Making harissa ketchup is about as simple as can be, yet it sure does pack an amazing amount of spice complexity. The harissa mellows the ketchup tang with the earthiness of cumin, coriander, and garlic. Then there’s a subtle grassy cilantro flavor, a hint of mint, and a solid spiciness to boot. This is a delicious option for burgers, turning the everyday patty into something special. Or use it as a dipping sauce for fried foods: it’s a perfect pairing for garlic or sweet potato fries.
🌶️ Quick recipe snapshot
| Flavor profile | Sweet, tangy ketchup with earthy cumin, coriander and garlic, a little herbiness and a steady chili warmth. |
| Primary heat source | Two tablespoons of harissa paste. |
| Heat level | Mild to medium, depending on your harissa. Taste the paste before you mix. |
| Texture | Thick like regular ketchup, with a little texture from the harissa. |
| Best uses | Burgers, fries, and anything fried you’d normally dunk in ketchup. |
| Customization ideas | More harissa for heat, less for a milder dip, a squeeze of lemon for brightness. |
| Before you start | One minute to mix, then 30 minutes to an hour in the fridge. |
Flavor notes
There are only two ingredients here, so the harissa you pick decides almost everything about how this ketchup tastes. Our homemade harissa is built on dried chilies, garlic, cumin, coriander and caraway, with a little dried mint and fresh cilantro, and that’s where the earthy, herby side of this ketchup comes from.
Store-bought harissa pastes vary from brand to brand. Some run hotter, some are smokier, and some leave out the herbs, so taste yours before you mix. And if it’s a hot one, start with a tablespoon and work up.
Most harissa falls in the upper-mild to low-medium range, which is where our harissa vs. sriracha comparison puts it. Two tablespoons in half a cup of ketchup gives you a steady warmth, and the sweet ketchup keeps it friendly for most people at the table.
Don’t skip the rest in the fridge, because thirty minutes to an hour lets the flavors meld, and it tastes more rounded after the wait than it does straight out of the bowl.
Adaptation ideas
Most of these adjust the heat or the harissa.
- Want it hotter? Add another tablespoon of harissa, or a few drops of your favorite hot sauce.
- Want it milder? Start with one tablespoon of harissa and add more to taste.
- Making your own harissa? Pick milder or hotter dried chilies and you set the heat from the very start.
- Out of harissa? Our harissa substitute guide covers the best swaps if you don’t want to make your own.
- Want it brighter? Stir in a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Want it smoky? Add a pinch of smoked paprika.
Serving ideas
Use it anywhere you’d use regular ketchup, and a few places you wouldn’t.
- On burgers. Lamb burgers especially, but it’s great on beef too.
- With fries. Garlic fries or sweet potato fries, with a bowl of it for dipping.
- With fried chicken. Tenders, nuggets or wings, for dunking.
- With eggs. A spoonful next to scrambled eggs or on a breakfast sandwich.
- With grilled sausages. Merguez if you can find it, or any sausage off the grill.
Storage notes
Keep it covered in the fridge and use it within about two weeks. But if you made your own harissa, don’t keep the ketchup longer than you’d keep the harissa itself.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Habanero Ketchup: A homemade ketchup with fruity habanero heat.
- Harissa Aioli: The same harissa warmth in a garlicky dip.
- Spicy Sweet Potato Fries: Sweet and spicy oven fries, made for dunking.
50 quick, bold sauces and salsas: classic salsas and fun twists, BBQ sauces with a kick, and dippers with bang. Simple to make, big on flavor.
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Harissa Ketchup
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons harissa paste store-bought or homemade
Instructions
- In a bowl, stir the ketchup and harissa paste together until fully combined.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving so the flavors can meld.
