Add Craveworthy Moroccan-Inspired Flavor to Any Meal!
If you love flavor-forward spice (the kind that tickles your tastebuds without burning them off), then you’re going to love this Honey Harissa Marinade.
It’s a beautiful balance of spicy, sweet, and smoky flavors and the easiest way to zhuzh up your favorite grilled meals.
The big burst of flavor in this Moroccan-style marinade comes from harissa paste, a bold and spicy condiment native to North Africa.
Balancing its heat with sweet honey tones down the harissa while still allowing its smoky, peppery flavor to shine.
As a bonus, the honey also gives any protein or veggie a beautiful caramelization on the grill! Plus, it’s so simple to make and fantastic as an easy Moroccan chicken marinade but also versatile enough to amp up everything from beef to lamb, pork to summer veggies. Spicy and sweet can’t be beat! 🔥
Want more marinades for grilling season? Got you covered! Check out PWWB’s 15 Go-To Grilling Marinades.
Key Ingredients
This honey harissa marinade recipe delivers a ton of flavor, yet most of the ingredients can be shopped directly from your pantry.
It comes together super quickly, especially if you have everything you need on hand.
Harissa Paste
If harissa is new to you then you’re in for a real treat! Harissa, which derives from the Arabic verb “harasa” which means “to pound”, is a staple condiment native to the Maghreb region of North Africa. It’s made by pounding spicy Tunisian Baklouti peppers and roasted red bell peppers, plus several aromatics and spices into a soft paste.
While harissa is indeed a spicy condiment, it’s not hot enough to overwhelm your tastebuds. Baklouti peppers only have a Scoville Heat Unit score of 1,000-5,000, about half as much spice as jalapeños.
Store-bought harissa can vary widely in spice, so be sure to pay attention to any labels for “mild” or “extra-spicy.” New York Shuk Harissa is our fave.
You will also need…
- Honey – For a touch of sweetness! To keep this Moroccan-style marinade vegan, feel free to use maple syrup or agave syrup instead. All the sticky sweetness helps balance the harissa and gives everything a beautiful char on the grill.
- Olive oil – Smooth olive oil rounds out the harissa marinade and offers a bit more balance. DeLallo EVOO is always our go-to.
- Lemon juice – Lemon’s acidity brightens up the honey harissa marinade and helps draw out the delicious flavor of the harissa paste. Always use fresh citrus if you can – the flavor is so much better! Give the lemon a firm roll on your countertop to get the most juice out of your fruit.
- Spices – A bit of ground coriander and cumin enhance the warm, spicy notes from the harissa, while a dash of cayenne pepper adds a little extra heat.
- Garlic – Because you can never have too much garlic! This recipe uses two whole cloves. If you’re in a pinch, you can also swap in ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
Grill Like a Backyard Pro ⭐
Step-by-step tutorials (like how to light the grill without burning your eyebrows off) & obsessively-tested tips (for juicy, charred results). Designed for meat lovers & vegetarians alike!
Shop This Post
Buy Now → 
DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Buy Now →
Buy Now → How to Make Harissa Marinade Inspired by North Africa
While the flavors of this Moroccan marinade are complex, it could not be easier to make!
You’ll need 10 minutes to prep the marinade from start-to-finish and better yet its a one bowl (or jar!) operation.
To make this honey harissa marinade, simply combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, whisk to combine, and add your protein or veggies of choice. That’s it!
Suggested Marinating Time: Marinating time will vary based on the type of protein you’d like to use. After testing this honey harissa marinade with a variety of different marinade times, we found a 12-hour marinade period to be ideal for all meats and veggies. The flavor of the marinade really sinks into the meat without affecting the meat’s texture.
Because of the amount of lemon juice used in this marinade, I do not recommend marinating longer than 24 hour.
Pro Tip! ⇢ Reserve some extra honey harissa marinade to use as a glaze for grilling! Just make sure you set some extra aside before it comes in contact with any raw meat.
Meal Prep
Despite the suggested marinating periods for this homemade harissa marinade, you can still prep the marinade itself well in advance. Prep the marinade and store it in a jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to start marinating, simply pour the marinade over whatever meat or veggies you’re using it on – easy peasy!
Serving Suggestions
We love this spicy marinade in the PWWB house! It pairs well with all sorts of proteins and veggies, meaning you can’t go wrong when deciding what to use it with.
A few of our favorite pairings…
- Chicken. Chicken breasts, drumsticks, and thighs all take on the honey harissa marinade flavors very well. Use it as a Moroccan chicken marinade to prepare breasts or thighs served whole or as kebabs.
- Whole Chicken. You can also use this Moroccan chicken marinade to make an entire chicken! We love a grilled summer spatchcock chicken with juicy meat and crispy-charred skin. The spicy sweetness in this marinade is sure to yield epic results!
- Seafood. The punch of flavor in this harissa marinade easily adds tons of flavor to mild seafood like grilled shrimp or white fish.
- Pork. We love the spice that harissa adds to grilled summer pork chops.
- Beef. Take classic grilled steak to the next level and use this recipe as a Moroccan beef marinade. You will not be disappointed!
- Lamb. Tender, earthy lamb and honey harissa marinade = a match made in heaven!
- Veggies. Grilled veggies like cauliflower, sweet potatoes, eggplant, and bell peppers are fantastic with the spicy kick of this harissa marinade. Honey also helps the veggies caramelize even more than they already do on the grill.
- Tofu. Grill up planks of honey harissa tofu for sandwiches or grain bowls!
I cannot wait for you to try this Spicy Moroccan Honey Harissa Marinade recipe! It’s such an easy way to spice up the summer grilling season with a taste of something new, especially if you’re a fan of heat!
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations!
Print
Sweet and Spicy Honey Harissa Marinade
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 1/4 cup marinade 1x
- Category: Sauces & Condiments
- Method: No-Cook, Grilling & Smoking
- Cuisine: Moroccan
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Honey Harissa Marinade is ready to amp up your grilling routine! Harissa paste, cayenne pepper, and cumin add just enough smoky heat while sweet honey and bright lemon juice tone things down for a not-too-spicy and not-too-sweet marinade. An easy way to infuse the heat of North Africa into your grilled favorites! Use it as a Moroccan chicken marinade or add instant flavor to grilled steak, lamb, pork, veggies, and more.
Made with 7 ingredients in 10 minutes or less!
Ingredients
- up to 2 pounds meat or veggies of choice
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼–⅓ cup spicy harissa paste (see Recipe Notes)
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- optional: ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Mix the honey harissa marinade: Add the olive oil, spicy harissa paste, honey, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper (as desired), kosher salt and ground black pepper to a medium bowl or jar. Whisk or shake to combine. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Marinate: Pour the Moroccan marinade over your meat or veggies of choice. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.
- Grill as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Harissa paste is…. (what is it, sourcing). If you cannot find harissa paste, you can use up to 1/3 cup your favorite harissa sauce, omitting the lemon juice in the marinade recipe.
- Suggested marinade time: After testing this honey harissa marinade with a variety of different marinade times, we found a 12-hour marinade period to be ideal. The flavor of the marinade really sinks into the meat without affecting the meat’s texture. Because of the amount of lemon juice used in this marinade, I do not recommend marinating longer than 24 hours.
- 10-Minute Meal Prep: If you’d like to marinate something later in the week, I suggest making the marinade in advance, whenever you’re meal prepping for the week. Store it in a jar or an airtight container for up to 5 days – the flavors meld together even more as the marinade sits. At least 12 hours before you’re ready to hit the grill, simply pour the marinade over whatever meat or veggies you’re using it on – easy peasy!
- Easy vegan substitution: If you’d like to make a vegan version of this honey harissa marinade, simply swap the honey for an equal amount of pure maple syrup or agave nectar. The marinade will be awesome on veggies, cauliflower steaks, or even grilled tofu!
Recipe by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Eat Love Eat
Follow along with Plays Well With Butter on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest for more unfussy recipes that pack a big punch of flavor!
Wow, this recipe looks absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to try it out this weekend. Thanks for sharing 🤗!I’ve been using FoodHub for a few months now, and I’m hooked! The variety of cuisines and recipes available is incredible, and I love that I can easily filter by dietary preferences. It’s made meal planning so much simpler and more enjoyable.
Hi Caroline! Thanks so much for dropping a comment – we hope you’ll enjoy!