If you like North African flavors, prepare to fall in love with this bold and complex flavor Harissa seasoning. It’s a simple DIY spice blend that packs a punch of heat, smokiness, and subtle sweetness thanks to a blend of dried chilies and spices. Whip up a batch in just 20 minutes!
Growing up, my family loved cooking with big, bold flavors and spices. Harissa is one of those ingredients we use in countless Moroccan recipes, whether in paste form or powdered in the spice cabinet.
This homemade harissa powder has all the depth of flavor you get from traditional harissa paste, but in a blend of dried spices.
A blend of dried smoked chiles and whole spices are toasted and then blended in a food processor for a simple yet incredibly flavorful seasoning you’ll want to use on everything.
- Try it as a quick and easy rub on chicken, fish or steak
- Sprinkle your favorite vegetables before roasting them
- Mix it with mayonnaise, sauces or salad dressings for an extra boost of flavor
- Use it in any recipe that calls for traditional harissa paste—we love keeping this shelf-stable spice blend on hand as an easy substitute when we run out of fresh harissa!
Ingredients
- varieties of dried chili peppers (could be arbol, pasilla ancho, guajillo, etc.)
- dried Thai chili peppers (could be any variety of hot chili pepper)
- cumin seeds
- cumin seeds
- coriander seeds
- garlic powder
- salt: You can always skip the salt if you want more control over the salt you use in recipes!
Get the full ingredient list with exact quantities in the recipe card below.
How to prepare Harissa powder
Where to use this spice blend
This homemade harissa powder is a great addition to anything savory. It’s a wonderful spice blend to sprinkle on proteins like steak, chicken, fish, shrimp, tofu and more!
It is also a wonderful substitute in any recipes that call for harissa paste. Add a few teaspoons in place of the pasta and enjoy the great flavors!
Special equipment
You will need a good quality food processor to pulverize dried peppers into powder, so make sure you have one before you get started!
If you can’t get your hands on a food processor, a good alternative would be a spice grinder or a clean coffee grinder (just make sure there’s no coffee residue!)
Other North African staples
If you like this harissa seasoning, you should take a moment to explore these staple dishes of North African cuisine that are equally unique in flavor and depth:
Bismillah,
Press
Description
If you like North African flavors, prepare to fall in love with this bold and complex flavor Harissa seasoning. It’s a simple DIY spice blend that packs a punch of heat, smokiness, and subtle sweetness thanks to a blend of dried chilies and spices. Whip up a batch in just 20 minutes!
- Remove stems and seeds from chili peppers. Using a sharp knife, cut the stems of the dried chillies. Cut the chillies in half and remove all the seeds.
- Toast the chillies. Add chiles to a large skillet over medium-low heat. Toast on both sides (about 2-3 minutes) then remove from the pan and leave to cool.
- Toast the spices. Add all the spices (cumin, cumin, and coriander seeds) to the same pan over medium-low heat. Toast the spices until fragrant (about 2 minutes), then remove from the heat. Be careful not to burn the spices.
- Blend and store. Combine the toasted chiles, whole spices, and remaining ingredients (garlic powder and salt) in a food processor. Blend until a fine powder forms. Store harissa seasoning in an airtight jar at room temperature.
Notes
Feel free to skip the salt if you wish
