Whether you've had harissa or not, try pairing it with caramelized onions like in this Harissa Onion And Poached Egg on Toast. The sweet and spicy flavors of caramelized onions and harissa are topped on a layer of cool Greek yogurt.
I had never heard of harissa until I moved to London in 2013, and I was introduced to it by my boss at the coffee shop who always told me, as I developed the menu, "Make sure you add some harissa in the sandwiches!" I had a blank look the first time, but he bought me a tube of it, and I only needed to try it once to understand the request.
If harissa is new to you, like it was for me, it's a thick chili paste with a mix of spices thrown in. It mainly consist of red chilies, red peppers, garlic, olive oil, and tomato paste, with a mix of aromatic spices such as caraway, coriander, cumin, fennel, and paprika. Some may also include a dash of lemon juice or red wine vinegar. Every recipe is slightly different, and for me, that's part of its never ending novelty.
I've since seen harissa served on just about all of the brunch menus here in London. In retrospect, I suppose my boss was ahead of his time because Food and Wine called harissa the next sriracha in 2014 and Time Magazine named it one of the top six food trends in 2015! Is it popular where you are located? Do you remember the first time you had harissa?
For a good while after I learned of its existence, I was adding harissa to everything. It pairs particularly well with caramelized onions, so I created this Harissa Onion And Poached Egg on Toast recipe to share today. Keep in mind that every store bought jar or tube of harissa will taste slightly different, so you may have to adjust the amount of harissa to control for the spiciness level!
Harissa Onion and Poached Egg Toast
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion - cut half and thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic - thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon harissa
- 1 slice thick of rustic bread
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (50 grams)
- 1 egg - poached
- 1 small handful fresh mint - chopped
- honey (for topping)
Instructions
- In a small skillet over medium-high heat, stir fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil, until the onion is softened and the garlic is starting to brown. Mix in the harissa and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Evenly spread the yogurt on the bread. Top with the harissa and onion mixture. Top with a poached egg. Garnish with the mint and finish with a drizzle of honey.
Notes
Christina | Christina's Cucina says
I have heard a lot about harissa, myself, but have yet to try it. This sandwich looks awesome! Now I'm on a harissa quest!
Tina Jui says
Good luck on your quest ;)
Lisa says
I've not tried harissa, but I think that's about to change! This looks and sounds amazing!
Tina Jui says
Yes yes, do give it a try and I hope you love it. It's so versatile to use in the kitchen. That reminds me, I really need to post a few more recipes using harissa!
Ilona @ Ilona's Passion says
This kind of breakfast I can have everyday. Looks delicious!
Rhiannon says
Harissa is one of those things that still hasn't caught on in my neck of the woods, which makes me sad because I love it! Never had it with a poached egg, so I need to try that next time. Thanks for sharing!
Tina Jui says
Oh, definitely give it a try with poached eggs - I hope you love it! Well, the good thing about harissa is that you can get it in jars or tubes, so hopefully you're able to get your hands on some at least from online!
Catherine says
Dear Tina, I'm so happy to see you're back to sharing delicious recipes. Congratulations on the arrival of your little bundle of joy. This breakfast looks so delicious! xo, Catherine
Tina Jui says
Hi Catherine - Thanks so much! It's so great to be back blogging more regularly. I've finally gotten myself into a nice little schedule to be able to blog while also having Milo around. Can't wait to share all the breakfast creations I've been thinking about!
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours says
That looks fabulous Tina, I do like a bit of spice in a breakfast dish, but I find it terribly easy to overdo my harissa. It needs a very steady hand.
Tina Jui says
I find Harissa a bit tricky because every brand is quite different. Sometimes I just need a little, and with other brands I need quite a bit. A spicy breakfast can really wake you up though (maybe not in the kindest way possible though)! :)
Teresa jui says
I was under the weather for two weeks no appetite but when I saw these. Wow! it looks so good I want to eat that.
jona says
Looking forward to another serving of this one!