Matbucha Recipe
Matbucha is a Jewish Moroccan salad (salade cuite) made of cooked bell peppers and tomatoes. This dish is slow-cooked for complex flavor and is seasoned with chili peppers for a little heat. We eat it as a thick dip with bread, but this paste-like appetizer is ideal with flat bread or as the base to shakshouka.
Equipment
- 18x13 baking pan, (lined with foil)
- 1 saucepan with a lid
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 6 large red bell peppers, (washed, membranes and seeds removed, and sliced in half lengthwise)
- 3 whole dried chili peppers, (or 1-2 small jalapenos)
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with foil and preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Place halved bell peppers side down onto the baking sheet. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until charred skins.
- Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients except for the olive oil and paprika in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer. Stir occasionally to prevent the mixture from scorching.
- When the peppers have finished roasting, wrap them securely in the aluminum foil that they baked in. Keep the peppers in foil for 10 minutes. This helps the skin come off easily.
- Once the bell peppers have cooled in the foil, unwrap and peel the skins off the peppers. Then coarsely chop the peppers.
- Add the chopped peppers to the simmering tomato mixture and continue to simmer for 30 minutes over medium-low heat. Keep a lid on at all times, as the tomato mixture can splatter.
- After 30 minutes, add the olive oil and paprika to the tomato mixture and continue to simmer for an additional 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Serve warm over bread or cool.
Notes
- If you have an abundance of fresh tomatoes, use 36 oz of fresh diced tomatoes and omit the canned tomato products. You will need to cook down the tomatoes longer.
- Use any colored sweet bell peppers.
- Substitute whole dried chili peppers with 1-2 small jalapenos or a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Add salt to taste.
- Authentic Matbucha uses lots of fresh garlic (8-10 cloves).
Nutrition Facts
Matbucha Recipe
Serving Size
1 serving
Amount per Serving
Calories
165
% Daily Value*
Fat
10
g
15
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
6
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
7
g
Sodium
722
mg
31
%
Potassium
753
mg
22
%
Carbohydrates
20
g
7
%
Fiber
5
g
21
%
Sugar
14
g
16
%
Protein
3
g
6
%
Vitamin A
4946
IU
99
%
Vitamin C
171
mg
207
%
Calcium
42
mg
4
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
