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A portrait close-up of a rich, red Matbucha stew served in a traditional blue and white tagine, with fresh tomatoes and garlic in the background.
Kosher Cowboy

Matbucha (Salade Cuite)

A foundational Moroccan conserve of tomatoes, roasted bell peppers, and chili. Use this rich, savory condiment as an appetizer, a side dish, or the flavor base for shakshouka and tagines.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Moroccan, Sephardic
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cans 14.5 oz each diced tomatoes
  • 1 bell pepper green or red, roasted, skinned, and sliced into strips
  • 1 jalapeno pepper optional, roasted, skinned, and sliced into strips
  • 5 Tbsp olive oil
  • 7-10 cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 guajillo peppers dry (optional, for smoky flavor)
  • 4 arbol peppers dry (optional, for heat)
  • 2 Tbsp paprika ground
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric ground (optional)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp sugar

Equipment

  • 1 Large skillet with cover
  • 1 Potato masher

Method
 

  1. Roast Peppers: Flame-roast the bell and jalapeno peppers on a gas cooktop or under the broiler until the skin is blackened. Let cool for 5–10 minutes. Under a cool stream of water, peel the skin, remove seeds, and slice into strips. Set aside.
  2. Infuse Spices: In a deep skillet over medium heat, add olive oil, paprika, chili powder, turmeric, and sliced garlic. Fry until the garlic turns a pale beige; this wakes up the aromatic oils.
  3. Simmer: Add the roasted pepper strips, guajillo, and arbol peppers (if using). Add the cans of diced tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
  4. Reduce: Use a potato masher to break down any firm tomato chunks. Stir in the sugar. Cover and simmer on low for another 30 minutes, or until the liquid has significantly reduced into a thick paste.
  5. Finish: Remove from heat. Drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and serve at room temperature or chilled.