Harissa Sauce

Harissa is a rich paste made from dried chiles, garlic, lemon, cumin, caraway, and olive oil. It’s commonly enjoyed in Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Harissa has a well-rounded chile flavor and a wide range of heat, depending on chiles used. Harissa can be thinned with olive oil and lemon or vinegar to make a vinaigrette or sauce, and is delicious in chickpea salad, or as a condiment with proteins. Find the video, recipe, and printable recipe PDF below! 

 
 

Yield:  1/3 cups

Method

  1. Soak chiles in water for 15 minutes.  Drain well.

  2. Place chiles in food processor or blender with garlic and spices. Puree until smooth while adding olive oil and water if needed.

  3. Add enough olive oil to make a thin layer of oil. Cover tightly and keep refrigerated.

Note: If coarse, place in a blender and blend well, then push through a mesh strainer using a rubber spatula.

Ingredients

9 ea. (3 oz.) New Mexico or guajillo chiles, dried, stemmed, seeded

1 ea. Garlic clove, crushed with ¼ tsp. salt        

¼ tsp. Coriander seed, ground

¾ tsp. Caraway seed, ground

¼ tsp. Cumin, toasted, ground

as needed, Extra-virgin olive oil        

This recipe and video were produced by The Culinary Institute of America as an industry service,
thanks to the generous support of the International Olive Council.