Tunisian Cuisine

Tunisian cuisine blends Arab, Mediterranean, Punic and Berber traditions developed since antiquity and further shaped by Italian, Andalusian and French contact over the centuries. Like other Mediterranean cuisines it relies on olive oil, spices, tomato, seafood and meat, but it is distinguished from its neighbors by a characteristic spiciness, expressed above all through harissa, a chili paste recognized by UNESCO in 2022 as part of the world's intangible cultural heritage, alongside tomato paste, garlic, caraway, coriander, cumin and paprika. Tuna, eggs, lamb, chicken and seafood are the principal proteins, and chickpeas, peppers, onions and carrots the leading vegetables. Couscous, steamed grain served with meat and vegetables, is the national dish, and the table further includes brik, a fried pastry parcel, tajine, an egg based baked dish distinct from the Moroccan stew of the same name, shakshouka, a vegetable and egg medley, merguez, a spicy sausage, and a range of seafood specialties reflecting Tunisia's long Mediterranean coastline.