Harissa Spice

With the spiky and smoky bite of several hot peppers against a balanced backdrop of dried lemon, coriander, cinnamon, garlic, cumin, and caraway, our salt-free Harissa Spice seasoning blend embodies the ancient complexity of the cuisine of North Africa. Ancient Tunisian traders were first introduced to chile peppers thanks to trade along the Mediterranean in the 16^th century, and quickly incorporated them into the spices already in use, like garlic and lemon. Harissa blends may vary from town to town, and even house to house, but this intriguing blend of chiles and spices is a signature addition to Mediterranean cooking.

Harissa is often sold pre-packaged as a paste, so our powdered seasoning blend provides versatility as well as flavor. You can create your own paste whenever you need it by mixing it with some oil and chopped roasted peppers or tomato paste, and not worry about the jar slowly going bad in the back of your refrigerator. And because it’s not a pre-mixed paste, you can control the amount of spice and heat that goes into your food.

Tips From Our Kitchen

While it may seem organic to use Harissa Spice in a tagine—a North African curry—it has a wide range of possibilities. Sprinkle some on your eggs for a morning boost, or mix in with couscous for a spicy base on which to serve stews. Its complexity holds up to strong flavors like lamb, so try it as a spice rub. You can even mix it with ketchup and really perk up your burgers and fries. If you’re looking for a true Mediterranean experience, make a red pepper and tomato paste from Harissa Spice and mix it with ground edible rose petals, which is delicious on grilled chicken, or mixed into a seafood pasta.

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