Spicy Harissa Pasta
By Lamiri
Published on 06 March 2026
This Spicy Harissa Paste is inspired by Tunisian dish Makrouna. A rich, slow-simmered tomato sauce is made with smoky harissa, sun-dried tomatoes, tender chicken and tossed with pasta. This comforting classic coats every piece of pasta in a deep red, glossy sauce - simple to make and full of flavour. Next time, try this with slow cooked diced beef instead of chicken.Time and servings
40 minsTotal time
4Servings
10 minsPrep time
30 minsCooking time
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs, diced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp Lamiri Harissa
- 1 handful sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 400ml passata
- 2 bay leaves
- 300g rigatoni, or large pasta tubes
- 1 handful basil leaves, picked
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
Method
Step 1
Toss the chicken pieces with paprika and salt.Step 2
Heat the oil in a deep pan over a medium heat. Add the tomato puree and fry for 1 min, then tip in the chicken and lightly brown.Step 3
Stir through the harissa, sun-dried tomatoes, turmeric, coriander and garlic then fry for 1-2 mins.Step 4
Pour over the passata then use about 1 cup of water to rinse out the passata jar and pour this in too. Add the bay leaves with a pinch of salt then bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 mins, until reduced by half and the chicken is tender.Step 5
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salter water until al dente. Drain and reserve a mugful of water.Step 6
Tip the pasta into the pan with sauce, stir well and add a splash of cooking water if needed. Serve topped with basil, parmesan and an extra drizzle of oil. Saha!