Cooking
Substitute for Harissa
For 1 tbsp harissa, stir 2 tsp tomato paste and 1 tsp olive oil with cayenne, cumin and coriander, or use 2 tsp sambal oelek spiked with cumin and caraway.
- vegetarian
- vegan
- gluten free
Quick answer
Out of harissa? The most versatile swaps:
- 1
Tomato paste + spices + olive oil
2 tsp tomato paste + 1 tsp olive oil + ¼ tsp each cayenne, ground cumin and ground coriander, plus a pinch of caraway and garlic, for 1 tbsp
- 2
Sambal oelek + cumin + caraway
2 tsp sambal oelek + 1 tsp olive oil + ¼ tsp each ground cumin and caraway for 1 tbsp
- 3
Sriracha + cumin
2 tsp sriracha + ¼ tsp ground cumin for 1 tbsp
Harissa is a North African chili paste, best known from Tunisia, made from dried red chilies rehydrated and pounded with garlic, olive oil and spices, usually caraway, coriander and cumin. In a dish it does more than add heat. The pepper pulp thickens and colors a sauce, the oil carries the spice flavor, and caraway gives it an earthy note that no other chili paste has. A good swap covers the heat, the body and that spice mix.
Stews, tagines and braises
When harissa is cooked into a tagine, chickpea stew or shakshuka, the tomato paste and spice mix is the most reliable swap, because it has the same thick body and colors the sauce deep red. Fry it in the oil with the onions for a minute so the spices bloom and the tomato loses its raw edge. Taste after 10 minutes of simmering and add more cayenne if needed; the heat builds as it cooks.
Sambal oelek works well in braises where the vinegar cooks off. Add the cumin and caraway separately, fried in the oil, so they don’t taste raw.
Marinades, dips and sauces
For a marinade on chicken or lamb, both the tomato-paste mix and sambal oelek work; a little extra oil helps them coat the meat. In yogurt sauces, mayonnaise and dips, sriracha with cumin blends in smoothly and its sweetness is less noticeable when balanced with dairy. Ajvar makes a good spread for sandwiches and a base for mild versions where the pepper flavor matters more than heat.
When not to substitute
In a dish named for it, such as harissa chicken or a Tunisian lablabi topped with harissa, the caraway and dried-chili depth are the point. The tomato-paste mix comes closest, but it tastes of tomato. Making real harissa from soaked dried chilies, garlic, spices and oil is worth the effort here.
Common mistakes
- Using crushed red pepper alone. It adds heat but none of the body, so the sauce stays thin and the flakes stay chewy.
- Measuring sriracha or sambal one-to-one into a stew. Their vinegar and sugar build up over long cooking.
- Skipping the caraway. Without it the dish tastes generically spicy rather than North African.
- Adding raw ground spices at the end. They taste dusty; bloom them in oil first.
All 4 substitutes at a glance
| Substitute | Ratio | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato paste + spices + olive oil CookingRaw & finishing | 2 tsp tomato paste + 1 tsp olive oil + ¼ tsp each cayenne, ground cumin and ground coriander, plus a pinch of caraway and garlic, for 1 tbsp | tagines, shakshuka, roast vegetables, marinades | Tomato paste stands in for the pepper pulp and gives the same thick body; the spices are harissa's usual ones. Tomato is sweeter and more acidic than dried chili, so fry the mixture in oil for a minute to round it out. |
| Sambal oelek + cumin + caraway CookingRaw & finishing | 2 tsp sambal oelek + 1 tsp olive oil + ¼ tsp each ground cumin and caraway for 1 tbsp | grilled meat, couscous, eggs, dips | A plain paste of ground fresh chili, vinegar and salt, so its heat is close but sharper and wetter. Using less and adding oil softens the vinegar edge; the spices supply the North African aroma. |
| Sriracha + cumin CookingRaw & finishing | 2 tsp sriracha + ¼ tsp ground cumin for 1 tbsp | mayonnaise and yogurt sauces, roast potatoes, sandwiches | Thinner, sweeter and more garlicky, with a vinegar tang. Good stirred into creamy sauces; less convincing in a long-cooked stew, where the sugar dominates. |
| Ajvar + chili flakes CookingRaw & finishing | 1 tbsp ajvar + ¼ tsp crushed red pepper for 1 tbsp | rose-harissa recipes, spreads, milder dishes, grain bowls | Roasted red pepper and eggplant relish: the same smoky, sweet pepper base as mild harissa but almost no heat, so the flakes supply it. Add cumin or caraway for aroma. |
Substitute calculator
How much harissa does your recipe call for?
- Tomato paste + spices + olive oil2 tsp tomato paste + 1 tsp olive oil + ¼ tsp cayenne + ¼ tsp ground cumin + ¼ tsp ground coriander
- Sambal oelek + cumin + caraway2 tsp sambal oelek + 1 tsp olive oil + ¼ tsp ground cumin + ¼ tsp ground caraway
- Sriracha + cumin2 tsp sriracha + ¼ tsp ground cumin
- Ajvar + chili flakes1 tbsp ajvar + ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
Amounts are rounded to practical kitchen measures. Swaps without a fixed ratio, or that can't be measured in the unit you picked, show their ratio instead.
Topics: harissachilipastespicynorth african All cooking guides
Frequently asked questions
Is harissa very hot?
It depends on the brand and the chilies used: some pastes are fiery, others mostly sweet pepper with gentle heat. Taste a little before measuring, and halve the amount of a hot brand or swap if the recipe was written with a mild one.
What is rose harissa?
Harissa blended with dried rose petals or rose water, which makes it floral and usually milder. The ajvar swap with a few drops of rose water comes closest. Use rose water sparingly; too much tastes of soap.
Can I use gochujang instead of harissa?
In small amounts, in a marinade or glaze. Gochujang is fermented with rice and sweetened, so it is sticky, sweet and funky rather than earthy and spiced. Use half as much and add cumin and coriander so it reads as North African.
How do I tone down a dish with too much harissa?
Add fat or dairy: a spoonful of yogurt, tahini, olive oil or coconut milk mutes chili heat better than water. In a stew, add more of the base ingredients, such as tomatoes, chickpeas or stock, to dilute it.
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