Homemade Harissa Sauce: A North African Chile Paste

Quick Summary: Harissa is a North African chile paste made with dried peppers, cumin, coriander, caraway, and cinnamon. Use it to add smoky, complex heat to proteins, vegetables, eggs, and stews. Slow carb compliant when made without added sugar. Includes both paste and dry spice blend recipes. Prep: 20 min | Cook: 5 min | Makes: 8 servings

Jump to: RECIPE | What is Harissa | Romesco | Chimichurri | FAQ

At HeathGlen Organic Farm, I grow the chile peppers I use in my harissa blends, and I sell both the paste and a dry spice version at the St. Paul Farmers’ Market. Harissa is one of my favorite ways to add complex heat to simple proteins and vegetables. If you’re following a slow carb diet, harissa is a perfect flavor enhancer. It’s robust in flavor with no sugar and minimal carbs.

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If you are not used to cooking whole foods, the protein world of a slow carb diet can get monotonous very quickly.  

What Is Harissa?

Harissa is a North African sauce or condiment made with chile peppers, cumin, coriander and caraway. It is made and used in either a paste form or a powdered spice form.

Harissa is used to flavor many different kinds of dishes.  It is frequently used to flavor couscous and grilled dishes.  It is also used as a relish or condiment with all kinds of proteins.

Harissa Paste vs Harissa Spice Blend

Harissa Powdered Spice Blend

You can make your own harissa sauce with the recipe below. Sometimes however, a powdered harissa spice blend is a better option (i.e., when using rubs on sheet pan dinners).

Homemade Harissa Paste (or Sauce)

The full instructions are in the recipe card below. In short: Rehydrate dried chile peppers in hot water for 20-30 minutes. Toast cumin, coriander, and caraway seeds, then grind with cinnamon and salt. Blend the drained peppers with the ground spices, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil until smooth.

Other Slow Carb Sauces to Try

Romesco Sauce

Romesco sauce is an Italian sauce made with peppers, tomatoes, vinegar and ground almonds. You can easily make a homemade version with this Romesco recipe.

My favorite way of using Romesco sauce has been to take it out of the refrigerator, warm it slightly in the microwave and top off scrambled or fried eggs with the sauce. 

It is also wonderful to add to vegetables or any sauce or skillet diner you are making to enhance the flavor profile.

Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri sauce is an important part of Argentinian cuisine, traditionally served with grilled chorizo and grilled steaks. It is typically made from finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and red chili flakes. 

Chimichurri is typically made and used as a sauce, but you can purchase it as a powdered spice blend to use as a rub.

This recipe for Pan-seared skirt steak with chimichurri offers an easy homemade version of chimichurri.

Chimichurri sauce also pairs nicely with chicken and fish, it works well as a marinade, and it is delicious on roasted cauliflower.  Any of these choices work with a low carb or slow carb diet.

Most of these low carb sauces can be stored for at least 3 weeks and used as convenient, creative meal enhancements by pairing them with just about any protein or veggie or egg dish you make.

FAQ

Check out this slow carb diet recipe catalog for over 50 recipes that are slow carb compliant and also delicious.

Low Carb Harissa Sauce (or Paste)

Harissa is a North African paste made with peppers and spices. Purchased harissa ranges in the degree of spicy heat, with some being extremely hot. This DIY recipe is considered medium hot, as I think it allows the other spices in it to shine.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Servings 8

Calories 8

Author Dorothy Stainbrook

Equipment

• Spice grinder Can use coffee grinder
• Blender Or food processor

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• 12 dried chile peppers I used a combination of guajillo, pasilla and arbol but you can mix and match
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 1 tsp Vietnamese cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• juice from 1-2 lemons
• 5 cloves garlic
• 3 Tbsp olive oil

Instructions

 

• De-stem chile peppers and soak dried chile peppers in pot of water that has just been turned off after being brought to a boil. Soak for 20-30 minutes to hydrate.
  12 dried chile peppers
• Toast seeds 2-3 minutes in small, dry pan over medium heat, until aromatic. Let cool before grinding.
  1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp caraway seeds
• Add cinnamon, salt and toasted spices to a coffee bean grinder and grind to a fine grind or powder.
  1 tsp Vietnamese cinnamon, 1 tsp salt
• Drain peppers, reserving chile water, and add chiles, spices lemon juice, garlic and oil to blender or food processor. Process until smooth, thinning with chile water if necessary.
  juice from 1-2 lemons, 5 cloves garlic, 3 Tbsp olive oil

Notes

For Homemade Harissa Spice Blend:

• 2 Tbsp ground cumin, 
• 2 Tbsp ground caraway, 
• 2 Tbsp ground coriander, 
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon, 
• 1 cup Powdered chile peppers (mixed)
• salt (to taste)

Nutrition

Calories: 8kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 0.3gFat: 0.2gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.05gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 293mgPotassium: 33mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 0.3gVitamin A: 203IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 0.3mg

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