A slowly cooked, chunky relish of tomatoes, roasted peppers and garlic, served cold or at room temperature as a spread or dip.
Israeli Matbucha is a real, traditional Israeli dish, known as Cooked Tomato and Pepper Relish. A slowly cooked, chunky relish of tomatoes, roasted peppers and garlic, served cold or at room temperature as a spread or dip.\n\nMatbucha, meaning 'cooked salad' in Arabic, was brought to Israel primarily by Moroccan Jewish immigrants, and it has become one of the most common cold salads found on Israeli mezze tables and in home refrigerators.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Israeli home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.
Serves 6
Roast the bell peppers directly over a flame or under a broiler until charred all over, then steam in a covered bowl for 10 minutes and peel off the skins.
Heat olive oil in a wide pan and cook the garlic over low heat for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the diced tomatoes and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they break down into a thick sauce.
Stir in the diced roasted peppers, sweet paprika, cayenne and sugar.
Continue simmering uncovered for another 20 minutes until the mixture is very thick and jammy.
Season with salt, let cool, then refrigerate until cold. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with bread as a spread or dip.
Roast the peppers properly until well charred — this smoky depth is essential to matbucha's characteristic flavor.
Simmer the tomatoes long and patiently until they truly break down into a thick, jammy consistency, not a loose, watery sauce.
Serve chilled or at room temperature; matbucha is traditionally never served hot.
Add a spoonful of tomato paste for extra richness and color if the tomatoes aren't very ripe.
Some households add a chopped fresh chile for extra heat alongside the cayenne.
Serve alongside hummus, olives and pita for a full Israeli mezze spread.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.
Matbucha, meaning 'cooked salad' in Arabic, was brought to Israel primarily by Moroccan Jewish immigrants, and it has become one of the most common cold salads found on Israeli mezze tables and in home refrigerators.
Yes, well-drained jarred roasted red peppers work as a reasonable shortcut, though fresh-roasted peppers give a smokier, more authentic flavor.
Yes, it's meant to be made ahead — matbucha keeps well refrigerated for up to a week and the flavor deepens over the first couple of days.
It needs a longer simmering time — patience is key, since the tomatoes need to cook down substantially to reach the right jammy consistency.
Per serving (140g / 4.9 oz) · 6 servings total
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