Moroccan Tomato & Pepper Salad

This Moroccan salad starts with a charred green bell pepper, and that smokiness changes everything. Broiling the pepper until blackened, then steaming it in a paper bag loosens the skin and concentrates the flavor into something sweeter and more complex than raw pepper could ever be.

The charred pepper gets stripped, sliced, and tossed with diced tomato and cucumber in a dressing spiked with cumin, paprika, fresh green chili, and plenty of lemon juice. It’s a salad built on contrast: smoky pepper, cool cucumber, bright acid, and a low hum of heat from the chili.

Peeling the pepper over the bowl is a smart detail. Those smoky juices drip into the dressing and reinforce the charred flavor throughout. Don’t rinse the pepper under water to remove the skin or you’ll wash all that flavor down the drain.

Chilling for at least 30 minutes before serving lets the cumin and paprika bloom into the vegetables. It tastes even better after a few hours.

Kitchen Tips

• Blanch and peel the tomato for a smoother texture. The skins can get leathery once dressed and chilled.
• Seed the cucumber to prevent the salad from getting watery as it sits in the fridge.
• Adjust the green chili to your heat tolerance. Even half a minced chili adds noticeable warmth.

Variations

• Roasted red pepper: Use a red bell pepper instead of green for a sweeter, milder flavor.
• Add preserved lemon: A tablespoon of minced preserved lemon peel makes this taste authentically North African.