Try this spicy North African twist and make Harissa Aioli to pair with your meals. You’ll NEVER go back! This simple, bold creamy sauce is your new secret weapon for burgers, fries, grilled veggies, seafood, or sandwiches. With just a few pantry staples and a spoonful of harissa paste, you’ll have an irresistible, restaurant-style aioli in minutes.
Why can’t resist some bold and rich flavors to our meals. And here’s how we came up with our NEW favorite dip. It started with a dip for our Air Fryer Frozen French Fries. We were blown away and it soon replaced every other aioli we ever had.
Adding Harissa takes the humble mayo to a whole new level. It’s not a new condiment to us, we top it on our Stuffed Sweet Potatoes. Drizzle it on Honeynut Squash, dip it with our Halloumi Fries and finish off our Whipped Feta with it.
We even spice our meats with it like Spicy Harissa Lamb in Pita Cones. Be prepared to get addicted to this sauce, you’ve been warned! Here’s why you’ll absolutely love it!
What is Harissa
Harissa is a North African chili paste or sauce that’s beloved for its bold, smoky heat and deep, complex flavor. It’s a staple in Tunisian, Moroccan, and Algerian cuisines and has become popular worldwide as a way to add instant warmth and depth to dishes.
Traditional harissa is made from dried red chili peppers (like Baklouti peppers), garlic, olive oil along with spice. Spices such as cumin, coriander, and caraway seeds and sometimes tomato paste or roasted red peppers for extra richness.
The exact ingredients can vary by region or brand — some harissa is mild and smoky, while others are fiery hot! You can buy harissa paste in jars or tubes in the international aisle in most stores. Our favorite highly recommended is MINA HARISSA. Such a great tasting harissa that you can readily find!
Harissa flavors are earthy, smoky, slightly tangy, and packs a spicy kick.
Why You’ll Love Harissa Aioli
- Quick & Easy: Ready in under 5 minutes.
- Big Flavor: Smoky, garlicky, and spicy — all in one creamy sauce.
- Versatile: Perfect dipping sauce, spread, or drizzling.
- Customizable: Adjust the flavors to your taste. Make it more or less spicy, swap cilantro, add more lime, etc. You can also make this chunky or smooth aioli by blending it.
- 5 Ingredients only: This is a simple 5 ingredient recipe that you most likely have on hand already! Just get some harissa paste and you’ll all set.
- Stores well : Perfect make in advance and store sauce. You can totally make this sauce in advance and keep plenty of it in the fridge for endless uses.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Mayonnaise: The creamy base of the rich sauce. Use avocado oil mayo for the healthiest mayo in our opinion.
- Harissa Paste: We LOVE Mina Harissa paste. It’s smokey and spicy with a depth of flavor.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic minced for extra punch.
- Lemon Juice: Brightens the flavor.
- Salt And Pepper: Season to taste and add paprika for extra smokey taste.
- Herbs: Cilantro is our favorite herb, it’s fresh and light.
How to Make Harissa Aioli
Combine Ingredients
In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, harissa paste, minced garlic, and fresh cilantro and lemon juice.- Season and taste.
- Add more harissa for extra spice or more mayo for a milder flavor.
Serve or Store:
Use immediately or cover and chill. The flavor deepens as it sits!
Tips for Harissa Aioli Recipe
- Use quality ingredients. Start with quality Mayo. You can use homemade mayo, or use an avocado oil based mayo. It’s our favorite!
- Use Good Harissa: You can find a few brands at the international food isle, but our favorite is Mina. We have tried all of them 🙂 Some are mild, some extra spicy, some super smokey, others bland, etc. We found this brand to be well rounded and almost addictive.
- You can substitute garlic powder for fresh garlic if you need. However, we certainly recommend fresh.
- Lime can be used instead of lemon.
- Also season with just salt and pepper if you need to, and avoid paprika and other seasonings.
- Let the aioli sit for at least 30 minutes before serving so flavors meld.
How to Use Harissa Aioli
This bold, creamy Harissa Aioli is incredibly versatile — once you make it, you’ll want to put it on everything! Here are some tasty ways to use it:
- Slather it on burgers, sandwiches, or wraps for a spicy kick.
- Perfect dipping sauce for fries, sweet potato fries, or potato wedges.
- Serve as a dip for raw or roasted veggies — carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, or zucchini fries.
- Dunk crispy calamari, shrimp, or fish fingers.
- Use it as a spicy topping for tacos or quesadillas.
- Spoon over roasted chicken or lamb for extra flavor.
- Serve alongside kebabs, lamb chops, or grilled halloumi.
What is Harissa Aioli made of?
It’s a creamy sauce made with mayonnaise, harissa paste, garlic, and lemon juice.
Is Harissa Aioli spicy?
Yes! It’s mildly to moderately spicy depending on your harissa paste. Add less or more to suit your taste.
What does Harissa Aioli taste like?
It’s creamy, smoky, garlicky, slightly tangy, and has a pleasant heat.
How long does Harissa Aioli last?
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Can I make it vegan?
Absolutely! Use vegan mayo and you’re good to go.
Sauce Recipes
Garlic Parmesan Sauce
Garlic Sauce
Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe
Queso
Harissa Aioli
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
- 2 cloves garlic Minced
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons Harissa Paste
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Cilantro minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder optional
Instructions
-
Combine Ingredients
-
In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, harissa paste, minced garlic, and fresh cilantro and lemon juice.
-
Season and taste.
-
Add more harissa for extra spice or more mayo for a milder flavor.
-
Serve or Store:
-
Use immediately or cover and chill. The flavor deepens as it sits!
Recipe Notes
Tips for Harissa Aioli Recipe
- Use quality ingredients. Start with quality Mayo. You can use homemade mayo, or use an avocado oil based mayo. It's our favorite!
- Use Good Harissa: You can find a few brands at the international food isle, but our favorite is Mina. We have tried all of them 🙂 Some are mild, some extra spicy, some super smokey, others bland, etc. We found this brand to be well rounded and almost addictive.
- You can substitute garlic powder for fresh garlic if you need. However, we certainly recommend fresh.
- Lime can be used instead of lemon.
- Also season with just salt and pepper if you need to, and avoid paprika and other seasonings.
- Let the aioli sit for at least 30 minutes before serving so flavors meld.
How to Use Harissa Aioli
This bold, creamy Harissa Aioli is incredibly versatile — once you make it, you’ll want to put it on everything! Here are some tasty ways to use it:
- Slather it on burgers, sandwiches, or wraps for a spicy kick.
- Perfect dipping sauce for fries, sweet potato fries, or potato wedges.
- Serve as a dip for raw or roasted veggies — carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, or zucchini fries.
- Dunk crispy calamari, shrimp, or fish fingers.
- Use it as a spicy topping for tacos or quesadillas.
- Spoon over roasted chicken or lamb for extra flavor.
- Serve alongside kebabs, lamb chops, or grilled halloumi.
What is Harissa Aioli made of?
It’s a creamy sauce made with mayonnaise, harissa paste, garlic, and lemon juice.
Is Harissa Aioli spicy?
Yes! It’s mildly to moderately spicy depending on your harissa paste. Add less or more to suit your taste.
What does Harissa Aioli taste like?
It’s creamy, smoky, garlicky, slightly tangy, and has a pleasant heat.
How long does Harissa Aioli last?
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Can I make it vegan?
Absolutely! Use vegan mayo and you’re good to go.
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