I said this white harissa was one of the best sauces I ever made, but in my heart, I knew it wouldn’t get its fair share of internet clicks until I took it from this beautiful salad and put it on *drumroll please* POTATOES! And now here we are, with this beautiful recipe for Dilly Potatoes & White Harissa. The potatoes are crispy, crunchy and oh-so-creamy on the inside, and the dill perfectly offsets the richness of the spicy white harissa. It’s a side dish from heaven. And yes, my heaven always involves crispy potatoes.
Table of contents
What is white harissa?
First, please know that this is with no intention to be rude or disrespectful to the traditional North African harissa which is primarily made up of red peppers, spices, garlic and the like. I live for traditional harissa and find myself buying the Mina brand to make this artichoke dish and this eggplant dish more times than I can count! This is just a fun play on harissa, giving credit to its proper origin and intent, and then doing a small spin on it to make this spiced, creamy and dippable sauce that I truly cannot get over. It’s so good.
The original inspiration for this white harissa came from the restaurant Shukette, which has a version on their menu that looks pretty d*mn close to mine, which makes me feel like I did a valid job! They serve theirs with fries, and I serve mine with kale, but I guarantee both will be delicious.
White harissa takes inspiration from traditional harissa by using coriander, cumin and caraway seeds, mimicking that sumptuous, spiced depth that harissa has without bringing in its normal heat from red chilies. The heat does come from a kick of red pepper flakes though, which I added to make sure the sauce has a little something spicy going for it.
After the initial spices are toasted with garlic, the spiced oil blends with an egg yolk and vinegar to make the white harissa a proper emulsion – almost an aioli, but much thinner. To bring back the thickness I add tahini, which mellows out the sharp vinegar flavor and makes this a sauce you can eat again and again. Trust me, white harissa might not be traditional, but it is GOOD,
Ingredients you will need for these dilly potatoes with white harissa
This dish is simple, but it’s a showstopper. Serve as a side dish or appetizer to guests and everyone will be impressed with this creamy, addictive white harissa sauce. Plus, crispy potatoes are always delicious. It’s the perfect pairing, really! Here’s everything you’ll need for this savory side dish:
FOR THE POTATOES
- 1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes or fingerling potatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped dill
- Freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE WHITE HARISSA
- 1 teaspoon each cumin seeds, coriander seeds, caraway seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1/4 cup cool water
Why boil the potatoes with baking soda?
Baking soda is meant to create an alkaline environment for the potatoes to boil in. Although an acidic environment helps potatoes keep their shape (something desirable in things like French fries), alkaline water breaks down the potatoes—which is why there’s that thick, starchy coating on them when you take them out of the water. This leads to an extra crisp exterior on roasted potatoes!
How to make the white harissa
The hardest part of making this sauce is making sure that you have all the spices. After that, it’s simple! It’s a straightforward process that yields the most flavorful, creamy and tangy sauce that can go on almost anything. Here’s how to make it:
- In a small pan over medium heat, add the seeds and spices. Pour in 1/3 cup of oil and bring to a simmer, mixing continuously until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the pan and turn off the heat. Swirl constantly, allowing the garlic to turn golden but not burn. Transfer the oil and spices to a blender and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Add the egg yolk and 1/4 cup of vinegar to the blender and blend for 30 seconds. The dressing should become smooth and opaque, with flecks of spices throughout. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, taste and add more as needed.
- Pour the dressing into a small bowl and whisk in the tahini. Thin it out by adding a splash of cool water bit by bit, until a smooth, creamy dressing forms. Taste and season again.
FAQ
There could be a couple of reasons for this, but they were most likely wet when they went into the oven. To make sure that the potatoes crisp up, dry them off completely before adding the oil. This will allow the oil to work its magic in tandem with the heat!
Yes! To make this sauce vegan, simply replace the egg yolk with another emulsifying agent. I recommend a teaspoon of mustard, which won’t impact the flavor too intensely. Just note that the sauce will be slightly thinner.
Sure! If you’re not a fan of dill, there are other options that would be just as delicious. Chopped parsley, cilantro or even mint would pair well with the white harissa!
Looking for similar recipes?
Want more sauces? Me too. Want more potatoes? Me too!
And that’s everything for these Dilly Potatoes & White Harissa!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Watch the recipe here
The video may not fully represent the recipe. For best results, follow the instructions as written.
Dilly Potatoes & White Harissa
Ingredients
For the potatoes
- 1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes or fingerling potatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped dill
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the white harissa
- 1 teaspoon each cumin seeds, coriander seeds, caraway seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves grated
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1/4 cup cool water
Instructions
For the dilly potatoes
- Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 450°F.
- Halve and quarter the potatoes, keeping all the pieces a uniform size.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the baking soda and 2 tablespoons of salt. Add in the potatoes and boil for 12-15 minutes or until fork tender.
- Transfer the potatoes to an unlined baking sheet. Pat off any excess water with a paper towel and drizzle with three tablespoons of olive oil and season with a quarter teaspoon of salt. Mix with a spoon to rough up the surface of the potatoes and get them evenly coated in oil and salt.
- Roast the potatoes for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
- When they are out of the oven, mix them with the dill and a few generous cracks of black pepper. Set aside.
For the white harissa
- In a small pan over medium heat, add the seeds and spices. Pour in 1/3 cup of oil and bring to a simmer, mixing continuously until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the pan and turn off the heat. Swirl constantly, allowing the garlic to turn golden but not burn. Transfer the oil and spices to a blender and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Add the egg yolk and 1/4 cup of vinegar to the blender and blend for 30 seconds. The dressing should become smooth and opaque, with flecks of spices throughout. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, taste and add more as needed.
- Pour the dressing into a small bowl and whisk in the tahini. Thin it out by adding a splash of cool water bit by bit, until a smooth, creamy dressing forms. Taste and season again.
To serve
- Drizzle two tablespoons of the harissa over the potatoes and give a few big tosses to lightly coat them. Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle over more harissa and garnish with any extra dill. Serve warm!
I absolutely love your voiceovers and watching you prepare meals! I am a vegetarian and often cook just for me because my husband is very much a meatarian. I wish I had you to cook for me on a daily basis! I have not yet attempted one of your yummy recipes but I am definitely going to soon! Keep being you!
These are exceptional! There is a Halloween opportunity here as well. I made these with a bag of tricolor potatoes. The baking soda changed the color of the purple potatoes to a bright turquoise! The skins remained purple but the flesh glowed a bright blue green. Surely that is a Halloween party on the table.
The white harissa is divine. I used fresh mint in place of dill as mint is a delicious invasive weed in my garden. So good! This recipe makes extra harissa and it will not go unused. It really is that good! Thank you Justine for this one!
Loved the Potatoes, but the harissa was too tangy for my taste. Will make again but halve the vinegar (used 50 ml which should be shy of 1/4 cup).
Totally fair, I use a lot of salt to taste to balance it out 🙂
I really enjoyed making this salad and the white harissa! The fragrance of the spices and garlic was divine. I also found the vinegar in the harissa a bit too prominent at first, but when eaten with the potatoes it mellows out!