Makes 1 cup (240 ml)
Ingredients
4oz (113.4 g) dried Ancho chiles boiling water 1 teaspoon (5 ml) cumin 1 teaspoon (5 ml) coriander 3 garlic cloves 1 teaspoon (5 ml) coarse ground sea salt 1/2 lemon, juiced
Instructions
Add dried Ancho chiles to a large bowl. Cover with boiling water and lay something heavy on top to weigh down the chiles so they're submerged (I used two glasses). Soak the chiles for 30-60 minutes or until rehydrated. Drain the chiles but set aside 1-2 cups (480 ml) of the liquid. Cut the ends off and deseed the chiles. Transfer the chiles to a food processor. Add cumin, coriander, garlic and sea salt. Process the mixture until the blade needs encouragement. Drizzle in a little of the chile liquid and process. Continue to do this until a paste forms. Add lemon juice and mix to combine. Taste to check if more sea salt is needed. Transfer Harissa to a glass jar, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Use on scrambled eggs, raw carrots, as a topping for tacos or to eat with a spoon. Be careful though, it may be a little spicy for the latter.
Enjoy!
More Recipes You'll Love
Harissa is a fiery North African chile paste that wakes up everything it touches. Rehydrated dried chiles blend with cumin, coriander, garlic, and lemon into a deep red paste with serious personality. A jar in the fridge turns scrambled eggs, tacos, and plain roasted vegetables into something worth photographing.
Pro Tips
- Weigh the chiles down under something heavy so they stay fully submerged while soaking. Floating chiles rehydrate unevenly and leave leathery bits in the paste.
- Save the soaking liquid and add it back a little at a time. That chile-infused water is where the deep, rounded heat lives — plain water would dilute it.
- Taste before jarring and adjust the salt. Harissa needs to be a touch more seasoned than you expect, since it is used in small quantities as a condiment.
- Process longer than you think — the blade needs encouragement, as the recipe says. A gritty paste never smooths out no matter how much liquid you add later.
Frequently Asked Questions
How spicy is this harissa?
Properly spicy — the recipe warns it may be too hot to eat by the spoonful. Reduce the quantity of dried chiles or deseed them thoroughly for a milder paste.
How long does harissa keep?
Up to a week in a covered glass jar in the refrigerator. The lemon juice brightens it as it sits, though the heat also intensifies over time.
What do I use harissa on?
Scrambled eggs, raw carrots, taco toppings, grilled meats, and stirred into soups. It is one of those condiments that improves almost any savory dish.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Cover with boiling water and lay something heavy on top to weigh down the chiles so they're submerged (I used two glasses). Soak the chiles for 30-60 minutes or until rehydrated.
- Drain the chiles but set aside 1-2 cups of the liquid.
- Cut the ends off and deseed the chiles.
- Transfer the chiles to a food processor.
- Add cumin, coriander, garlic and sea salt. Process the mixture until the blade needs encouragement.
- Drizzle in a little of the chile liquid and process.
- Continue to do this until a paste forms.
- Add lemon juice and mix to combine.
- Taste to check if more sea salt is needed.
- Transfer Harissa to a glass jar, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Use on scrambled eggs, raw carrots, as a topping for tacos or to eat with a spoon. Be careful though, it may be a little spicy for the latter.
