Harissa Vinaigrette

Harissa vinaigrette is the perfect addition to salads or salad bowls. The harissa dressing uses honey for a slightly sweet dressing that spices up everything from salads to vegetables.

I never buy salad dressing any more. It's so easy to make at home! And I love how I can whip up a homemade salad dressing that sounds good in the moment instead of committing to an entire jar of salad dressing that I use a few times.

Sometimes it will be an apple cider vinaigrette that pairs beautifully with my kale and apple salad (AKA my husband's most requested meal). Sometimes I love the bright creaminess of a preserved lemon vinaigrette.

But lately? I've been wanting a bit of spice. And this honey harissa dressing checks the boxes. It's got spice from the harissa, sweetness from the honey, and acidity from the lemon.

The harissa vinaigrette is the perfect pairing for salads and veggies. I even love stirring it into raw or sautéed tomatoes to give them an extra punch of flavor.

Why make this recipe

• Easy - This recipe is so easy to make and doesn't require any special equipment.
• Flavorful - The honey and harissa combine to create a spicy sweet dressing.
• Customizable - The honey harissa vinaigrette can be customized in so many ways. Read on for ideas!

Ingredients

• Harissa (I use mild or medium level spice, but if you're wanting a punch of heat, choose spicy!)
• Honey
• Lemon juice
• Extra virgin olive oil

What is harissa?

Harissa is a condiment from North Africa. It's used in Moroccan and Tunisian cooking. I love using it in so many ways, from making harissa roasted tomatoes to creamy harissa pasta.

You can find it in two forms -- harissa paste or harissa powder.

Harissa paste is what many people refer to when they're talking about the jarred condiment (you can also buy harissa paste in a tube). And you can even make your own harissa paste from powder!

Harissa powder is a spice blend that is found in the spices section of a grocery store.

In this recipe, we use the jarred harissa condiment to make the harissa vinaigrette.

Where can you buy harissa?

Harissa can be found in many grocery stores! I've found it at Whole Foods, Sprouts, Trader Joe's and specialty stores. You can also buy it online.

Customization ideas

• Want some warming spices? Add a pinch of cumin to the harissa dressing.
• For a spicy harissa vinaigrette, add some red pepper flakes, a pinch of cayenne, or use a spicier harissa.
• For more herbal flavors, add some dried mint or dried oregano.

Can you store leftover dressing?

Yes! Store leftover harissa dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. If dressing has solidified from the cold, bring to room temperature and mix together before using.

How to use the harissa dressing

• As a dressing on a leafy green salad topped with feta cheese and red onion.
• As a dressing for a CAVA-copycat bowl along with some spicy whipped feta.
• Drizzled over some roasted carrots, tomatoes, or other vegetable.

How to make harissa vinaigrette

This harissa vinaigrette is so easy to make! Simply add your ingredients to a bowl or a jar with a lid that secures (a mason jar works great for this).

Whisk with a fork or whisk until completely combined. If using a jar, make sure the lid is secure, and shake for 5-7 seconds until combined.

Use as desired!

Other recipes using harissa

• Harissa roasted acorn squash
• Harissa honey chicken
• Air fryer harissa salmon
• Harissa roasted tomatoes
• Harissa butter
• Harissa scrambled eggs
• Harissa cauliflower with tahini
• Creamy harissa pasta

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