20 Harissa Recipes for Spicy Food Lovers

If you love spicy food, then you’ll need to get in on these harissa recipes. 

Whether you’re a seasoned chef or new to the scene, harissa is the spicy condiment your food needs. 

This spicy paste hails from North Africa and is a common ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine.

It features red chilies, garlic, and spice with a gorgeous fiery color. 

It gives bland dishes a pungent punch and enhances savory meats. You can even turn it into a dipping sauce for all your guests to enjoy. 

One thing is for sure, no dish can be blah when there’s harissa in the mix.

20 Favorite Recipes with Spicy Harissa Sauce

1. Grilled Harissa Chicken

If you like your chicken with a little fire, you’ll love harissa chicken.

Slather some chicken thighs with harissa paste, more spice, and a hint of lemon. 

Toss it on the grill for a few minutes and you’ll end up with the juiciest smoky, spicy, finger-licking good chicken you’ve ever had.

These also make for killer skewers if you’re looking to serve a crowd some finger food.

2. Easy Harissa Hummus

I’m a fan of practically any hummus flavor you put in front of me and that includes harissa.

This one simple ingredient adds so much complexity to hummus it’s hard to believe. And it’s so easy!

I like to bust out this dip when I’m entertaining. It’s a fine choice for holidays, games days, appetizers, and more.

3. Chickpea and Quinoa Harissa Stuffed Peppers

I’m always on the hunt for ways to add oomph to quinoa. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with stuffing it in peppers. 

Roasting the peppers gives them a tender, juicy bite. It’s the perfect vessel to pack with protein-rich quinoa and chickpeas. 

Add harissa to the mix and you have an explosion of flavor! These are seriously incredible and completely vegan. 

They’re a top-notch choice if you’re looking to eat healthily, but don’t want anything bland or lackluster.

4. Harissa and Orange-Scented Rice with Dates 

A lot is going on in this bowl of rice. It’s spicy, sweet, citrusy, garlicky, and fresh.

All the flavors are well-balanced and surprisingly filling. 

If you want to add protein to your meal, I highly recommend pairing this with grilled harissa chicken or shrimp.

5. Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken & Sweet Potatoes 

This sheet-pan dinner will be your new obsession. How do I know? Because it’s mine!

The juicy chicken is dripping with a homemade smoky, spicy, tangy harissa marinade. 

You’ll love how the roasted sweet potatoes and yogurt harissa sauce round it all out.

6. Harira (Moroccan Chickpea and Lentil Soup) 

It’s incredible how adding fiery harissa spices to a vegetarian soup makes it super filling.

This Moroccan soup is a hearty mix of plant-based protein in a rich tomato sauce.

With flavors this rich, you’ll want to add a hint of freshness with some lemon and cilantro.

A dollop of Greek yogurt is also great to help cool down some of the spiciness.

7. Grilled Harissa Shrimp

Harissa shrimp skewers are flawless succulent morsels for backyard barbecues.

They only take a couple of minutes to grill and you get a jackpot of succulent garlicky and spicy shrimp in return.

Be sure to do a headcount before buying the shrimp because you can’t eat just one of these skewers.

8. Harissa Butter

Friends, your life is about to change because harissa butter is a thing. 

There are so many things I want to slather this all over, I don’t even know where to start. 

Corn on the cob, chicken thighs, even crispy potato hash browns will be killer with this spicy cooking fat.

9. Skinny Sweet Potato Harissa Fries 

Crunchy sweet potatoes with a spicy harissa dipping sauce is a magical combination. 

Fire and sweet come together for a burst of tantalizing flavors. There’s some creaminess in there too thanks to the mayo.

If you’re not big on mayo, you can also substitute it with Greek yogurt.

10. Harissa Chicken with Preserved Lemons

Preserved lemon is another ingredient common in Moroccan cuisine. 

It has a pungent, tangy bite that not only pairs well with harissa but does wonders to intensify standard chicken dinners.

Douse chicken and veggies with a sauce of both, bake it on a sheet pan, and you’ll see what I mean.

What’s so nice about this sheet pan dinner is there’s ample room for variation. You can use any veggies you like!

11. Harissa Meatballs with Whipped Feta 

There are a lot of ways to whip up a tasty meatball. But this is my favorite way to make frozen meatballs when I’m looking for something quicker. 

Rather than create a big fuss, you’ll turn the meatballs into a sheet pan dinner by roasting them with some veggies. 

While that’s cooking, it takes all but a few minutes to make a quick three-ingredient whipped feta for dipping. 

12. Baked Cod Harissa

Cod might be a mild fish, but this dish sure isn’t!

I love the crunch from the breadcrumb coating and the fork-tender veggies. Capers are a smart addition to give it a salty kick.

What I love even more, though, is the harissa yogurt marinade. Seriously, you’ll have to try this!

13. Chicken Thighs with Harissa, Rose Water Sauce, and Lemon Couscous 

If you want to try your hand at something classy and unique, go with this recipe.

Rosewater infuses the succulent chicken with a floral aroma that balances out the spicy harissa paste. 

This dish is easier to make than you may realize and the payoff is big.

14. Harissa Grilled Cheese

How do you take a perfect sandwich like an ooey, gooey grilled cheese and elevate it to legendary? The answer is simple, harissa. 

This one uses homemade harissa. However, you can use store-bought to cut down on the work.

From there, all you need is some quality artisanal bread and melty cheese.

15. One-Skillet Harissa Chicken with Chickpeas 

Talk about chicken dinners! This rustic skillet is a prime example of how harissa paste elevates the status of chicken dinners. 

The chicken has a beautifully crispy skin and juicy meat you’ll want to sink your teeth into. 

It only gets better with the spicy, garlicky tomato broth and burst of roasted lemons.

16. Harissa Roasted Vegetables

With all these chicken dinners, you’ll need a side to go with it. So what better way to use up all that harissa paste than roasted veggies?

Use any assortment of veggies you like. Just be sure to chop them around the same size so everything roasts evenly.

17. Moroccan Chicken Stew

Here’s a cozy winter stew you’ll want to add to your arsenal. 

The tomato broth is rich in spice which makes it even more satiating. 

Part of which comes from the saffron. This spice is a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine and a key ingredient for this stew.

However, it’s not the easiest to find and it’s expensive, so you could also substitute it with turmeric or marigold.

18. Harissa Spiced Fall Veggie Pitas 

Whether you’re having them for lunch or dinner, these pitas are a gratifying meal. The inside is overflowing with harissa roasted veggies. 

Of course, you’ve got to add some extra fixings to round out all the flavors. Quick pickled onions and creamy avocado are the perfect match!

If you want them spicier, add a few dollops of that harissa hummus. 

19. Harissa Scrambled Eggs 

Once I tried harissa in my scrambled eggs, I never looked back.

These fluffy eggs come together in a jiff. While salad greens and almonds are optional, they’re a fun touch. 

20. Harissa Roasted Chicken

Nothing breathes new life into a chicken dinner like a dollop of harissa. And this one is meant to serve a crowd. 

You’ll rub the chicken with a sweet and spicy mix of harissa, honey, and lemon.

Then, roast that beautiful bird until the skin is perfectly crispy and the inside is still juicy. 

This will pair wonderfully with the harissa rice and roasted veggies if you need some meal suggestions.

Give it a try at your next family gathering and it’ll be a guaranteed hit!