Best 20 Harissa Recipes

ONE-PAN SHRIMP AND PEARL COUSCOUS WITH HARISSA

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, toss shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few grinds of black pepper and 1 tablespoon harissa. Set aside.
• In a large, lidded skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add couscous, garlic, coriander and cumin. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until couscous is toasted.
• Add wine and cook until evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of harissa and 2 1/2 cups water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes, until couscous is al dente. (There will still be plenty of liquid.)
• Nestle the shrimp into the couscous, pushing them under the surface a bit. Add the tomatoes and increase the heat until simmering again. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, rearranging shrimp using tongs once, until they are pink and cooked through. Adjust seasoning, if needed, adding more harissa, salt and pepper if desired. Garnish with parsley and serve in shallow bowls.

HARISSA

Steps:

• Break up chili peppers, remove the stems and seeds, and discard. Wear disposable gloves if working with medium-hot or hot peppers.
• Place chili peppers in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak until softened, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well, then dab dry with paper towels.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over very low heat and cook garlic until soft but still pale, about 3 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to the food processor together along with the chili peppers.
• Toast caraway seeds, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds in the skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Crush them in a mortar and add to the food processor. Process while slowly adding remaining olive oil, scraping down the sides of the food processor as needed. Season with salt.
• Spoon harissa into a sterilized glass jar and level the top. Add enough olive oil so the surface is covered and the harissa won't dry out. Seal and refrigerate.

HARISSA POWDER

Steps:

• Remove and discard stems and seeds from dried chiles. Slice chiles in half or quarters, if they are large.
• Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add chiles and heat through to ensure all the moisture has evaporated. Remove and place on a rack to cool. Place cumin seeds, coriander seeds, caraway seeds, and peppercorns to skillet. Stir seeds and toast until fragrant but not burning, about 3 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
• Grind chiles and toasted seeds with a mortar and pestle into a coarse powder. Add smoked paprika, garlic powder, smoked salt, parsley, and oregano. Continue to blend until all spices are completely combined and pulverized.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE WITH PRESERVED LEMONS, FENNEL, OLIVES, AND HARISSA

Steps:

• Mix paprika, cumin, salt, cayenne, cinnamon, turmeric, and black pepper together in a small bowl.
• Pat chicken thighs dry and place them in a resealable plastic bag. Sprinkle paprika mixture over chicken thighs; massage the bag to coat chicken evenly.
• Heat oil in a tagine over medium heat. Add chicken; cook until browned, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Cook and stir fennel, onion, and garlic in the tagine. Stir in half of the garbanzo beans, chicken broth, 1/2 cup green olives, harissa, 1/2 of the preserved lemon, and ginger.
• Lay chicken over garbanzo bean mixture; sprinkle remaining olives on top. Scatter cherry tomatoes on top. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until chicken is tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Combine remaining garbanzo beans with 2 tablespoons of broth from the tagine in a food processor or blender; blend into a thin paste.
• Transfer chicken to a serving dish. Stir garbanzo bean paste into the tagine. Simmer until flavors combine, about 5 minutes. Spoon broth mixture over chicken.
• Garnish with remaining preserved lemon and toasted almonds.

ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH HARISSA CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the chicken and 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Arrange the chicken in an even layer, skin side up, and roast until golden and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Carve the breast off off the bone, then slice to serve. Discard bones or reserve for making chicken stock.
• While the chicken rests, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 minutes. Stir in the harissa and coriander and cook until very fragrant and dark red, about 2 minutes. Add half the chickpeas and lightly mash them using a fork, the back of a spoon or a potato masher. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley along with the remaining chickpeas, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1/4 cup water. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve the chicken topped with the sauce.

CHICKEN AND CHICKPEA TAGINE WITH APRICOTS AND HARISSA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat canola oil in a large Dutch oven or a tagine over high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and place in the hot pan, skin side down, in batches if needed; cook until golden brown. Turn the thighs over and cook for 2 minutes longer. Remove chicken to a plate.
• Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the pan then add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ras al-hanut and cook another 30 seconds. Add the saffron with the soaking liquid, cinnamon stick, tomatoes, chickpeas, and apricots and bring to a simmer. Nestle the chicken into the mixture and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on the stovetop or in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Do not remove the lid to check on the chicken until this time. Garnish each serving with a dollop of Harissa Sauce, parsley and cilantro.
• Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl and let stand at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.

SPICE-RUBBED LEG OF LAMB WITH HARISSA YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• For the lamb: Use paper towels to pat dry the leg of lamb. In a small bowl, combine the salt, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, black pepper and cayenne. Season all sides of the lamb with the spice mixture and place on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Let sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes or place in the refrigerator overnight and allow to sit at room temperature for 45 minutes before cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Drizzle the lamb with the olive oil, then roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake until the internal temperature is 140 degrees F for medium, about 1 hour and 15 minutes more. Allow to rest before serving, 15 to 20 minutes, then slice.
• For the sauce: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the harissa, yogurt and honey. Season with salt. Refrigerate until serving.
• For the optional garnish: Garnish with the pomegranate seeds, mint, scallions, good olive oil and sea salt if desired. Serve with the harissa yogurt sauce.

CHEF JOHN'S HARISSA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven's broiler and set the oven rack at about 6 inches from the heat source. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place red bell peppers with cut sides down onto the prepared baking sheet. Cook under the preheated broiler until the skin of the peppers has blackened and blistered, 5 to 8 minutes. Place the blackened peppers into a bowl and tightly seal with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to steam as they cool, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard skins.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add Fresno and habanero chiles and cook uncovered over medium heat until vegetables start to soften, about 3 minutes; drain and set aside to cool. Remove seeds and membranes from chiles (wear gloves); set aside.
• Shake coriander and caraway seeds in a skillet over medium heat until you start to smell the spice, about 2 minutes. Use a mortar and pestle to crush toasted seeds; add cumin, mint, and salt, and crush until finely ground. Transfer spices to a blender and add roasted bell peppers, chiles, garlic, lemon juice, and vegetable oil; puree until smooth. Drizzle in extra-virgin olive oil at the end, blending for only a few seconds.

GRILLED HARISSA CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Combine harissa spice blend, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture over chicken thighs, including under the skin. Refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours. Remove from refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil grate.
• Place chicken thighs on the hot grill, skin side down, and grill for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the chicken over and grill on the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Continue flipping every 3 to 4 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF, about 20 to 25 minutes total. Remove chicken to a plate and cover with foil; let rest for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine harissa seasoning, honey, and melted butter for glaze in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until mixture is heated through and has a thinned consistency, about 10 seconds. Drizzle over chicken and serve.

HARISSA PASTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Remove stems from chili peppers and cut them in half. Remove all or some of the seeds if you want a milder harissa.
• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add caraway, cumin, and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir so the spices won't burn.
• Toss chili peppers, spices, 1/4 cup olive oil, and garlic in a baking dish large enough to fit chili peppers in one layer.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chili peppers are very soft but not burned, about 1 hour. Stir a few times to ensure even cooking. Let cool.
• Transfer to a food processor and puree until paste-like but still a little chunky. Season with salt.
• Spoon into a sterilized glass jar and level the top. Add enough olive oil so the surface is covered and the harissa won't dry out. Seal and refrigerate.

GRILLED MOROCCAN SPICED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH CREAMY HARISSA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, coriander, cumin, paprika, salt and olive oil. Rub the mixture evenly over the pork tenderloins. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
• Prepare a grill for high heat cooking. Place the tenderloins on the grill and cook until browned and nicely marked, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the tenderloins and cook until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of each registers between 155 degrees F and 165 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer the tenderloins to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve hot or at room temperature with Creamy Harissa Sauce.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, harissa and garlic until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

PAN-ROASTED CHICKEN WITH HARISSA CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches, cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.
• Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from pan. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until beginning to darken, about 1 minute. Add chickpeas, harissa, and broth; bring to a simmer.
• Nestle chicken, skin side up, in chickpeas; transfer skillet to oven. Roast until chicken is cooked through, 20-25 minutes. Top with parsley and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

SLOW-ROASTED SALMON WITH HARISSA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275°F. Whisk oil, harissa, and garlic in a medium bowl. Pour half of harissa oil into a 2.5-qt. baking dish and swirl to coat. Thinly slice a lemon half and remove any seeds; scatter slices in dish.
• Season salmon on all sides with salt and place in dish. Pour remaining harissa oil over salmon, spreading evenly over flesh with a pastry brush or spoon. Roast 15 minutes. Remove from oven and baste fish with harissa oil pooled in dish. Return to oven and continue to roast until flesh flakes apart easily with a spoon but is not quite cooked through, 10-20 minutes longer.
• Use spoon to break up salmon into irregular pieces. Arrange salmon and lemon slices on a platter. Drizzle with any harissa oil left in dish, squeeze remaining lemon half over, and scatter some herbs around.

HARISSA MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put the red peppers on the grill and char them until they are black on all sides. Put the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. When cool enough to handle, scrape the charred black skin off the peppers and remove the stem and seeds. Coarsely chop and reserve. This can totally be done ahead.
• Put the cumin, coriander, fennel and caraway in a dry saute pan and toast them until they become very aromatic. Grind all the spices into a coarse powder in a spice grinder.
• Coarsely chop the dried chiles, toss them into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to pulverize. Add the toasted ground spices, the roasted red peppers, chopped garlic and tomato paste. Puree until the mixture is smooth. Add 1/4 cup of the olive oil and pulse to combine. Add in another 1/4 cup of olive oil and pulse again. Season with salt, to taste, if needed. Store in an airtight container.
• Toss the chicken parts liberally with the harissa and let sit at room temperature up to 2 hours, or overnight or even a few days in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the grill to medium.
• Put the chicken on the grill and grill for 8 to 10 minutes on each side. You may have to move the chicken around, or flip it over a couple of times to prevent burning. You may also want to brush it a couple times with the leftover harissa, just remember it is pretty spicy! Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS WITH MASHED CANNELLINI BEANS AND HARISSA SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix roasted red pepper, shallot, garlic, 1 teaspoon olive oil, mint, lime juice, Dijon mustard, cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes, coriander, 1 pinch black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl to make harissa sauce.
• Combine cannellini beans and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; heat until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Drain.
• Combine drained beans, 2 teaspoons truffle oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a food processor; puree until smooth.
• Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Brush mushroom caps on both sides with 4 teaspoons olive oil; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Grill mushrooms, gill-side up, basting frequently with vegetable broth, about 4 minutes per side.
• Top each mushroom cap with 1/2 cup bean puree and 2 tablespoons of harissa sauce.

HONEY-ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH HARISSA AND LEMON RELISH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees.
• In a small bowl, combine honey, harissa and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Mix in with brussels sprouts on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and roast, tossing occasionally until sprouts are tender and lightly charred around the edges, about 13 to 18 minutes.
• While sprouts cook, combine lemon, parsley, shallot and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Top roasted brussels sprouts with lemon relish before serving.

SLOW-COOKED GREEN BEANS WITH HARISSA AND CUMIN

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°F. Toss green beans, garlic, oil, harissa, cumin seeds, and salt in a shallow 2-qt. baking dish to combine.
• Turn garlic cut side down, then roast vegetables, tossing 2 or 3 times, until golden brown and very tender, 60-70 minutes. Let cool slightly, then add vinegar and toss to coat.

ROASTED VEGETABLE COUSCOUS SALAD WITH HARISSA-STYLE DRESSING

Steps:

• First prepare the roasted vegetables: prepare the eggplant and zucchini ahead of time by cutting them into 1 inch (2.5 cm) dice, leaving the skins on. Then toss the dice in a level teaspoon of salt and pack them into a colander with a plate on top and a heavy weight on top of the plate. Leave them on one side for an hour so that some of the bitter juices drain out. After that, squeeze out any juices left, and dry the dice thoroughly in a clean cloth. Preheat the oven to gas mark 9, 475°F (240°C).
• Now arrange the eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, pepper, fennel and onion in the roasting pan or sheet pan, sprinkle with the crushed garlic, basil and olive oil, toss everything around in the oil to get a good coating and season with salt and pepper. Place the pan on the highest shelf of the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables are toasted brown at the edges.
• When the vegetables are done, remove them from the oven and stir in the chopped olives and the capers then remove them to a plate to cool.
• When you're ready to assemble the salad, first place the couscous in a large, heatproof bowl, then pour the boiling stock over it, add some salt and pepper, stir it with a fork, then leave on one side for 5 minutes, by which time it will have absorbed all the stock and softened.
• Meanwhile cut the cheese into sugar cube-sized pieces. Make up the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together in a bowl, then pour into a serving container. To serve the salad, place the couscous in a large, wide salad bowl and gently fork in the cubes of cheese along with the roasted vegetables. Next arrange the salad leaves on top and, just before serving, drizzle a little of the dressing over the top followed by a sprinkling of onion seeds and pass the rest of the dressing around separately.

SEVEN-VEGETABLE COUSCOUS WITH CHUNKY ONION HARISSA

Steps:

• To make the couscous:
• Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over low heat. Add leeks and garlic. Cover and cook until leeks are very tender but not brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add stock and next 8 ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring mixture to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in tomatoes, peas, cilantro, then couscous. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 10 minutes.
• Fluff couscous with fork. Transfer to large platter. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve, passing Chunky Onion Harissa separately.
• To make the harissa
• Combine tomato paste, crushed red pepper and cayenne pepper in bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Whisk in vinegar. Mix in onions and garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Stir harissa well before using.)

TUNISIAN HARISSA

Steps:

• Remove the stems and seeds from the chile peppers. Soak in cold water for 20 minutes, then drain. Place the peppers, garlic, caraway, coriander, and salt in a mortar; pound with a pestle until smooth. Place harissa in a jar, and cover the top with a little oil to maintain freshness. Store in the refrigerator.