Zwita Smoky Harissa 6oz | Tunisian Sun Dried Chili Paste

Really nice condiment with lower spice level (heat) and nice smokiness. Excellent on almost everything

best store bought harissa i can find. taste is good, smoky.

There is a restaurant locally that always has this as a ketchup for dipping. I had been on the hunt for a paste to mix with and found this. It is a small jar but this is to be expected. The paste is thick and has a wonderful smell to it. I started with a small amount and mixed it with SF ketchup we have. I would do a taste test until I got it like I have it. I have gotten lots of compliments from people who have had it. TL;DR Good for making your own sauces. Quality product don’t need to much for making sauce, highly recommend and will buy again.

I ordered this along with the Mild version, which I've already reviewed. The Smoky version is quite different. For one thing, it's decidedly smoky (of course), and it is a chunky paste with a drier, thicker consistency than the Mild, and less noticeably tart. Where the Mild version has a barely detectable level of capsaicin, the Smoky, which is billed as "medium heat" is probably a little too hot for people who don't tolerate capsaicin well. In my estimation, as a Southeast Asian American who regularly eats spicy foods, it's bordering on "actually hot", without being "crazy hot". The flavor is delicious, and the spice profile isn't overwhelming, so it can go well with more than just Tunisian or other North African cuisines. It would be excellent with Spanish food, for instance, which uses a lot of smoked paprika, and I can see it going well with a lot of other African cuisines, Desi cuisines, Middle Eastern cuisines, and Southeast Asian cuisines. I bet mixing a jar of the Mild and a jar of the Smoky would be really good, and I may end up doing that, because otherwise, I will probably let the Mild languish in my refrigerator in favor of the Smoky. I will order the Spicy next, as a point of reference, even though it may actually be hotter than I would prefer, most days. 5 stars for flavor, but a 4 star review, because of the relatively high price. Recommended for those who can afford it easily, and a recommended splurge for those on a budget, because it's definitely better than any other product I've tried in the US sold as "harissa".

Zwita has made three Harissas, and all are good, though quite mediocre when compared to other available pastes. Tasting the many different bands and types of harissa is like doing Olive oil tastings: No single one is best. I like how the Zwita people have created three distinct flavor profiles. I recommend all fans of Harissa try them, as each iteration is focused on a unique aspect and is accurate. Having said that, I would not rebuy them for the very same reason I would never again buy any of the "Spicy Chili Crisp Sauces made by Fly By Jing." The 'Jing' line all seem inauthentic at best compared to other, less hyped brands. They are clearly designed for a "Gen Z" consumer who enjoys cool marketing and a stylized look. Both pastes are 'dumbed down' in terms of flavor to appeal to a broader, younger audience, long on cool, stylized packaging. Just last week, I bought two jars of the original "Lao Gan Ma" Chili Crisp. A young, very articulate Asian woman remarked to me that the new "Lao" sauce had been altered to resemble "Fly By Jing." She said it was better to make it yourself at home. She seemed to say that "Fly By Jing" was all marketing gloss. After using the Lao for a few days, I found that she was absolutely correct, yet it was difficult to tell why. I think doing blind taste comparisons would be interesting, but obviously too geeky. The real problem is that even in a city like San Francisco, Caucasian Gen Z, for the most part, are reluctant to check out hardcore Asian/ Middle Eastern markets, which is a pity. I like the "Olive Garden Harissa," but frankly, it's better to try to make it yourself. It's a snap, and there are tons of recipes online.

Great with eggs, such color and spice.

So I just ordered this harissa for the first time. It was delicious. But I have to say that I have never gotten a small jar from Amazon that was so well packed in such interesting packaging. The paper it was wrapped in was cut in an amazing leaf pattern and it looked like art when we unwrapped it. The pattern made it a better cushion. I made twice cooked tripe. Tripe in the instant pot with cinnamon sticks, cloves and whole multi colored peppercorns, then cut into bite size pieces and stir fried in the wok with fresh ginger, garlic, and about a tablespoon of the harissa. Great flavor. Every bit as good as I hoped. Not salty. I can't do aught but recommend this product. I'll downgrade something that needs it, but this is good stuff.

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