This easy spicy harissa dip recipe is made with harissa paste and Greek yogurt. It’s super easy, made in minutes, and pairs well with so many different chips and vegetables.
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Harissa And Yogurt
The two base ingredients for this dip are harissa and yogurt. Ever since we returned from our food trip to Morocco we’ve been cooking all sorts of Moroccan recipes. Moroccan food has easily become one of our favorite cuisines to cook at home.
And we are always trying to find unique ways to use harissa, the spicy Moroccan chili paste we fell in love with during our trip.
Even though this is not a traditional Moroccan recipe, it’s sort of a no-brainer. Pairing the spicy chili sauce with a cooling Greek yogurt is so tasty it’s finger-licking good.
What Kind Of Harissa To Use For Aioli
There are two types of harissa I use when cooking Moroccan recipes. Mina is one of my favorite harissa sauces. It comes in a glass jar and is found in a lot of supermarkets in the US.
I also like Le Phare du Cap Bon, which comes in a tube. This is commonly found in our Irish supermarkets and in the UK. Both can be found on Amazon:
Ingredients For This Harissa Yogurt Dip
This harissa dipping sauce recipe is easy to make but also can be used as a base dip with loads of variations and modifications depending on what you have in the house.
In addition to harissa and Greek yogurt, the dip includes garlic olive oil, salt, and lemon juice. For the garlic, I prefer to use a garlic press so that the garlic blends better into the dip. These ingredients together form the base of the dip.
Then, I normally include a bit of grated cucumber. Just use the large holes of a traditional box grater or cheese grater. Adding the cucumber to the harissa dip makes it almost like a hybrid harissa dip that almost seems like a spicy tzatziki.
Check out some of our other Moroccan-inspired recipes with Harissa:
How To Make An Easy Harissa Dip Recipe
Dips shouldn’t be complicated. They are meant to be easy and tasty and this one first the bill.
Add the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt to a small mixing bowl and blend with a whisk until the salt is dissolved. Add one tablespoon of harissa and the Greek yogurt and stir well.
Taste the dip and adjust with more harissa or yogurt depending on how spicy you want it. Add the grated cucumber and stir.
Garnish with fresh cilantro or a couple of chopped pieces of cucumber or cucumber peel.
Harissa Dip
This easy spicy harissa dip recipe is made with harissa paste and greek yogurt. It’s super easy, made in minutes, and pairs well with so many different chips and vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 clove of garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 tablespoons of harissa paste
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- ¼ cup of grated cucumber
Instructions
- Add the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt to a small mixing bowl and blend with a whisk until the salt is dissolved.
- Add the harissa and greek yogurt and stir well.
- Taste and adjust with more harissa or yogurt.
- Add the grated cucumber and stir.
Notes
Please see the notes above about cooking with harissa.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 90Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 269mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 6g
This nutritional data is provided by a third-party source and should not be relied on if you are on a strict diet.
How To Serve Harissa Yogurt Sauce
This Moroccan harissa dip can be served so many ways. It’s the perfect dip for cucumber, red peppers, baby carrots, or even green apples. It also pairs well with tortilla chips, flat bread, and pita chips.
After making it you can store this harissa yogurt recipe in the fridge for 3-5 days, although ours never makes it that long.
Modifications And Variations
If you leave the cucumber out of this harissa yogurt dressing, you have a strong base to make a variety of different dips.
The cucumber makes it almost like a tzatziki sauce, but you can swap out the cucumber for diced red pepper to give it a crunch.
We also sometimes use chopped fresh dill, which gives the dip a more earthy flavor. To give the dip a sweet and spicy flavor had a tablespoon of honey. This is a perfect harissa dip to pair with apple slices.
FAQs – Spicy Harissa Dip
Harissa’s mild spice allows it to work well with a variety of ingredients. Used extensively in North African cuisines, especially Moroccan, harissa pairs well with lamb and fish along with vegetables such as carrots, squash, and potatoes.
Harissa features both a mild peppery spice and a smokey flavor. Blended with a variety of other spices, you will experience hints of garlic and cumin.