This spicy red chili paste is an easy and versatile condiment to make at home. Use it as a dip or spread mixed with softer condiments like mayo, add a tablespoon to tomato sauce for pasta or stir it into soups, curries or brunch dishes like shakshuka, huevos rancheros or egg curry.

Harissa paste in a mason jar with silver spoon inside. Wooden board, dried chiles around.

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Spicy homemade condiment

Though making condiments at home might seem daunting (and sometimes it is), many commercial ingredients can be replicated pretty easily.

This harissa from scratch is no exception. It's a pretty unique condiment from North Africa and a change from how I normally add spiciness to dishes, which is with cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.

Why I love it?

You know the ingredients that go into it.
No preservatives or colorings.
You can adjust the heat.

Use it just like you would store-bought stuff. I use it with the egg curry and the spicy broccoli pasta. It adds a different type of heat.

It makes a great addition to our condiments & sauces section that keeps growing every year.

Ingredient list

Dried chilies: I use guajillo peppers, serrano peppers and red chili peppers.
Roasted red pepper: you can make it at home or buy it.
Caraway seeds.
Cumin seeds.
Coriander seeds.
Paprika.
Tomato paste: it's concentrated tomato flavor.
Olive oil.
Salt.
Garlic cloves.
Lemon juice: freshly squeezed.

Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.

White bowls and surface with ingredients for harissa including dried chiles, garlic, spices and lemon.

Steps to make harissa

Dried chilies in water in a glass bowl. White background. Top view.

Soak chiles

This will soften them so you can process them with the rest of the ingredients.

Coriander seeds in a black skillet. Wooden spoon. White surface.

Toast the seeds

This step is optional, but the heat enhances the seed's flavor. And it's quick and easy.

You can also crush them with a mortar and pestle before adding them. Or just leave them whole and let the processor crush them.

Ingredients for harissa paste in a tall glass jar. Top view.

Process

You can use an immersion blender (my favorite) or a regular blender (it's hard to remove all of the paste from the bottom of the jar, so it's not my favorite).

Silver spoon with harissa paste over a mason jar with the condiment.

Kitchen notes

Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
Chiles and spices. All palates are different, so adjust to your taste. You might not like a certain spice or want more garlic. Process and adjust. Write down the changes so you can make the same harissa the next time.
Storage: refrigerate it in an airtight glass jar or container for a week or two. Check it before consuming. If you're into canning, go for it. You can also freeze it for a month.
How spicy can you make it? As hot as you like. Use a different mix of red peppers or more cayenne pepper. If making this condiment for the first time, I don't recommend starting with very hot chiles as the harissa might end up being inedible. You can always add more heat after it's made.

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Spicy homemade condiment

Ingredient list