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Tunisian Recipes

20 recipes

Tunisian cooking is built on olive oil, chili and the sea. Berber, Arab, Ottoman, French and Italian influences all left traces, and the result is a cuisine bolder and hotter than most of its North African neighbors. Harissa, a garlicky chili paste, goes into stews, couscous, eggs and sandwiches, while tabil, a mix of coriander and caraway, scents soups and meat dishes. Couscous is the meal for Fridays and family gatherings, served with lamb, fish or vegetables. Tuna, olives, capers, preserved lemons, dates and fresh herbs appear everywhere, and paper-thin brik pastry is folded around egg or tuna and fried crisp. Breakfast can be lablabi, a chickpea soup poured over torn bread, or eggs in a spicy tomato sauce. Street stalls sell fried sandwiches and sugar-dusted doughnuts, and sweets lean on semolina, almonds, dates and honey, finished with mint tea and a few pine nuts floating in the glass.

Staple ingredients

Breakfast

Appetizers

Soups

Salads

Main Dishes

Desserts

Snacks

Drinks

Sauces, Dips and Condiments

Common questions

What is Tunisian food known for?

Couscous, brik (crisp pastry filled with egg and tuna), lablabi (chickpea soup) and dishes seasoned with harissa. Olive oil, tuna, olives and fresh herbs run through most meals.

What is the national dish of Tunisia?

Couscous is the dish most Tunisians would name. Families cook it on Fridays and for celebrations, usually with lamb, chickpeas and vegetables in a chili-red sauce, while fish couscous is a coastal favorite.

Is Tunisian food spicy?

Often, yes. It is one of the hotter cuisines in North Africa and harissa appears in many dishes. Most cooks add it to taste, so nearly every recipe can be made milder by using less.