Harissa is a spicy condiment originally from Tunisia and used in the Mediterranean and North African regions. It is typically a chili pepper paste that can be used as a marinade, sauce, or a spicy addition to your favorite dish. This recipe is a different variation that uses tomatoes and is based on the harissa served at Cava. I use it in our Mediterranean salad bowls we make in addition to hummus, brown rice or quinoa, lettuce, tzatziki, feta, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, purple onions, pickled onions, couscous, roasted vegetables, falafel, and a lemon herb tahini dressing. It’s simple to make, but takes a few hours.
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 28 oz can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes (pureed in a blender)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a frying pan until it is shimmering.
- Add garlic and crushed red pepper until garlic is fragrant.
- Add salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Add pureed tomatoes and simmer on low until harissa is about as thick as tomatoe paste. This can take 1-2 hours. Check on it often and stir to make sure it doesn’t burn.