Moroccan Khlea Scrambled Egg Sandwich on Msemen
Soft scrambled eggs folded with shreds of savory, spiced khlea (Moroccan preserved meat), bright preserved lemon and cilantro, tucked into flaky, pan-crisped msemen. A rich, salty, citrusy breakfast sandwich for a leisurely morning.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Total
- 33 min
- Makes
- 4 sandwiches
Steps
Before you start
- Use store-bought or homemade msemen; if frozen, thaw completely at room temperature (about 30 minutes) before starting.
- Khlea is sold in jars or vacuum packs packed in its own fat. Scoop out the meat with a little of the fat; you will use the fat as the cooking fat, so no extra oil is needed for the eggs.
- Khlea and preserved lemon are both salty, so do not add salt to the eggs until you taste them at the end.
- Have everything chopped and the msemen ready before the eggs go in the pan, since scrambled eggs finish quickly.
Prep the fillings
- Shred or chop the khlea into small, bite-size pieces about ¼ inch (6 mm), pulling apart any big clumps.
- Rinse the preserved lemon rind, discard the pulp, and mince the rind finely.
- Chop the cilantro.
- Slice the tomato, if using, and set everything near the stove.
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Ready when: Khlea is in small, loose pieces and the lemon rind is minced fine.
Tip: Rinsing the preserved lemon removes excess brine so the eggs don't turn too salty.
Whisk the eggs
- Crack the eggs into a medium bowl.
- Add the milk, cumin, and a few grinds of pepper.
- Beat with a fork for about 30 seconds until the yolks and whites are fully combined with no streaks of clear white.
- Do not add salt yet.
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Ready when: Mixture is uniformly pale yellow and slightly frothy.
Crisp the khlea
- Heat the 12-inch skillet over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the khlea fat and let it melt, about 30 seconds.
- Add the shredded khlea and cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes until it is sizzling, smells rich and spiced, and the edges look slightly crisp.
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Ready when: Khlea is sizzling, fragrant, and edges are lightly crisp and darker.
Tip: Keep the heat at medium; khlea is already cooked and burns quickly, which turns it bitter.
Scramble the eggs
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Add the preserved lemon to the khlea and stir for 10 seconds.
- Pour in the beaten eggs.
- Let them sit for 20 seconds, then slowly push the eggs from the edges to the center with a silicone spatula, forming large soft curds.
- Keep folding for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat when the eggs look mostly set but still glossy and slightly wet.
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Ready when: Large soft curds, mostly set, still glossy; no liquid egg pooling in the pan.
Tip: Eggs keep cooking from residual heat, so pull the pan off while they still look a little underdone.
Finish the eggs
- Fold in the chopped cilantro.
- Taste and add a pinch of salt only if needed, plus more pepper.
- Transfer the eggs to a bowl or leave them in the pan off the heat, covered loosely, while you toast the msemen.
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Ready when: Eggs are soft, creamy, and fully flecked with herbs and khlea.
Pan-fry the msemen
- Wipe out the skillet or use a second one.
- Heat over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Spread a little of the butter (about ¼ tablespoon) on the pan for each msemen, working in batches of 1 to 2 pieces.
- Cook each msemen for 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden brown in spots, crisp at the edges, and the layers puff slightly.
- Stack on a plate and cover with a towel to keep warm.
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Ready when: Golden-brown spots on both sides, crisp edges, flaky layers visible and steaming.
Tip: Frozen-then-thawed msemen can be sticky; make sure it is fully thawed so it crisps rather than steams.
Assemble the sandwiches
- Lay a warm msemen flat.
- If using, brush ½ teaspoon of harissa across the center, add 2 tomato slices, and spoon one quarter of the eggs (about ¾ cup / 150 g) on top.
- Fold the four corners of the msemen over the filling like an envelope, or fold in half.
- Repeat with the remaining msemen.
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Ready when: Sandwiches are folded and hold their shape with eggs visible at the seam.
Tip: Assemble and serve right away so the msemen stays crisp and the eggs stay soft.
Good to know
Tips
- Do not salt the eggs until the end; khlea and preserved lemon contribute plenty of salt.
- For creamier eggs, cook over medium-low heat and keep stirring slowly; high heat gives dry, rubbery curds.
- Warm the msemen just before assembling. Cold msemen tears and feels dense.
- Serve with hot mint tea or fresh orange juice for a traditional Moroccan breakfast.
Make ahead
Shred the khlea and mince the preserved lemon and cilantro up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate separately in covered containers. Msemen can be pan-fried and reheated, but the eggs are best cooked just before serving.
Storage & reheating
Best eaten immediately. Refrigerate leftover scrambled eggs in an airtight container for up to 2 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of milk until hot (165°F / 74°C). Store plain msemen at room temperature up to 1 day, refrigerated up to 4 days, or frozen up to 2 months; reheat in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Assembled sandwiches do not store well.
Substitutions
- msemen (square Moroccan flaky flatbread) → Rghaif, flaky paratha, or warm flour tortillas. Paratha is the closest in texture; tortillas will be less flaky but still work.
- khlea (Moroccan preserved spiced beef) → Chopped beef pastrami or well-cooked crumbled beef sausage (merguez). Add an extra ¼ teaspoon cumin and a pinch of paprika and garlic powder to mimic khlea's spiced flavor.
- preserved lemon → 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest plus a pinch of salt. Less complex and fermented in flavor but still bright.
- fresh cilantro → Flat-leaf parsley. A milder, more grassy flavor; Moroccan cooks often use a mix of the two.
