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

Mediterranean chain Cava aims to keep growing by serving harissa honey chicken and pita chips while more burger-centric rivals have struggled.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 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

I loved the sound of Laura's dishes with the dual sauces of yellow harissa and an aji amarillo combination.

From Salon • May 22, 2024

The flavors are global, with ingredients including harissa, udon, satay, miso, pesto, tagine and curry.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 22, 2024

Stir in 2 tablespoons of the cumin and the harissa and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

From Washington Times • May 18, 2023