What is a substitute for harissa?

"I have a recipe that calls for harissa, but I'm having trouble finding it. Any suggestions for a harissa substitute?"

This North African red chile paste packs A LOT of heat. For every tablespoon of this fiery flavor, you can substitute a tablespoon of berbere, chile paste, or tabil (Tunisian spice paste). Of course, for a little less heat, you can always use hot sauce.

The Harissa Shrimp Fra Diavolo recipe pictured on the left is an example of how this chile paste can add fiery heat to a seafood dish.

If you're interested in more dishes that use harissa, check out our collection of African Recipes or type "harissa" into the recipe search bar on the homepage.