harissa

American  

[hah-ree-suh, huh-ri-suh] / hɑˈri sə, həˈrɪ sə /

noun

1. a pungent paste or sauce made with chiles, garlic, cumin, caraway, coriander, paprika, and olive oil, used as a condiment and flavoring in North African and Middle Eastern cooking.

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harissa British  

/ həˈrɪsə /

noun

1. (in Tunisian cookery) a hot paste or sauce made from chilli peppers, tomatoes, spices, and olive oil, often served with couscous

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Etymology

Origin of harissa

First recorded in 1905–10; from Arabic harīsa, originally a dish of bulgur and meat pounded together into a porridge, from harasa “to pound, crush, break”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

harissa

For some, that means fewer carne asada burritos and harissa bowls.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 30, 2025

Let’s say you find chicken thighs, carrots, half a box of penne, an almost-empty jar of harissa, some butter and heavy cream.

From Salon ● Mar. 30, 2025

It adds some heat from harissa and chili to a pasta with eggplant and parsley, finished with walnuts.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 22, 2024

Whisk in the harissa and 3 tablespoons water; set aside.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 11, 2023

A newer dish on the menu is Lamb Albondigas which is ground lamb meatballs and it has tomato sauce, harissa and za'atar.

From Salon ● Jun. 19, 2023