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Tunisian Recipes
Tunisian food is bright and a little fiery, with harissa, olive oil, and fresh Mediterranean ingredients in every bite.
About Tunisian
Tunisian cooking is known for its chili heat and generous use of olive oil. Harissa, a paste made from hot peppers, garlic, and spices, shows up in many dishes. Seafood, vegetables, eggs, and couscous are all common.
Other key ingredients are caraway, coriander, tomatoes, capers, olives, and preserved lemon. Dishes like shakshuka and brik, a thin pastry filled with egg, are popular. Compared with Moroccan food, Tunisian food is spicier and less sweet. It is also more Mediterranean in feel than the stews of West Africa or Ethiopia.
Questions folks ask
What is harissa?
It is a hot pepper paste with garlic and spices, used to season many Tunisian dishes.
Is shakshuka Tunisian?
It is widely enjoyed in Tunisia and across North Africa. It is eggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce.
Is Tunisian food hotter than Moroccan?
Usually yes. Tunisian cooks use more chili and harissa.
Kitchen tips
- Taste your harissa first, since brands vary in heat.
- Use good olive oil for finishing and dipping.
- Simmer tomatoes and peppers until thick for shakshuka.
- Toast caraway and coriander seeds before grinding.
- Serve with plenty of crusty bread.