Cooked Moroccan Salad (Taktouka) of Tomato and Roasted Pepper

By
Christine Benlafquih
Christine Benlafquih
Christine Benlafquih
Christine Benlafquih is a freelance writer and cooking class instructor with a background in Moroccan cuisine.
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Updated on 02/2/22
Taktouka

Christine Benlafquih

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Moroccan cuisine includes some delicious cooked salads which are eaten as dips. This one, a zesty puree of tomatoes and green pepper, is known as taktouka in some parts of Morocco. A similar but saucier and spicier dish known as Shakshouka includes the addition of poached eggs. 

No matter how much of this salad I make, I rarely have leftovers. Try it, and you'll see why.

Ingredients

  • 6 ripe fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

  • 2 to 3 large green peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped

  • 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed

  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon paprika

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1 pinch cayenne, or red pepper, optional

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Steps to Make It

  1. Mix all ingredients together in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, occasionally stirring, for about 20 minutes or until the tomatoes are very soft. Adjust the heat if necessary to keep the tomatoes and peppers from burning as the liquids evaporate.

  2. Smash the softened vegetables with a spoon and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, or until the liquids are reduced to oil. At this point, the salad should be well-blended and can be stirred away from the sides of the pan.

  3. Serve taktouka warm or cold with crusty bread for scooping up the salad. If desired, it can be garnished with fresh chopped parsley or cilantro and a drizzle of olive oil.

Tips

  • You'll need to roast and skin your green peppers before you use them in the recipe.
  • Select very ripe tomatoes if possible as they will cook down to a puree much faster. My recipe calls for cooking the roasted pepper along with the tomatoes, which allows for everything to be mashed to a puree, but you might prefer to add the peppers after the tomatoes have cooked so that the pepper pieces remain intact and add texture.
  • Serve the taktouka as a side, using pieces of khobz or other crusty bread to scoop up the salad like a dip.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
183 Calories
14g Fat
14g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 183
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 278mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 89mg 447%
Calcium 41mg 3%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 585mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)