Moroccan · Breakfast
Baid bel Matisha (Moroccan Eggs & Tomato)
Baid bel matisha is Morocco's answer to a one-pan egg breakfast — a garlicky, cumin-scented tomato sauce with eggs cracked in to poach on top, often cooked and served straight from a small tagine. Quick, cheap and endlessly comforting, it is a staple of home breakfasts and light suppers, scooped up with warm bread.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 2
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 500 g ripe tomatoes, blended (or 400 g chopped tomatoes)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, pinch cayenne
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 eggs
- Small bunch coriander and parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper; bread to serve
Method
- 1
Soften the aromatics
Warm the oil in a small tagine or frying pan and soften the onion and garlic with the cumin, paprika and cayenne for a few minutes.
- 2
Cook the sauce
Add the tomatoes, season, and simmer 12–15 minutes until thick and jammy and no longer watery — a loose sauce won't hold the eggs.
- 3
Add the eggs
Make small wells in the sauce and crack in the eggs. Cover and cook gently a few minutes until the whites set but the yolks are still soft.
- 4
Serve
Scatter with the herbs and serve bubbling in the pan or tagine, with plenty of bread for scooping.
Chef's tips
- Reduce the tomato properly before adding the eggs so the sauce is thick enough to cradle them.
- Cover the pan while the eggs cook so the tops set without the yolks hardening.
- A pinch of cumin at the end, not just the start, keeps the flavour bright.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as shakshuka?
It is a close relative. Baid bel matisha is the Moroccan version of eggs poached in spiced tomato — leaner on peppers than the eastern shakshuka, and often cooked and served in a small clay tagine.
Can I add other things to it?
Yes — cooks often add merguez, khlii, olives or a spoon of harissa. In its simplest home form, though, it is just spiced tomato and eggs with bread.