Smoky Harissa Paste

Name: Smoky Harissa Paste
Prep time: 12 min
Total time: 12 min
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients: 14 dried New Mexico chile peppers; 4 garlic cloves; 3/4 cup roasted red peppers; 1 teaspoon toasted caraway seeds; 3 tablespoons olive oil plus more as needed; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 01 February 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

A fiery, thick chili paste with a smoky bite from dried New Mexico peppers, garlic, and roasted red peppers. Caraway and coriander add depth, cumin brings warmth. Olive oil smooths out the texture. Simple process but watch consistency closely. Perfect for whenever you want heat with a smoky twist. Keep refrigerated or use straight away. Swaps like chipotle instead of New Mexico peppers give a different character. Adding a touch of smoked paprika for a smoky boost works wonders too.

Prep: 12 min

Cook: 0 min

Total: 12 min

Servings: 1 serving

#North African #condiment #spicy paste #harissa #chili #smoky flavor

Start with something smoky, bold, and textured. Dried New Mexico chiles crackle under your fingers. Garlic — raw, pungent, ready to bite. Roasted red peppers bring sweetness that’s missing when you lean on dried chiles alone. Caraway seeds—those little punchy bursts that make you pause. Olive oil pulls it all together, softening edges, carrying heat across your palate. Some cumin—just enough to warm the back of the throat. Pulser on, pulse off. Wait, too thick? Olive oil. Always olive oil. Don’t underestimate that smooth silkiness it contributes. Store or slather fresh. I remember the first time: too thick, clumpy, snuck in more oil. Better. Then crushed a handful of smoked paprika for more fire. This one’s alive; it wakes up your senses, nose, tongue, eyes. You’ll feel it long after spooning it on.

Ingredients

14 dried New Mexico chile peppers
4 garlic cloves
3/4 cup roasted red peppers
1 teaspoon toasted caraway seeds
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more as needed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

About the ingredients

Dried New Mexico chiles: go for quality, avoid any dusty, old bags. If unavailable, chipotle or ancho chiles work but change flavor — more smoke or sweetness. Garlic—don’t skip fresh cloves; raw sharpness cuts through earthiness. Roasted red peppers: jarred is fine but watch for excessive vinegar; homemade is better. Caraway seeds need to be lightly toasted beforehand for maximum aroma. Coriander and cumin: grind fresh if possible, stale powders kill depth. Olive oil: robust, fruity, not cheap—it’s a flavor carrier here. If mixture turns runny, add slow and steady; too much oil kills balance. If no food processor, use mortar and pestle, takes longer but you’ll control texture better. Finally, store cold—this paste can darken but flavors meld more with time.

Method

Remove stems and seeds from dried New Mexico peppers — listen for the brittle snap. Rinse to remove dirt but no soaking; you want chew, not mush.
In the food processor, combine peppers, garlic cloves, roasted red peppers, caraway seeds, olive oil, coriander, and cumin. Pulse in short bursts.
Watch the paste forming. If clumpy or too thick to spread, drizzle extra olive oil slowly, one tablespoon at a time. Let the mixture settle a moment — notice how it loosens.
Spoon into an airtight container; cover tightly to keep vibrant.
Store in the fridge or dive in immediately. Flavors deepen and the texture firms up a bit after chilling.
If harsh or too spicy, sprinkle in a pinch of sugar or a splash of vinegar next time to balance heat.
Use it on grilled meats, stirred into stews, or as a bold condiment.

Cooking tips

Start by prepping your chiles—snapping stems off, shaking out seeds carefully. Rinsing with cold water removes grit but avoid soaking; you need structure. Toss everything in the processor; pulse to avoid overheating the garlic, which can turn bitter. Curious about thickness? Watch how it clumps then breaks apart. Add oil gradually. The key is texture—not runny, not chunky—spreadable but thick. Don’t rush; let the blade pause between pulses. When done, scrape down sides, blend until uniform. Taste right away, adjust spices or add a drop more oil if too dense. Store airtight in the fridge; paste will firm and deepen in flavor over a day or two. Use a clean spoon each time to prevent spoilage. No cooking needed here but chopping peppers finely after seed removal can help blending in older machines.

Chef's notes

💡 Dry New Mexico chiles snap when fresh—listen carefully. Remove stems and seeds without tearing. Rinse to get grit off but no soak—keeps chew. Soaking turns paste mushy, ruins texture. If lacks fresh chiles, chipotle adds smokiness, ancho leans sweeter—adjust heat then.
💡 Pulse food processor short bursts. Garlic burns bitter if pureed too long. Pulse, pause, feel paste texture before next pulse. Watch clumps break into silky bits but don’t overblend or paste turns gluey. Scrape sides often. Add olive oil slowly—too much and oils separate. Too little, paste feels rough and dry.
💡 Caraway seeds must be toasted light brown. Watch aroma closely. Burnt seeds ruin paste with bitter edge. Toasting releases sharp nutty punch; skip and risk flat paste. Freshly ground coriander and cumin vital. Old powders dull flavor and warmth. If fresh grind impossible, use less but fresh enough.
💡 Olive oil is texture glue. Robust fruity oils work best, cheap bland oils hide spice. Add extra oil spoon by spoon if paste feels stiff or dry. Let it rest after drizzling; oils absorb differently. Too much oil dilutes. Too little: gritty, hard to spread. Adjust after resting time, cold fridge texture differs.
💡 Store airtight in cold fridge only. Paste firms a bit but flavors meld. Plastic containers absorb aroma; glass preferred. Avoid metal lids that react with acid in peppers. Use clean spoons every time. If paste darkens it's normal—flavor deepens, not spoilage. Keep away from heat or light source during storage.

Common questions

How to prep dried New Mexico chiles?

Snap stems off first. Shake seeds out gently—don’t bruise skins. Rinse dirt quick—no soak—need some chew left or paste dulls. Listen for brittle crack when snapping. Dryness varies, so adjust carefully.

Can I use chipotle or ancho chiles instead?

Yes, but flavor shifts. Chipotle more smoky, ancho sweeter. Heat levels change so lower quantities might be needed. Mixing them can balance better texture or heat. Experiment based on what’s handy.

Paste too thick or clumpy; fix?

Add olive oil spoon by spoon while pulsing. Rest after each addition. Too thick paste won’t spread, tough to use. Avoid water or vinegar to thin—oil is key. If super thick, small blender batch better than big load.

How long does paste last in fridge?

Airtight container is must. Paste firms cold but keeps 1-2 weeks. Can freeze if planned long term—thaws easily with slight texture shifts. No preservatives so spoilage risk higher if left out or contaminated by dirty spoons.