Top 60 Tunisian Foods

Maakouda are traditional potato fritters that are popular throughout the Maghreb, especially in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The fritters are usually prepared plain, but they can also be stuffed with meat, tuna, or cheese, although not that often. They're made with potatoes, parsley, garlic, flour, salt, and pepper. The potatoes are boiled, mashed, and mixed with other ingredients into small disks which are then deep-fried in hot oil until golden brown. Maakouda is traditionally served as an appetizer, a side dish, or an ingredient in a long sandwich roll that's usually sold as street food and served with harissa, coriander, and lemon juice. The fritters are especially popular during the month of Ramadan.Expand

Bambalouni are traditional Tunisian doughnuts that are especially popular in the village of Sidi Bou Said. They are made with flour, hot water, yeast, and salt. After the dough has been prepared, it is fried in hot oil until golden brown, and the doughnuts are then sprinkled with sugar on top. It is recommended to serve bambalouni with coffee, either for breakfast or as a snack eaten at the end of the day.Expand

M'semen is a traditional Maghrebi flatbread made with a combination of flour, semolina, sugar, salt, yeast, warm water, oil, and clarified butter. The dough is kneaded until it becomes smooth, and pieces of it are then flattened and shaped into squares. Once the dough has been folded and shaped, it is cooked on a griddle or fried in a pan until it becomes crispy on the exterior and chewy on the inside. Although m'semen is traditionally consumed on its own as an accompaniment to coffee or tea, it can also be stuffed with various meats and vegetables. In Tunisia, the flatbread is often based on semolina flour and made without yeast.Expand

Shakshouka is a delicious combination of eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce. Although it has an unusual name, the dish is straightforward and easy to make. It is usually made in a skillet in which onions, tomatoes, and spices are cooked until they form a delicious tomato sauce. Eggs are then added directly to the tomato sauce and poached until done. Merguez sausage can also be added to the dish. It is believed that shakshouka originated in Tunisia, but the dish is well-known and commonly eaten throughout North Africa and the Middle East as well. Almost every region has formed their distinctive variety of shakshouka: in Egypt, eggs are usually scrambled and served in a sandwich, and in Israel it is often served with salty feta cheese on top. The consistency of the sauce and eggs is also variable – the sauce can be thinner or thicker, while the eggs can be completely firm or soft. For a more nutritious meal, meat, most commonly sausages, can be included in the dish. Shakshouka is suitable for any meal of the day and is usually served warm or sizzling hot, with bread on the side. Because it is budget-friendly, simple, and easy to prepare, the dish has recently gained popularity both in Europe and North America.Expand

Mechouia, or slata mechouia, is a salad made from grilled peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic that are peeled, finely chopped, and seasoned with olive oil and spices. It has a coarse, soft texture and a pronounced smoky flavor from the charred vegetables. The name comes from the Arabic word mashwiyya, meaning grilled or roasted, which describes the essential cooking method. Mechouia is especially associated with summer, when peppers and tomatoes are abundant, though it is eaten year-round and remains one of the most familiar salads in Tunisian cooking. Traditionally, green peppers, hot peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic are grilled over charcoal or directly over a flame. A kanoun, a small charcoal brazier widely used in Tunisia, is especially well suited to the job. The vegetables are cooked until tender and their skins are heavily blistered and blackened. Once cool enough to handle, the charred skins are removed, and the peppers are usually seeded. The vegetables are then chopped together by hand or crushed in a mortar. They should remain slightly coarse rather than being turned into a completely smooth purée. The salad is seasoned simply with salt, ground coriander, caraway, and a generous amount of olive oil. Some preparations include a little lemon juice, but the smoky vegetables, olive oil, and spices provide most of the characteristic flavor. The combination of caraway and coriander is particularly typical of Tunisian mechouia. Mechouia can range from fairly mild to noticeably hot depending on the peppers used. Traditionally, sweet and hot green peppers are often combined so that the salad has some heat without overwhelming the flavor of the roasted vegetables. The finished salad is spread over a shallow plate and commonly garnished with pieces of tuna, wedges or slices of hard-boiled egg, and olives. Capers may also be scattered over the top. These additions provide a salty contrast to the sweet, smoky vegetables and turn the salad into a more substantial starter. Mechouia is usually served cool or at room temperature with bread, most commonly baguette or Tunisian bread, which is used to scoop up the vegetables and olive oil. It is typically eaten as a starter or as part of a selection of salads and small dishes rather than as a main course. Expand

Merguez is a spicy, flavorful sausage that originates from North Africa, particularly Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco. It is traditionally made from ground lamb or beef, or a combination of both. Merguez is known for its distinctive red color, which comes from the addition of spices such as paprika, chili pepper, and harissa (a hot chili paste). Other common seasonings include cumin, garlic, coriander, fennel, and sumac. The sausages are typically stuffed into lamb casings and can be grilled, pan-fried, or used in a variety of dishes, including stews, tagines, and couscous. Merguez is popular in North African cuisine and has also become widely enjoyed in France and other parts of Europe. The spicy and aromatic profile of merguez makes it a unique and cherished ingredient in many traditional dishes.Expand

Tunisian brik is a popular dish that incorporates flaky dough filled with a variety of savory ingredients. Traditionally, malsouqa dough is used to create brik, but the more available phyllo pastry is commonly used as a replacement. Brik is usually made with layers of laminated pastry, to achieve a crunchy, layered texture. The pockets are filled with stuffing, skilfully folded, then shortly fried in deep oil or baked in an oven. The most common filling is tuna-based, enriched with traditional North African spices such as cilantro, chilis, pepper, or coriander seeds. A raw egg is often placed on top of the tuna filling, the pastry is carefully folded, and the egg partially cooks inside the flaky pastry. Other fillings can also include minced meat, anchovies, chicken, or various vegetables. Since this Tunisian classic is usually deep-fried, lemon wedges are a standard accompaniment to a plate of hot briks. The pastry is drizzled with lemon juice, which provides a hint of necessary freshness to the dish. Standard Tunisian wedding tradition suggests that the potential future husband is served an egg brik, and is supposed to eat it without dripping in order to be allowed to wed the bride. A plate of brik is commonly served as a Ramadan meal, but it is usually consumed throughout the year. Brik is always served fresh and hot.Expand

Kafteji is a traditional dish made with fried vegetables. Typical veggies used in the dish include eggplants, bell peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, zucchinis, and pumpkins. The vegetables are fried, chopped, then combined with (often fried) eggs and seasonings. The dish is often sprinkled with parsley or coriander, and it's then served as a side to poultry or fish, although it can be eaten as it is. Kafteji is also a popular Tunisian street food, often served in a baguette.Expand

Fricassee is a traditional sandwich that's packed with flavor, but also with lots of calories. The base is made with flour, eggs, oil, salt, water, and yeast, and it is then shaped into round or elongated rolls which are fried in hot oil and filled with tuna, hummus, boiled eggs, capers, olives, harissa, and boiled potatoes. Although this sandwich can be made at home, it is especially popular at fast food restaurants and sandwich shops.Expand

Olivko is a renowned Tunisian producer of organic extra virgin olive oil, known for its exceptional quality, traditional production methods, and numerous international awards. The company uses only hand-picked olives that are cold-pressed within hours of harvest, preserving the oil’s full nutritional and aromatic properties.

Their range includes monovarietal types such as Chemlali and Chetoui, both of which have won multiple gold medals at world competitions, including prestigious events in New York and London. Behind the brand stands Karim Fitouri, a British-Tunisian entrepreneur who returned to his homeland in 2017 with the goal of building a world-class Tunisian brand. The very first Olivko oil, pressed at the end of 2016, earned Tunisia its first gold medal in the organic olive oil category.

Since then, Olivko has won over 100 international awards and become a global ambassador for Tunisian excellence, exporting its oils across Europe, North America, India, and the Middle East. Fitouri is also well-known for his efforts to improve the quality and reputation of the entire Tunisian olive oil sector.Expand

Domaine Adonis is a renowned olive oil producer from Tunisia, known for combining tradition with modern methods in olive cultivation and processing. Located in the northwestern part of the country, in the town of Testour, within the Béja governorate—a region with ideal climatic conditions for olive growing—Domaine Adonis uses native olive varieties such as Chemlali and Chetoui, known for their rich aromatic profile and high polyphenol content. Production follows the principles of organic agriculture, without the use of pesticides or chemicals, and the olives are cold-pressed within just a few hours of harvest.

This approach preserves the natural antioxidants and the pronounced fruity notes that characterize their extra virgin olive oils. Their work has been recognized at numerous international competitions, where they have won awards for quality, purity, and distinctive flavor.Expand

Parcelle 26 (SPAL) is an olive oil producer based in Paris. They focus on producing high-quality olive oil, with a strong emphasis on maintaining traditional methods of oil extraction.

The company is committed to sustainability and often highlights the importance of environmentally friendly practices in their production process.Expand

Derbel Group is an olive oil producer based in Tunisia. The company specializes in the production and export of high-quality olive oils.

They have a strong presence in both local and international markets. The group is known for using traditional and modern techniques in olive cultivation and oil extraction to maintain high standards of quality.Expand

Dear Goodness is an olive oil producer based in Tunisia. The company focuses on producing organic, extra virgin olive oil.

They use traditional methods combined with modern techniques to ensure quality.Expand

Massiva is an olive oil producer based in Tunisia. They specialize in producing high-quality extra virgin olive oil using traditional farming techniques.

The company emphasizes sustainable practices and prioritizes the health of their olive groves. Massiva olive oil is available in various international markets.Expand