Elevating dishes with African harissa paste magic
What's the story
Harissa paste, hailing from North Africa, is a smoldering symphony of chili peppers, garlic, olive oil, and fragrant spices like cumin and coriander.
This robust condiment adds a kick of heat and layers of depth to meals.
Uncover five unexpected ways to incorporate harissa paste into your culinary masterpieces, elevating everyday dishes into extraordinary flavor adventures.
Soup seasoning
Spice up your soups
Adding a teaspoon of harissa paste to your go-to vegetable soup recipe can seriously kick things up a notch.
The paste melts right into the broth, adding a warm, spicy kick that complements the soup's existing flavors without overwhelming them.
It's a simple way to add depth to an otherwise basic dish.
Salad dressing
Create flavorful dressings
Whisking together harissa paste with olive oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt creates a vibrant, exotic salad dressing.
This pairs beautifully with leafy greens and hearty veggies like roasted carrots or beets.
The spicy tang of the harissa dressing makes any salad pop, providing a refreshing change from the usual vinaigrettes.
Morning kickstart
Boost your breakfast
Just apply a thin layer of harissa paste to your avocado toast, and you're in for a spicy wake-up call!
The creaminess of the avocado perfectly complements the heat of the harissa, resulting in a balanced and invigorating breakfast experience.
And if you like your mornings a little less fiery, you can always mix the paste with some hummus before spreading it to mellow out the spice.
Meat-free marinade
Enhance marinades
If you're venturing into plant-based territory, marinating tofu or tempeh in harissa paste is a game-changer.
Just mix equal parts harissa paste and olive oil for the marinade, then let your protein of choice absorb the flavors for at least two hours before cooking.
This method delivers a deep, spiced, and gently heated flavor that even die-hard meat lovers find irresistible.
Veggie transformation
Revamp roasted vegetables
Roasted veggies can go from boring sides to star players with a little kick from harissa.
Just toss those cauliflower florets or potato wedges in a light coating of harissa paste mixed with olive oil before roasting. They'll come out of the oven crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and bursting with that smoky spice you can't resist.