Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
For 4 people
- 8 Merguez sausages
- 4 Eggs
- 6 tomatoes (peeled and roughly chopped)
- 3 bell peppers roughly chopped (red or green, but even without peppers it’s delicious)
- 2 sliced onions (red onions are even better)
- 4 potatoes peeled and cut into pieces
- 400ml (1¾ cups) water
- 1 hot pepper or one tablespoon harissa (optional)
There are many variations of chekchouka, and the merguez version is traditional in Tunisian cuisine.
- In a large pot or deep skillet, sauté the tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions with a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. When the tomatoes have released their water, add the 400ml (1¾ cups) water. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and merguez sausages. Cook for another twenty minutes. A few minutes before serving, make a small well and crack an egg into it so it poaches in the chekchouka. Repeat for each egg. Cover for a few minutes until the eggs are cooked.
- Serve carefully without breaking the egg yolks.
The best part? Italian bread or warm homemade pita bread for dipping.
Tips and Variations
Chekchouka is not a fixed dish and depending on the season, it’s delicious to add other vegetables such as fava beans, cauliflower, artichoke hearts, etc. Enjoy yourself!
For a vegetarian version, you can omit the merguez and add crumbled feta instead.
Those who like it spicy can add a hot pepper while cooking or a tablespoon of harissa.
If you use canned peeled tomatoes, add a tablespoon of tomato paste to enhance the flavor.