How-to guide
How to Make Harissa Paste — A Fiery North African Chilli Paste
Harissa is the fiery red chilli paste of North African cooking, used to spice up soups, stews, couscous and grilled meats, or served on the side for those who want more heat. Though most associated with Tunisia, it is loved across the Maghreb and turns up on many Moroccan tables. Made from rehydrated dried chillies, garlic, toasted spices and oil, a homemade batch is far brighter than a tube. This guide gives a balanced version you can make hotter or milder. Serve it alongside dishes from our Moroccan dishes collection.
About 40 minutes
Step by step
- 1
Choose and deseed the chillies
Use dried red chillies — a mix of a milder, fruity variety and a hotter one gives the best balance. Snap off the stalks and shake out most of the seeds, which are where a lot of the raw heat and bitterness sit. Wear gloves if your skin is sensitive.
- 2
Rehydrate in hot water
Put the dried chillies in a bowl, cover with just-boiled water and weigh them down so they stay submerged. Leave them for around twenty minutes until soft and pliable. Save a little of the soaking water to loosen the paste later if needed.
- 3
Toast the whole spices
While the chillies soak, toast whole cumin, coriander and caraway seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for a minute or two until fragrant, then grind them. Toasting and grinding fresh gives a far deeper flavour than pre-ground spice and is worth the extra couple of minutes.
- 4
Blend everything together
Drain the softened chillies and put them in a blender or mortar with garlic, the ground toasted spices, a little salt and a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar. Blend to a paste, adding a trickle of olive oil and a little soaking water until it is thick but spoonable.
- 5
Taste and adjust
Taste carefully — it will be hot. Balance it with more salt, acid or a pinch of sugar, and adjust the heat by blending in more or milder chillies. A good harissa is fiery but rounded, not just aggressive, with the garlic and spices clearly present behind the chilli.
- 6
Jar and seal with oil
Spoon the paste into a small sterilised jar, smooth the top and pour over a thin layer of olive oil to seal it from the air. Keep it in the fridge. Top up the oil film each time you dip in, and it will stay good for several weeks.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving all the seeds in, giving a harsh, bitter heat rather than a rounded one.
- Using pre-ground spices instead of toasting and grinding whole ones.
- Skipping the acid — a little lemon or vinegar keeps the paste bright and helps it keep.
- Not sealing the surface with oil, so the paste dries out and spoils faster.
- Blending the chillies while still cold and stiff instead of properly rehydrated.
Tips from the kitchen
- Blend a milder chilli with a hotter one to control the heat without losing flavour.
- A pinch of caraway alongside the cumin and coriander is the classic harissa signature.
- Keep the oil layer topped up on the jar to extend its fridge life.
- Loosen a spoonful with extra oil to make a quick marinade or drizzle for grilled meat.
- Wear gloves when handling and deseeding the dried chillies.
Questions
How hot is harissa?
It is genuinely spicy, but you control the heat when you make your own. Blending a fruity, milder dried chilli with a smaller amount of a hotter one gives depth without being overwhelming, and removing most of the seeds tempers the raw burn. Add more hot chilli for a fiercer paste.
How long does homemade harissa last?
Several weeks in the fridge if you keep the surface sealed under a thin film of olive oil and always use a clean spoon. Top up the oil layer after each use. For longer storage you can freeze it in small portions, such as in an ice-cube tray, and thaw as needed.
What do you use harissa for?
Stir it into soups, stews and tagines for heat, whisk it into dressings and marinades, spread it on grilled or roasted meat, or serve it on the side so guests can add their own. A spoonful loosened with oil and lemon makes an instant fiery sauce for couscous or vegetables.
Is harissa Moroccan or Tunisian?
It is most strongly associated with Tunisia, where it is a national staple, but chilli pastes of this kind are used across North Africa and appear on many Moroccan tables too. Regional versions differ in the chillies and spices used, so treat any recipe as a starting point to adjust to taste.
Learn it hands-on in Marrakech
Reading is one thing; doing it beside a local host is another. Book a Marrakech cooking class, or explore the medina on a guided food tour.