Taktouka (Moroccan Tomato and Roasted Pepper Salad)

I picked up taktouka from a Moroccan cookbook years ago during a phase where I was trying to understand how so many Mediterranean countries can start with the exact same trio, tomatoes, peppers, and garlic, and end up somewhere completely different every time. Taktouka lands in this wonderful in-between zone: chunkier than a sauce, softer than a raw salad, closer to a warm relish, built on the smokiness of properly charred green peppers.

The peppers are the whole point. They get blistered black over an open flame or under the broiler, steamed briefly under a bowl so the skins slip right off, then chopped and simmered down with tomatoes, garlic, cumin, and paprika until the mixture turns jammy and deeply savory. Skip the charring step and you get a perfectly fine pepper sauce; do the charring and you get something that tastes unmistakably like Moroccan home cooking.

We eat this warm, straight from the pan, with torn bread for scooping, though it is just as good cold the next day. If Moroccan vegetable cookery is new territory for you, my Zaalouk (recipe on the site) is the eggplant version of this same instinct, and my Chermoula (recipe on the site) is the herb-and-spice paste I use to season nearly everything else that comes out of that corner of my kitchen.

Taktouka Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes · Cook time: 25 minutes · Total: 40 minutes · Servings: 4 · Calories: ~110 per serving

Ingredients

• 4 green bell peppers (or a mix of green and red)
• 4 ripe tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
• Crusty bread or Moroccan khobz, for serving

Instructions

1. Roast the peppers directly over a gas flame, under a broiler, or on a hot grill, turning occasionally, until the skins are blackened and blistered all over, about 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Transfer the roasted peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a plate, and let steam for 10 minutes; this loosens the skins.
3. Peel off the blackened skin, remove the stems and seeds, and chop the flesh into small pieces.
4. Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Score an X in the bottom of each tomato, blanch for 30 seconds, then transfer to ice water. Peel, seed, and chop the tomatoes.
5. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
6. Add the chopped tomatoes, cumin, paprika, and cayenne, if using. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes break down and the mixture thickens.
7. Stir in the chopped roasted peppers and salt, and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes, mashing gently with the back of a spoon, until the mixture is soft and jammy and most of the liquid has cooked off.
8. Taste and adjust salt and spice, then stir in the fresh parsley or cilantro.
9. Serve warm or at room temperature with crusty bread for scooping.

Recipe Notes

• Do not skip roasting the peppers; the smoky char is what separates taktouka from a plain cooked pepper-and-tomato sauce.
• Taktouka is often even better the next day, once it has had time to sit in the fridge; bring it back toward room temperature before serving.
• Serve it as part of a spread of Moroccan salads alongside olives, bread, and other cooked vegetable salads, or as a simple side to grilled meat or fish.
• For a smokier, more traditional touch, some Moroccan cooks add a small piece of preserved lemon peel while the tomatoes cook, then remove it before serving.