For Moroccan Jews, matbucha, a cooked tomato and pepper salad, is not just a dip or spread — it’s a flavorful, vibrant base for countless home-cooked dishes. According to New York Shuk co-founder Leetal Arazi, “the elements are simple — little more than peak-season tomatoes, hot green chiles, and garlic, with patience as the secret ingredient. Cooked together low and slow, these ingredients transform into a luscious, deeply concentrated and intensely flavored ‘cooked salad’ or sauce that pairs effortlessly with just about everything.” She adds that matbucha is so beloved that some families affectionately call it “Moroccan ketchup.”
In her husband and co-founder Ron’s Moroccan family, matbucha was a constant presence on his family’s table in Israel. His mother’s batches disappeared almost instantly. “She’d fill the jars, and then we’d go straight for the pot with warm challah to scoop up every last bit,” he remembers.
New York Shuk’s Signature Matbucha carries that tradition forward, starting with juicy Jersey tomatoes and roasted Hatch chiles, then layering in garlic and preserved lemon for extra brightness. The result is a rich, jammy spread with a hint of heat. You can prepare this recipe with their matbucha or make your own.
The matbucha chickpea stew is an excellent accompaniment to steamed rice or their hand-rolled couscous, which they shared alongside the stew in the Grandmas Tent at The Great Nosh.
Read more about Leetal’s and Ron’s family in “Sukkah Dining: Moroccan Fava Bean Soup with Harissa” and in our cookbook "The Jewish Holiday Table: A World of Recipes, Traditions & Stories to Celebrate All Year Long.”. Plus, check out more recipes from The Great Nosh’s Grandmas Tent.
