We have best North African recipes
Traditional North African food draws inspiration from the culinary traditions of Europe, Africa, and the Arab Middle East. From the rich tagines of Morocco to the harissa-spiced dishes of Tunisia, the sea-meets-desert cuisine offers of wealth of hearty, comforting, and complex meals worth getting to know.
Harissa is a rich, garlicky chile paste hailing from Tunisia that serves as a base for dishes across North Africa. You can buy prepared versions, but it's easy to make at home. One of our best stew recipes calls on harissa to amp up earthy lamb and cauliflower.
French colonialism in the region is apparent in its food: take for example the Tunisian sandwich casse-croute tunisien, an obvious example of French cooking, being essentially a classic pan bagnat with the addition of harissa. The influence reverse-migrated way too: today, you can find all manner of North African fare in France, such as couscous royale, the common celebratory dish of fluffy couscous lavished with a hefty mountain of assorted meats.
To help you take a brief tour without leaving your kitchen, we've rounded up our favorite North
African recipes
These crunchy pastry spirals are formed from a simple pasta-like dough, soaked in a light lemon syrup and sprinkled with a shower of mixed nuts. Get the recipe for Syrup-Soaked Pastries with Hazelnuts, Pistachios, and Pine Nuts (Deblah) ».“There are as many ways to make gumbo in Louisiana as there are cooks,” says chef Frank Brigtsen of Brigtsen’s restaurant in New Orleans, “but the thing they all have in common is the use of a roux.” His rich, hearty version—a “filé gumbo” made with filé or ground sassafras leaves—uses oil leftover from browning chicken to make the roux, increasing the meaty flavor and complexity of the dish. Add the vegetables in two stages to provide different levels of taste and texture, and be sure to cook them until no longer stringy. (Note: Brigtsen's original recipe calls for rabbit, which you're welcome to use. We've adapted it for chicken here.) Get the recipe for Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo
Braised Egyptian Greens With Crispy Chicken (Egyptian Molokhia)
The name of this stew—named after the leafy green that’s used to make it—is one of Egypt’s most popular dishes. Molokhia, the grassy-tasting, green vegetable also known as jute or Jew’s mallow, is occasionally available fresh at farmer’s markets, but the frozen leaves are far easier to find. Look for them at Middle Eastern and North African grocery stores. Get the recipe for Braised Egyptian Greens With Crispy Chicken (Egyptian Molokhia) »