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Chef John's Harissa Sauce

Chef John's Harissa Sauce is a fiery, roasted pepper condiment with a bright citrus lift and fragrant toasted spices. Sweet bell peppers balance the heat of Fresno and habanero chiles, while garlic, cumin, coriander, caraway, and a hint of mint round it out. Spoon it over grilled meats, fold into grains, or use as a punchy spread for sandwiches and mezze platters.

  • Prep20 mins
  • Cook15 mins
  • Serves6
  • DifficultyMedium
Chef John's Harissa Sauce

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chef John's Harissa Sauce, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

44 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
55 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
3 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityGood
90 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
1 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

47
Heart Health
77
Metabolic
27
Digestive
21
Inflammatory
24
Performance
45
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Preheat the oven's broiler and position the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange the red bell peppers cut-sides down on the prepared baking sheet. Broil until the pepper skins are blackened and blistered, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the blackened peppers to a bowl and seal tightly with plastic wrap. Let them steam as they cool, about 20 minutes. Peel off and discard the skins.

  2. 2

    Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the Fresno and habanero chiles and cook uncovered over medium heat until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes; drain and let cool. Wearing gloves, remove the seeds and membranes from the chiles; set aside.

  3. 3

    Toast the coriander and caraway seeds in a skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Crush the toasted seeds with a mortar and pestle; add the cumin, mint, and salt, and grind until finely ground. Move the spices to a blender and add the roasted bell peppers, chiles, garlic, lemon juice, and vegetable oil; puree until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil at the end, blending only for a few seconds.

About This Recipe

Chef John's Harissa Sauce is a Moroccan side dish recipe made with 12 ingredients. It takes about 35 mins, serves 6, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Caraway Seed, Chili Pepper, Coriander Seed, and Dried Mint. Each serving provides about 157.74 kcal.

Recipe Questions

What is Chef John's Harissa Sauce?
It is a Moroccan sauce recipe made with 12 ingredients, usually served for side dish.
What is Chef John's Harissa Sauce made of?
The main ingredients are Caraway Seed, Chili Pepper, Coriander Seed, Dried Mint, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. The full list of 12 is above.
How long does it take to make Chef John's Harissa Sauce?
About 35 mins in total: 20 mins to prepare and 15 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 157.74 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Chef John's Harissa Sauce easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 12 ingredients and 3 steps.
Is Chef John's Harissa Sauce healthy?
Chef John's Harissa Sauce has an easyChef Pro health score of 44/100. Per serving, it provides 157.74 calories and 2.95 g of protein, or 6% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: saturated fat at 2.2 g (11% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus and Garlic, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

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