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Spice up your week with harissa

If you're trying the chilli pepper paste for the first time or if you want to know what to do with leftover harissa, these recipes are a great place to start. Try a speedy flatbread lunch, fancy houmous idea or sticky chicken dinner; you can find all the recipes – and more – below.

  1. Harissa-spiced red pepper houmous

    Harissa-spiced red pepper houmous

    1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
    200g houmous
    1 tbsp harissa paste, plus extra for drizzling
    50g roasted red pepper antipasti, roughly chopped
    1 small garlic clove, crushed
    1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
    ½ lemon, zested

    For the crudité
    1 red pepper, thinly sliced
    1 large carrot, cut into batons
    ½ cucumber, cut into batons
    8 radishes, halved

    1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Tip the pumpkin seeds onto an oven tray and pop in the oven for 6 mins, or until lightly toasted and golden. Leave to cool a little.

    2. Meanwhile, tip the houmous, harissa, roasted peppers and garlic into a food processor and whizz until smooth.

    3. To serve, spoon the houmous mixture into a bowl and scatter over the parsley, lemon zest and pumpkin seeds. Add a grind of freshly cracked black pepper and drizzle over a little more harissa. Serve with the crudité.

  2. Sticky honey, garlic and harissa chicken thighs

    Sticky honey, garlic and harissa chicken thighs

    2 tbsp harissa paste
    ½ lemon, zested and juiced
    1 tbsp clear honey
    2 large garlic cloves, finely crushed​
    8 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in (roughly 1.4kg)
    2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

    1. Preheat the oven to 220°C, fan 200°C, gas 7. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

    2. In a large bowl, combine the harissa, lemon zest and juice, honey and garlic. Add the chicken and toss to coat.

    3. Arrange the chicken on the baking tray and roast for 35-40 mins until the skin is golden and crisp and the chicken is cooked through. Leave to rest for 10 mins, then scatter over the parsley and spoon over any roasting juices.

  3. Harissa, avocado and feta flatbreads

    Harissa, avocado and feta flatbreads

    4 folded flatbreads
    2 tbsp harissa paste
    1 avocado, roughly chopped
    100g Tesco Finest Barrel-Aged Feta, crumbled
    handful fresh basil, leaves picked
    ½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

    1. Toast the flatbreads for 1 min until softened and lightly crisp.

    2. Unfold the flatbreads and divide the harissa between each, smoothing it over with the back of a spoon. Top with avocado and feta, then lightly crush with a fork.

    3. Scatter over the basil leaves, drizzle with oil and season with freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

  4. More recipes with harissa

    More recipes with harissa

    There are lots more recipes using the fragrant spice mix; try harissa lamb noodles ready in 25 minutes, add it to a whole roasted cauliflower, smother it over slow-roasted lamb shoulder or give this white bean stew a flourishing finish with a good dollop of it.