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Ojja with merguez sausage and bread

Ojja with merguez is a Tunisian dish made of spiced tomato sauce, merguez sausage and eggs cracked in at the end of cooking. This recipe for 4 people takes 35 minutes, rated easy, for about €2.90 per person. The key to success is keeping the sauce loose enough for the eggs to poach gently instead of drying out.

Tonight, Tunisia lands in your skillet with an ojja and merguez, a tomato sauce with just the right kick and eggs cracked right on top.

Ojja with merguez sausage and bread
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.90
Calories per person
710 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter, Spring

Ojja is a tomato sauce with real character, spiced up with harissa, cumin and caraway, while chunks of merguez simmer away and flavor the whole pan. The eggs cracked on top at the end cook gently in that sauce, so the yolks stay runny and mix right into the spiced tomato. You tear off pieces of bread to scoop everything up, and that's really the whole point of the dish.

This is a weeknight recipe that breaks up the routine without asking for any special technique, one skillet does the whole job from start to finish. It works well for a dinner among adults or a family who all enjoy a bit of heat, though it's less suited to very young kids because of the harissa. Mon Chou suggests it for a meal that warms you up without taking an hour in the kitchen.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Merguez sausages 6

Dairy

  • Eggs 4

Fruits and vegetables

  • Green bell peppers 2
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 4 cloves

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 600 g
  • Harissaoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Ground carawayoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Baguette 1

Allergens Eggs, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the peppers into strips, finely chop the onion and garlic, then cut each merguez sausage into three pieces.

    Prick the merguez with a fork before cutting them, they'll hold together better.

  2. Brown the merguez in a large skillet with a drizzle of oil, then set them aside. 8 min

    Don't cook them all the way through, they'll finish cooking in the sauce.

  3. In the same skillet, sauté the onion, peppers and garlic, then add the harissa, cumin and caraway.

    Stir constantly during the minute you cook the spices, they burn fast and turn bitter.

  4. Pour in the tomatoes with half a glass of water, season with salt, add the merguez back in and let it simmer. 12 min

    If the sauce thickens too fast, add a splash more water, it needs to stay loose enough for the eggs.

  5. Crack the eggs over the sauce, cover and cook until the whites are set, then serve with the baguette. 5 min

    For nicely coated eggs, spoon some sauce over them while they cook.

Our tips to get it right

  • Keep a bit of extra water nearby, the sauce needs to stay fairly loose when you crack in the eggs or they'll firm up too fast on the surface.
  • Make a small well in the sauce with the back of a spoon before cracking in each egg, that keeps them from running into each other.
  • Use a wide skillet rather than a deep saucepan, the eggs cook more evenly when they're spread over a large surface.

The variations

  • Swap the merguez for diced lamb or beef if you want a leaner meat, just let the sauce simmer a little longer.
  • For a meatless version, double the peppers and add drained chickpeas, the sauce stays just as flavorful.
  • For a milder version, cut the harissa in half and remove the seeds if you're adding extra fresh chili.

What to serve it with

  • Tunisian bread or baguette for scooping
  • A cold cucumber salad on the side
  • Mint tea to finish the meal

Storage

Keep the ojja in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 days because of the eggs. Reheat it gently in a skillet over low heat, without letting it boil, so the yolks don't overcook. Avoid freezing it, poached eggs don't hold up well in the freezer.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the ojja sauce ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the tomato and merguez sauce a few hours ahead and leave it covered at room temperature. Reheat it gently before cracking in the eggs at the last minute, since they need to cook right before serving.

What can you use instead of harissa?

You can replace the harissa with tomato paste mixed with chili powder, adjusting the amount to taste. The flavor will be a bit milder but still just as comforting.

How do you know when the eggs are done?

The whites should be fully set and opaque, while the yolks stay glossy and slightly wobbly in the center. Count on about 5 minutes covered over low heat, and check often since it happens fast.

Is ojja with merguez okay for kids?

This dish is really built for adults since the harissa brings real heat. You can set aside a small portion without harissa or chili for kids who don't like it spicy.

How long does it take to make an ojja with merguez sausage and bread?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in an ojja with merguez sausage and bread?

About 710 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does an ojja with merguez sausage and bread cost?

About €2.90 per serving, or €11.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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