Yumundi
English
DZ

Algerian Recipes

16 recipes

Algerian cooking reflects the size of the country, with the Mediterranean coast, the high plateaus and the Sahara each cooking differently. Wheat is central: couscous, semolina flatbreads such as kesra, hand-cut noodles like rechta and torn flatbread in chakhchoukha. Lamb and chicken are the main meats, cooked in sauces of onion, tomato, chickpeas, coriander, cinnamon and black pepper. Berber, Arab, Ottoman, French and Spanish influences show up in boureks, stuffed vegetables and the habit of strong coffee and pastries in the afternoon. Olives, dates, prunes, almonds and orange blossom water give the sweet side of the table its character, while dried mint, caraway and dried chili add warmth. Ramadan has its own menu of chorba frik, bourek, sweet lamb with prunes and syrup-soaked pastries such as zlabia and qalb el louz. Street food includes mhadjeb and karantika, and Friday is couscous day in most homes.

Staple ingredients

Appetizers

Soups

Main Dishes

Breads

Desserts

Snacks

Common questions

What is Algerian food known for?

Couscous, chorba frik (lamb and freekeh soup), chakhchoukha, rechta and boureks, plus syrup-soaked sweets such as zlabia and qalb el louz. Wheat in many forms, lamb and chicken are the core.

What is the national dish of Algeria?

Couscous is the dish most Algerians would name. It is served on Fridays and at celebrations, with lamb or chicken, chickpeas and seasonal vegetables in a light sauce.

Is Algerian food spicy?

Mostly mild to medium. Cinnamon, coriander, black pepper and paprika scent the sauces, and heat comes from harissa or fresh and dried chilies added at the table or to a few dishes such as chtitha.