Tomatoes, garlic, chili, and time — that’s all it takes.
This matbucha is deep, savory, and anything but boring.
If you’ve ever dipped warm bread into a thick, slow-cooked tomato spread at a Middle Eastern table, chances are you’ve met matbucha. Originally from North African Jewish kitchens — especially Moroccan — matbucha is all about patience: tomatoes, garlic, and chili cooked down for hours until everything melts into a rich, spoonable paste.
My version isn’t strictly traditional, but it’s close. I peel the tomatoes and chili for a super smooth texture, keep the oil lighter than usual, and let it simmer slowly to bring out all the deep, roasted flavor. It’s a little spicy, a little sweet, and completely addictive.
You can serve matbucha as a dip, use it in sandwiches, spoon it onto labneh or hummus, or turn it into the best shakshuka base with just a splash of water and cumin. Once you’ve made a batch, you’ll start finding excuses to use it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Slow-cooked flavor with almost no effort — just give it time
- Rich, garlicky, and deeply savory with a hint of heat
- Made with simple ingredients you probably already have
- Can be used as a dip, spread, sauce, or shakshuka base
- Freezer-friendly and easy to make in batches
🎥 Watch How Matbucha Changes Every 30 Minutes
In this video, I filmed every 30 minutes over 3 hours so you can see how it thickens, deepens, and becomes something completely different.
Don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel for more easy and delicious recipes you’ll want to make again and again.
🧄 Matbucha Ingredients
You don’t need much to make matbucha — just a few pantry staples, ripe tomatoes, and a bit of patience. Here’s what goes into my version:
- 1.5 kg ripe tomatoes – The riper, the better. They cook down into a sweeter, richer spread. Peeling is optional, but I like mine ultra-smooth.
- 1 green chili pepper – I remove the seeds and white membrane to keep it mild. You can skip it for no heat, or add more for a spicier kick.
- 10 garlic cloves – Use more or less depending on your love for garlic. I go big for that bold, savory depth.
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon sugar – Just enough to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika – Adds warm color and flavor.
- ¼ to ⅓ cup olive oil – I use slightly less than traditional recipes. You can go with a full ⅓ cup for a more classic, oil-rich texture.
🧂 Flavor note:
I add the seasonings at the beginning, but I don’t fully adjust the flavor until the end. As matbucha cooks down, everything intensifies — the saltiness, sweetness, and heat. Wait until it’s thickened and nearly done before tasting and fine-tuning the balance.
How to Make Matbucha
- Peel the tomatoes and chili (optional, but it gives a smoother result). Dice the tomatoes and finely chop the chili. Peel the garlic.
- In a wide pan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and chili and sauté for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.
- Stir in the sweet paprika and let it cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, salt, and sugar. Stir everything together.
- Cover the pan and cook on low heat for at least 2 hours, and up to 3. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing sticks.
- Somewhere between the 2 to 3 hour mark, once the tomatoes have broken down and the mixture is starting to thicken, mash it gently with a spatula or potato masher.
- Uncover the pan and let it cook for about 30 more minutes, or until it reaches the consistency you like.
- Once it’s thick and almost done, taste and adjust the seasoning. Since the flavors deepen as it cooks, it’s best to adjust the salt, sweetness, or heat at the end.
This recipe makes about 1½ cups of thick, rich matbucha.
Texture & Flavor Tips
Texture:
You can control how thick your matbucha gets by adjusting how long you cook it and whether the pan is covered. Keep the lid on to help it break down without drying out. Uncover toward the end to reduce excess liquid.
If it starts to look too dry before the flavors have fully developed, just add a splash of water and keep cooking.
Matbucha is also commonly made with roasted sweet peppers, which add sweetness and depth. You can char them over an open flame or under the broiler, peel off the skin once blistered, and mix them in with the tomatoes.
→ Try my Roasted Pepper Salad or Marinated Roasted Peppers if you want more ways to use them.
Is Matbucha Spicy?
I use one green chili with the seeds and membrane removed for a gentle warmth. You can skip it, add more, or leave the seeds in for extra heat — it’s totally flexible. Just remember, the flavor intensifies over time, so it’s best to adjust seasoning at the very end.
Tip: For a deeper, slightly smoky flavor, you can also roast the chili first (like you would a pepper), then peel off the skin and add it in. It blends right in and brings a subtle charred note.
How to Use Matbucha
Matbucha is endlessly versatile — once you have it in the fridge, you’ll start putting it on everything. Here are some of my favorite ways to use it:
- As a spread on bread, toast, or crackers
- Layered into sandwiches or wraps for a rich, savory boost
- Swirled into labneh, hummus, or tahini for a quick dip
- As a base for shakshuka — just add water and cumin, crack in eggs, and let it simmer
- Tossed with pasta for an easy, flavorful tomato sauce
- Added to soups or stews to deepen the flavor
You can also freeze it in small portions and pull it out whenever you need a spoonful of something bold and delicious.
Can You Freeze Matbucha?
Yes — matbucha freezes really well. Let it cool completely, then portion it into small containers or freezer bags.
You can freeze it for up to 3 months. To use, just thaw in the fridge overnight or warm gently on the stove. The texture and flavor hold up beautifully.
More Recipes to Try
If you loved this matbucha, here are a few other recipes worth checking out:
- Zhoug Recipe – A spicy green herb sauce that’s amazing on eggs, dips, or roasted veg
- Green Tahini – Creamy, herby, and perfect drizzled over matbucha
- Labneh – Spread matbucha right on top for a beautiful mezze-style combo
- Preserved Lemons – Another Moroccan staple that adds depth to stews, salads, and dressings
- 7 Mediterranean Dips – A roundup of bold, fresh, and creamy dips to serve alongside
Matbucha
Ingredients
- 1½ kg ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced (about 3.3 lbs)
- 1 green chili pepper
- 10 garlic cloves, peeled
- ¼-⅓ cup olive oil
- 1½ teaspoons salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
Instructions
- Peel the tomatoes and chili (optional, but recommended for a smoother texture). Dice the tomatoes and finely chop the chili. Peel and thinly slice the garlic cloves.
- In a wide pan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and chili and sauté for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.
- Stir in the sweet paprika and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, salt, and sugar. Stir everything together. The flavors will deepen as it cooks, so don’t fully adjust the seasoning yet — wait until it’s thick and nearly done to fine-tune the balance.
- Cover the pan and cook over low heat for at least 2 hours, and up to 3, stirring occasionally.
- Somewhere around the 1.5 to 2 hour mark, once the tomatoes have broken down mash it gently with a spatula or potato masher.
- Uncover and continue cooking for about 30 more minutes, or until it reaches your desired consistency. If it looks too dry before the flavor has developed, add a splash of water and keep cooking.
Final Thoughts
Whether you spread it on bread, stir it into pasta, or turn it into shakshuka — I hope this matbucha finds a permanent spot in your kitchen. It’s one of those recipes that feels simple, but delivers so much depth and flavor.
If you give it a try, let me know how it turned out in the comments, I’d love to see your version.
