Fresh Chile Harissa

This version of the North African staple blends an assortment of smoky charred fresh chiles with caraway and coriander.

Updated May 23, 2024

A bowl of fresh chile harissa with a spoon on the side — Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

Charring the peppers allows you to easily peel their skin while lending a smoky flavor throughout.
A blend of sweet and spicy chiles gives the harissa a balance of flavor and heat.

Harissa is a punchy North African chile paste. This version is made with an assortment of fresh chiles that are charred and blended together for smoke and spice. It's simply seasoned with the traditional additions of caraway and coriander, but feel free to jazz it up with anything from diced preserved lemon to pungent raw shallots.

April 2018

Recipe Details

Fresh Chili Harissa Recipe

Active 25 mins

Total 25 mins

Serves 16 servings

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

2 red bell peppers (540g) (see note)
1 poblano pepper (100g)
4 Fresno chile peppers (160g)
2 serrano chiles (30g)
1 tablespoon (10g) neutral oil, such as canola, corn, or grape seed
1 teaspoon (4g) ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon (3g) ground caraway
2 teaspoons (12g) Diamond crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same by weight
3 tablespoons (45g) freshly squeezed lemon juice, from about 1 lemon
3 tablespoons (25g) extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil and set bell, poblano, fresno, and serrano peppers on it. Rub peppers with oil. Place under broiler and cook peppers, rotating as needed, until evenly charred all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer charred peppers to large bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam.
Meanwhile, in dry sauté pan, toast coriander and caraway over medium heat until fragrant. Set aside.
Once peppers are cool enough to handle, remove their skins, seeds, and stems with gloved hands. Place cleaned peppers in food processor and blend until smooth.
Transfer pepper paste to bowl. Finish harissa by mixing in toasted coriander and caraway, salt, lemon, and olive oil. The harissa is best the next day and keeps in the refrigerator for a week.

Special Equipment

Rimmed baking sheet, food processor, gloves

Notes

Mix and match any fresh chiles you have on hand. For a spicier harissa, use smaller varieties; stick with larger sweet chiles if you prefer a milder condiment.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
37	Calories
2g	Fat
4g	Carbs
1g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories	37
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g	3%
Saturated Fat 0g	1%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 293mg	13%
Total Carbohydrate 4g	1%
Dietary Fiber 1g	3%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 79mg	396%
Calcium 9mg	1%
Iron 0mg	2%
Potassium 114mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)