Go Back
Tunisian Bread Salad recipes

Tunisian Bread Salad recipes

This vibrant Tunisian bread salad combines fresh spinach or arugula, ripe tomatoes, bell peppers, and toasted whole-grain bread with a bold, aromatic dressing. Spiced with mint, caraway, coriander, and cumin, and featuring capers and harissa, it's a refreshing and flavorful dish perfect for a light lunch or dinner, embodying a balance of textures and zesty notes.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Total Time 55 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine middle eastern
Servings 4 people
Calories 734.1 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Chef's knife
  • 1 Cutting Board
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl For assembling and tossing the salad.
  • 1 Small Mixing Bowl For whisking the dressing.
  • 1 Skillet or Toaster Oven For toasting the bread cubes.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 3 or 4 handfuls of spinach or arugula
  • 2 large ripe tomatoes
  • 1 red pepper
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 serrano pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon dried mint I love fresh herbs, but this goes into the dressing and using dried really works -- a serendipitous discovery
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 1 teaspoon harissa Moroccan hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 4 generous slices whole grain or country bread cubed
  • kalamata
  • chopped cilantro
  • mint
  • nonvegans can garnish with 2 hard-boiled eggs halved
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper

Instructions
 

  • Prepare all vegetables: finely mince garlic, serrano pepper, and chop tomatoes and bell peppers into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, combine olive oil, dried mint, caraway seeds, ground coriander, cumin, capers, harissa, and cider vinegar. Whisk thoroughly to create the dressing. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
  • Cube the whole-grain bread slices into approximately 1-inch pieces. In a skillet over medium heat or in a toaster oven, toast the bread cubes until golden brown and slightly crisp. Be careful not to over-dry them.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach or arugula, chopped tomatoes, red pepper, green bell pepper, minced serrano pepper, and minced garlic.
  • Add the toasted bread cubes to the large mixing bowl with the vegetables.
  • Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients.
  • Gently toss all ingredients together until the vegetables and bread are evenly coated with the dressing. Ensure the bread cubes are slightly softened but still retain some texture.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, adding more salt, pepper, or a touch more harissa for heat.
  • Garnish the salad with Kalamata olives, fresh chopped cilantro, and fresh mint leaves.
  • For non-vegans, halve hard-boiled eggs and arrange them on top before serving immediately.

Notes

For optimal flavor, bloom your dried spices (mint, caraway, coriander, cumin) in a tablespoon of warm olive oil for 30 seconds before adding to the dressing. This awakens their aromatic compounds. Ensure your bread is toasted until golden and slightly crisp, but not overly dry, to absorb the dressing without becoming soggy. Uniformly dice your vegetables to ensure a consistent texture in every bite. Adjust the harissa to your preferred level of heat, and consider using fresh mint in the salad itself for a brighter aromatic lift. Allow the salad to rest for 10-15 minutes after dressing; this allows the bread to soften slightly and the flavors to meld beautifully.