Harissa Aioli with Crispy Roasted New Potatoes

This decadent harissa aioli is great on just about anything, but you’ll love it on roasted potatoes! You can also enjoy it on sandwiches, eggs, smoked asparagus, or anything you like!

Try adding this spicy spread to avocado toast, marinara sauce, hommus, or whatever you’re eating.

What is aioli?

Aioli is very similar to mayonnaise. It is an emulsion of oil and garlic with salt. The name is Catalan/Valencian and Provencal for ‘garlic and oil’. It is also spelled allioli.

Some recipes for aioli are just oil, garlic, and salt, which makes it naturally vegan. However, it is harder to get this vegan aioli to stabilize and emulsify, so it can be a bit pasty. You need to process it longer. Fortunately for us in the modern age, that just means a few more blitzes in a blender or food processor. These vegan recipes are considered pure aioli in Spain.

Other aioli recipes (including mine, as well as French versions) are basically the same as homemade mayonnaise and include egg yolks and lemon juice. Some also call for mustard, vinegar, or other seasonings, so feel free to customize it however you’d like.

What is aioli used for?

Aioli is often used as a dip for fried or grilled things (like potatoes, eggplant, and asparagus). You can also use it in place of mayonnaise for most recipes, like on sandwiches, in egg salad, etc. I have a feeling this would be great on eggs Florentine in place of the hollandaise sauce.

People traditionally eat aioli along the northwest Mediterranean coastline, including in Italy (in Calabria and Sicily), Spain (in Valencia, Catalonia, Andalusia, Murcia and the Balearic Islands), and southern France (in Provence).

What is harissa?

Harissa is a condiment made from hot chili peppers. It originated in Tunisia, and people eat it along the northwestern African Mediterranean coast (the Maghreb region), including in Morocco, Algeria, Libya, and Mauritania.

You can also try rose harissa paste, another popular option which includes rose petals along with everything else. To learn more about the health benefits of rose petals (specifically in tea), you can check out this Healthline article.

People make harissa paste with roasted red peppers, Baklouti peppers, garlic, olive oil, cumin, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, and other spices. The name harissa comes from the Arabic harasa, meaning to pound or break into pieces. This is exactly what you would do to chilis to produce harissa.

During the Spanish occupation of Tunisia (1535-1574 CE), the Spanish imported chili peppers to Tunisia, which they themselves had imported via the Colombian exchange. From then on, chilis and harissa became part of Maghrebian cuisine.

Now, people commonly put harissa paste in soups and stews, to season couscous, or as a condiment for meat.

What if I can’t find harissa paste?

You can make a simple version using dried spices (keep scrolling to the next section for a quick recipe!), or try a more complex version with chilies. I found my jar at World Market, but you can also buy harissa paste online. You can also try rose harissa, if you prefer. Finally, McCormick makes a dried powder version I’ve seen locally in grocery stores (or, as a great many things are, it’s on Amazon).

How to make diy harissa seasoning (with spices you probably have in your cupboard!)

Before you begin, you will need:

• 1-2 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how hot you want it)
• 1-2 Tbsp chili powder (again, to taste)
• 2 Tbsp paprika (smoked paprika preferred)
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp cumin
• 2 Tbsp coriander
• 1 Tbsp caraway
• 1 Tbsp salt
• Black pepper, if desired
• 1 Tbsp dried dill
• Rose petals, if desired

Add all spices to a jar and shake to combine!

Harissa Aioli with Crispy Roasted New Potatoes – Ingredients List

Before you begin, you will need:

• 2 egg yolks (The closer to room temperature the better, so start this step first. Cold yolks work okay too, but they don’t seem to fluff up as much so the aioli doesn’t stabilize as well.)
• 1 large or 2 small cloves of fresh garlic
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup olive oil (or a milder tasting oil if you don’t like the strong flavor of olive oil)
• Fresh dill to garnish (or chop it and mix it in – optional, but delicious)
• 1 1/2 lbs baby potatoes

• A food processor or blender
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing bowls
• A baking sheet
• Aluminum foil (Fun fact – it makes no difference which side is up, according to foil producer Reynold’s Kitchen, although many prefer shiny side down.)
• Knife and cutting board

How to make Harissa aioli with crispy roasted new potatoes

1. To begin, preheat your oven to 350°.
2. After that, separate your egg yolks from your egg whites. For a refresher on an easy way to do this, you can refer to my bobka recipe.

First, make the potatoes

1. Next, scrub your potatoes and chop them into small pieces. I cut mine into wedges, but you can also do rounds. The smaller the pieces, the faster they will cook.
2. Then, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lay your potatoes on the baking sheet so they don’t touch, again to help them cook faster.
3. After that, spritz the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle them with your seasoning of choice. I used herbs de Provence.
4. Once your oven is hot, place the potatoes in the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until golden.

After that, make the harissa aioli

1. While the potatoes are baking, make the aioli.
2. First, place the egg yolks in your food processor (or blender).
3. Then, add the salt and lemon juice. Peel the garlic, trim the ends, maybe chop into quarters, and throw that in the food processor as well.
4. Blitz until well combined.
5. After that, you will want to slowly add in the olive oil. If you have a food processor where you can pour in a thin stream while it’s running, try that. If not, just add a small amount of olive oil at a time and blitz it together in intervals.
6. Once you have added all the olive oil and it all has emulsified together into one creamy texture, your base is ready to go. Congrats – you just made homemade mayonnaise!
7. Next, scrape all the base into a medium mixing bowl.
8. Then, add in your harissa paste and stir. If you are worried about it being too spicy, just add a teaspoon at a time and taste as you go.
9. Garnish the harissa aioli with fresh dill, and it’s done!
10. Once the potatoes are ready, you can sprinkle them with salt if desired and serve with a dollop of harissa aioli for dipping. Enjoy!

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Make it vegan

Omit the egg yolks and throw in an extra clove of garlic to help it emulsify.

Variations on this Harissa aioli recipe

Try adding vinegar or mustard to this recipe for a bit more of a kick.

You can add in any fresh herbs or veggies you’d like. The dill is great, but you could also try chives, roasted red peppers, oregano, basil, or anything you’d like.

If you want extra luxury in your food, garnish with saffron.

Try adding additional lemon juice and garlic for a different balance of flavors.

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Related potato recipes

• Deviled potatoes (think deviled eggs, but more delicious and vegan)
• Korean sweet potato fries
• Kartoffel klosse (potato dumplings)
• German potato soup

I hope you enjoy this recipe for harissa aioli with crispy roasted new potatoes!