be smoky, earthy, spicy, tangy or all of the above. It’s used similar to ketchup, sriracha, chipotle, or even Piri Piri.
Harissa Sauce Ingredients
- Roasted Red Peppers
- Dried Guajillo Chilis
- Garlic Cloves
- Cumin Seeds
- Caraway Seeds
- Coriander Seeds
- Paprika
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
- Lemon
- Olive Oil
How To Make Harissa Paste
Drain the roasted red peppers and set aside.
Boil water on the stovetop or in a microwave. Submerge chilis in the water using a small plate or bowl to weigh the chilis down and keep them submerged. Keep in the water 10-15 minutes. Remove the seeds, veins, and stems. Set chilis aside and reserve at least a ¼ cup of the liquid.
Heat small sauce pan on low heat. Add seeds and toast 30 seconds. Remove and grind using a spice grinder.
Combine all ingredients including the freshly ground spices and rehydrated chilis to a food processor. Add a ¼ cup of the soaking liquid and blend into a smooth paste.
Tips and Considerations For Making Your Own Harissa Sauce
I like to make a big batch of base harissa sauce, store it in the fridge and use it as needed. It’s flavorful enough to put a dollop or two on fried eggs, fries, or even mashed potatoes.
I will often use my homemade harissa sauce as a base for other sauces. Ingredients like honey, maple syrup, additional lemon juice, etc. make wonderful additions. Adding sweeteners can turn the sauce into a delicious glaze or finishing sauce. You can glaze vegetables like carrots, top asparagus, or okra.
It's also great with meat proteins like spicy meatballs and chicken wing sauce.
Use your choice of dried chilis. I prefer guajillo, but will often add a second dried chili like ancho or Morita.
To dial the heat up or down adjust the amount of the peppers’ seeds you include in the sauce.
If you have access to the actual spice seeds use those and heat them for a more intense and complex flavor.
I store my sauce in the fridge, but I have no idea of how long it will last, as I tend to use it all in about 4-5 days max.
For More Sauce/Marinade Recipes Try One Of These:
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Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- ½ cup Jarred Roasted Red Peppers
- 6-8 whole Dried Guajillo Chili Peppers
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Caraway Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Seeds
- 1 tablespoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 medium Lemon juiced
Instructions
- Boil or microwave water in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the dried chilis to the water and let soak 10-15 minutes. Feel free to weigh the chilis down with a smaller saucer or bowl to keep the chilis submerged.
- Remove seeds and stems from the re-hydrated chilis reserving about ¼ cup of the soaking liquid.
- Heat the spice seeds in a skillet for 20-30 seconds to release some of their flavors. Grind the spice seeds in a coffee grinder. Add the freshly ground spices to a food processor along with the other harissa ingredients including the dried chilis and reserved water. Set aside.