How to Prepare Matbucha – A Morocco and Middle East Recipe

Matbucha (Mott-Boo-Chah) is a cooked tomato and a salad of roasted bell peppers popular in Morocco and throughout the Middle East.

The name Matbucha means “cooked salad” in Arabic. It is usually served as a side dish, but it also works well over fish.

Ingredients

• ¼ cups of extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 each tomato, chopped
• 5 each green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pinch of sea salt
• 1 lemon, juiced

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Stir in garlic, tomatoes, bell pepper, and jalapeño pepper—season with paprika, black pepper, and sea salt.
2. Cook for 20 minutes, occasionally stirring, until vegetables are tender. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until liquid evaporates and salad thickens about 2 hours.
3. Add lemon juice and refrigerate overnight before serving.