As with any other spice company there are some products that have become my go to spice blend. The Harissa from JustSpices is one of those blends. The combination of heat and flavor has me reaching for it when I want to liven up vegetables or punch up a chicken dish.

Appearance:

Like all blends from JustSpices, the packaging is clean and simple. From the yellow and black cylinder to the friction fit plastic top, the basics are presented without clutter or splash. The nutritional facts are in black and white and easily read. The ingredients and allergen warnings are listed along with a QR code that takes you to a Harissa Chicken recipe that is delicious and easy. https://www.justspices.com/blogs/recipes/harissa-chicken?_pos=1&_sid=9a4c3e972&_ss=r

Aroma:

Upon opening the foil top you are greeted with a complex smoky, sweet, and slightly spicy scent that lets you know there will be some warmth from the chili peppers and a complexity from the paprika, cumin, garlic, and coriander. 

Taste:

All the smokiness adds a depth of flavor that is brought out when sautéing or roasting while the spice and chilis give a wonderful punch to various foods. There is a smokiness and heat that are pleasantly complex.  While not what I would call hot, the blend does have a warmth to it some may find “hot”. So, if you’re sensitive to spice, you might want to start slow and add more to taste.

Application:

The Harissa blend can be combined with oil to make a marinade, sprinkled onto, or even combined with softened butter and allowed to slowly melt over food to finish a dish. I personally like to oil vegetables, toss them with the harissa blend, and then roast them. I have done this with asparagus, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, onions, and potatoes. Each resulting in a delicious accompaniment to a main course. Marinading chicken and then roasting creates a dish that is almost addicting. I make sure to keep the skin crispy and then must try not to eat it all at one meal. Truly tasty!

Final Thoughts:

As I said at the beginning, the Harissa blend has become a go to addition to my meal preparation. I enjoy the smoky flavor and mild (in my opinion) heat added to foods. To me it has a bit of grittiness when added to a broth, but it isn’t off-putting. I would recommend the Harissa blend from JustSpices to anyone who loves smoky/spicy flavors or is interested in adding global flavor profiles to their meals. It will become a welcome addition to whatever you are making. 

You can help out my blog by using this link to purchase the spice blend from Amazon https://amzn.to/3ZxtNFs . Thanks!