In many countries throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean, it is customary to start a meal with a variety of cold “salads.” These appetizer-style mezze dishes are often more like dips then salads. They’re served with bread, olives, and sometimes pickles.
Matbucha, a salad with Moroccan and North African origins, may be better known as the base chunky sauce for shakshuka. However, matbucha can be enjoyed all on its own – and often is.
Though traditionally made in the maghreb, matbucha has become a very popular mezze salad in Israel. It’s become so popular, in fact, that it rivals hummus and baba ganoush as one of the most popular appetizers. Most families have a tub of matbucha in their refrigerator, and you’ll often find it served by restaurants before the main course. It’s now available at many kosher markets in the U.S., sold in the same section as hummus. It hasn’t become quite as popular as hummus, but I have a feeling it will catch on at some point. It’s seriously tasty stuff, and so good for you too.
My husband’s niece Sharone is the queen of Moroccan appetizer salads. When we have Shabbat dinner at her house, her table is literally covered with salads and dips. They are so tempting, it’s difficult to resist filling up on them. By the time the main course comes, we’re already full!
The first time I made matbucha, I used Sharone’s recipe. Her family calls it Salade Cuite– the French name for matbucha. Sharone calls this the “mother of all Moroccan salads,” and I can see why– it’s so yummy!
Over time I changed her recipe up a bit, adding jalapeno for heat and roasting the bell peppers for smokiness (to learn how to roast bell peppers, click here). Sharone’s matbucha is quite sweet, which I happen to like. If you’d prefer a less sweet salad, start with 2 tsp sugar and add additional sugar to taste.
Matbucha is sort of like the Moroccan version of salsa… you can adjust the heat by adding more jalapeno or chili pepper flakes. As written, the matbucha here is quite mild. Feel free to spice it up.
Serve this matbucha cold with crusty bread or warm, fresh pita. Or, if you’re gluten free, eat it by the spoonful. I like to keep a tub of it in the refrigerator and snack on it during the day. I’ve also used it as a topping/sauce for a variety of dishes. It’s really delicious and full of heart-healthy goodness. Your body will thank you!
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Matbucha
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound green bell peppers (2 peppers)
- 1 medium jalapeno (or more to taste)
- 56 ounces diced tomatoes, or 8 large tomatoes peeled and diced (2 large cans)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste-- some people prefer it less sweet)
- 1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes (or more to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon paprika
Instructions
- Roast the bell peppers. Seed the peppers and peel off the charred skin. For instructions on how to roast bell peppers, click here. Chop the roasted skinned pepper flesh.
- Seed the jalapeno, then mince it. If you have sensitive skin, use gloves for this step. You can add more jalapenos for more heat if you like a spicy matbucha. As written, the recipe has a little kick, but it's not overly spicy.
- In a medium saucepan, combine diced tomatoes, roasted bell peppers, minced jalapeno, garlic, sugar, chili pepper flakes, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat.Reduce heat to around medium low, till the matbucha is cooking at a medium and constant simmer. Monitor the temperature of the matbucha, stirring every ten minutes to make sure it doesn't start to stick to the bottom of the pan. Let the mixture cook for 65-75 minutes till most of the liquid has reduced and cooked down.
- When most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is quite thick, you are ready to add your oil.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and paprika.
- Pour the seasoned oil into the pan and stir.Let the matbucha cook for about 30 minutes more, stirring every 5 minutes. Towards the end of cooking, taste the mixture and adjust seasoning as desired-- more sugar for sweetness, chili pepper flakes for spice, and salt if needed.
- Remove the matbucha from heat and allow to cool completely. The salad is best served at room temperature or chilled.
Nutrition
Hi,
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe. However, I am confused about one thing. If using canned diced tomatoes, do you drain the water? Or do you use the water for simmering?
If you drain the water, how do you make sure the contents stay wet/moist over the flame?
Don’t drain the liquid from the canned tomatoes! It is used for simmering.
OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!! Thank you Tori for another flawlessly delicious recipe! I’m so happy I stumbled upon it because now I have wonderful matbucha to enjoy for the rest of the week. I decided to use two jalapenos to add extra spice and ran into a tiny challenge getting it to thicken. After 80 minutes on the stove, I finally just decided to pour some of the extra liquid off. I did not drain my canned tomatoes, and I think that might be where I messed up. Pouring off the excess worked out well though, and I was able to follow the rest of the recipe as directed. It is truly delicious and one of my new favorites! I am planning to make this regularly. Thank you again!
Yay! Glad you like it Shayna 🙂
I don’t pour the liquid off… I just cook it for a lot longer. 8 hours sometimes. It turns out better. Turns a dark red color and the longer cooking time adds more flavor. Min husband thought me his tricks ?
Americans think relish is something you put on hot dogs, which is why they call that a dip. The above is a relish; I certainly wouldn’t call it a salad. you can find close
relatives of it in Nepal, ‘achar’, or Mexico, ‘salsa’, and a lot of other places.
Israelis call such dishes salads.
To Israelis it’s a salad. Doesn’t matter hot or cold as long as it contains Fruits and or veggies.
I’m from Morocco, Matbucha (called Taktouka in Morocco) is considered a salad, and it can be eaten either cold or warm, preferably with bread, but I eat it with a spoon and it’s just as delicious. Great recipe, I’ll try the Israeli version of it.
I am addicted this recipe in Summer. Make it every week. Love it with pita!
Followed receipe to the letter. Tasted it before adding the seasoned evoo and after. Found it got sweeter after. No need for extra sugar. Excellent technique. ingredients are scaled perfectly. I went with a big box of POMI chopped tomatoes. Excellent texture.
Absolutely fantastic!!!!
I’m on a very low fat diet. Do you think it would come out okay without the oil, just cooking it until the tomatoes and juices reduce to the correct consistency?
Yes, it’s still delicious!
So far we have added this to egg salad, tuna salad, bagel with cream cheese, and quesadillas. It is so good alone or added to things.
Put a big scoop into a frying pan on the stove and cook two eggs in it without popping the yolk. No need to flip either unless you like your egg well done. This is called shashuka and it’s amazing with bread for breakfast!
Just made it, Amazing!!! I am having such a hard time not finishing it all myself. do you have any other dips that your can recommend?
Glad you are enjoying it Yael! I have a lot more dips and salads in my Mezze section here: https://toriavey.com/recipes/salads-and-mezze/
Here in Israel all of these starter salads are known as “mezze”. It is basically the Middle-Eastern version of “tapas”.
Love this recipe. Per another way I have seen this, I add another tbsp of hot paprika in lieu of pepper flakes and about half a head of peeled garlic pieces, sliced in half if too big (that turn into almost butter). It adds a nice richness that doesn’t overpower. Thanks for the great post!
Oh my, this is DIVINE. I want to finish it all right now but I’ll have self-control and save it for Shabbat. Just one question: Should I freeze it until Friday, (it’s Tuesday for me in Australia) or keep it in the fridge? Which way will it taste better?
I seriously love your recipes. Thank you!
Hi CT, in my experience the matbucha will last 4-5 days in the fridge, so refrigeration should be fine. I’ve honestly never frozen it because it never lasts that long! 🙂
Thank you so much! This is a great recipe. I make it nearly every week and everyone loves it!
If there were six stars available, I would gladly award them to this recipe. I have made numerous tomato chutney/jam recipes and I must say this one is stellar in its simplicity. The smokiness of the roasted peppers and the paprika are key, I believe — along with the olive oil finish they give this dish a special flair. What a shame I made only one pint 🙂 Thanks and best wishes!
So happy to hear that Linda!
Great recipes…… Everyone always enjoys it! I strain the diced tomatoes to remove the maximum of water, helps with the cooking time…… Shana tova to all!
Great recipe, Tori! My family loves Sephardic food.Does Sharone also make “des olives” – green olives simmered in a tomato sauce? That is a recipe I would love to have…
Hi Jennifer– not sure! I will ask her about it, sounds delish. 🙂
Thanks for the recipe, Tori. I thought it might be too spicy, but even my 4 year old son asked for seconds!
We used the leftovers for another wonderful dish, shakshouka (Eggs poached in spicy tomato sauce). Delicious! Will definitely be making this again.
Great Jonathan! I am quite familiar with shakshuka, here is my recipe for it: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2010/07/summer-2010-travel-blog-shakshuka/
Great Jewish recipes. תודה לך! שלום!!!
We have this at my in-laws for almost every Shabbat and holiday dinner. It is always homemade by the housekeeper who learned from hubby’s Morrocan grandma. It is one of my favorite salads and a childhood fav of my husband. Thanks so much for your recipe, it came out exactly the same as I’m used to. The variation I made was that I use three cans tomatoes and also add two red bell peppers as well as the two green and a tablespoon more sugar. Thanks for your recipes, I cannot wait to make more.
You’re welcome Cheryl! So glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Good evening. I’ve never tried this before however I made it this evening and I have to say it is one of the best things I have ever had. I also wanted to say thank you for the roasted pepper and tomato instructionals. I love to go all out and understand what it takes without shortcuts.
Thanks again!
This recipe looks great and I’d like to try it. However, I don’t like jalapeño peppers. Is there a good substitute you would recommend? Thanks so much!
Dienia you can omit them but the mixture will lack some spice, so you may need to add a touch of cayenne (start with a pinch and add to taste). While this salad is not particularly spicy, it should have a touch of heat to it.