Name: Ojja with Merguez
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Tunisia, North Africa
Ingredients: 4 whole merguez sausages, sliced into rounds; 4 whole eggs; 400 g canned chopped tomatoes; 2 tbsp harissa paste; 1 medium green pepper, diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp ground caraway; 2 tbsp olive oil

Ojja with Merguez

A spicy Tunisian egg and tomato skillet loaded with harissa, merguez sausage, and peppers. Tunisia's answer to shakshuka, with a bolder, fierier personality.

Country

Tunisia

Region

North Africa

Time

35 min

Serves

Level

easy

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Ojja is a staple of Tunisian home cooking, particularly popular as a quick lunch or brunch. Unlike its milder cousins across the Mediterranean, Tunisian ojja is unapologetically spicy thanks to a generous dose of harissa. The addition of merguez sausage makes it a hearty, satisfying one-pan meal that comes together in minutes.

What the dish tastes like

A spicy Tunisian egg and tomato skillet loaded with harissa, merguez sausage, and peppers. Tunisia's answer to shakshuka, with a bolder, fierier personality.

When to cook it

Best for Brunch, quick lunch, with a easy cooking level and about 35 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Crusty baguette or tabbouna bread

Cook the merguez

Heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the merguez slices and cook until browned and slightly crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Brown merguez 05:00

Build the sauce

In the same skillet, cook the green pepper and garlic for 2 minutes. Add the harissa, caraway, and a pinch of salt. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Cook peppers 02:30

Simmer tomatoes

Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and reduces. Return the merguez to the skillet.

The sauce should be thick, not watery.

Simmer sauce 10:00

Add the eggs

Make 4 wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each. Cover the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny.

For set yolks, cook a minute or two longer with the lid on.

Cook eggs 06:00

Serve in the skillet

Remove from heat and serve straight from the skillet with plenty of crusty bread for dipping.

Bring the skillet to the table for a rustic, communal meal.

Ojja with Merguez

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Step-by-step instructions

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