Harissa Powder

What is Harissa Seasoning made of?

Harissa Seasoning or Harissa Powder is the dry version of the North African hot aromatic paste made by combining red chillies, cumin, coriander, caraway, garlic, smoked paprika and salt. Some versions contain herbs such as dried mint or oregano.

Is Harissa Seasoning the same as Harissa Paste?

Yes and no. Harissa blends vary from region to region and come in 3 forms – the dry version as seen here, called Harissa Powder (or Harissa Seasoning). The second version is Harissa Paste, possibly the most well know and widely used version. And last of all, Harissa Sauce, made with whole roasted peppers blended with spices.

To learn more about the history and origins of harissa, its various blends and recipe suggestions click here 

What does Harissa Powder taste like?

Harissa has a strong earthy, peppery and smokey flavour and can range in levels of heat depending on the blend and type of chilli used.

What is Harissa Powder used for?

Harissa Powder is used to flavour stews, soups, tagines, couscous and other regional dishes. It makes a fantastic spicy rub for meats before roasting, frying or grilling or is used as a garnish to sprinkle over eggs, hummus or dips.

Can I make Harissa Paste with Harissa Powder?

Harissa paste contains slightly different ingredients from the powdered version, including fresh garlic and lemon juice. In theory, you could use shop-bought harissa powder and add the additional wet ingredients before blending. But for the best results, you will achieve a much more delicious flavour when making it yourself at home. See below for Flaevor’s Harissa Paste and Harissa Sauce recipes:

Harissa Paste Recipe here

Harissa Sauce Recipe here

How spicy is spicy Harissa?

When buying shop-bought Harissa Powder there is no way to tell how spicy the blend will be. Different brands use different chilli types with varying levels of heat. So as mentioned above, it’s best to make your own blend, that way you are in control of which kind of chilli and how much you’d like to add.

Missing ingredients? Keep reading below the recipe to discover substitutes for Harissa

Harissa Powder

Harissa seasoning or Harissa Powder is the dry version of the North african hot aromatic paste made from combining red chillies, cumin, coriander, caraway, garlic, smoked paprika and salt.

Print Pin

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 0

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp kashmiri chili powder
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp caraway seeds
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried mint optional
• 1 tbsp dried garlic powder

Instructions

• In a dry pan, toast whole seeds over medium heat until fragrant. Remove and transfer to a pestle and mortar or small spice blender.
• Grind the seeds as fine as possible. Add salt, mint, garlic and chili powder, then grind again to fully mix the spices.
• Store in an airtight container in a cool dark cupboard for up to 2 months.

Notes

Storage: Store in an airtight jar and keep in a cool dark cupboard. Will last up to 2 months.

Click here to discover recipes using harissa

What can I use instead of Harissa Powder? Substitutes

You may not have all the ingredients required to make a harissa spice blend, but you can find worthy substitutes by combining a few key ingredients. Good substitutes for harissa powder are:

• Berbere spice blend – a North African spice blend with a similar flavour profile
• Cumin + fresh red chilli
• Chilli powder
• Smokey hot sauce

If you enjoyed reading this article you may also like:

• Baharat: What is Baharat and how to use it in your cooking