Skip to content

Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Tunisian beef mloukhia with bread

Tunisian beef mloukhia is a slow simmered dish for 4 people, ready in about 3 hours and 30 minutes, medium difficulty, for €3.50 per person. Beef melts into a thick, almost black jute mallow sauce flavored with garlic, served with bread. The key is stirring often and adding the oil gradually near the end so the sauce turns glossy.

Tonight, mloukhia, an almost black Tunisian dish with deep flavor, beef simmered for hours in a garlicky jute mallow sauce, served with bread.

Tunisian beef mloukhia with bread
Total time
3 h 30
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.50
Calories per person
640 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Tunisian mloukhia is a winter dish that needs time but very little hands-on attention. Beef chuck turns tender after hours of slow simmering in a garlicky jute mallow sauce, thick, almost black, with a deep, slightly earthy flavor. It is not a sauce you recognize at first glance, but once you taste it, you understand why it holds a place on Tunisian tables during celebrations.

This is a dish to plan for a Sunday, or any day you are home, since it simmers for over two hours. Serve it with bread for dipping, no fancy sides needed. Kids who like bold flavors might enjoy it, but it is mainly a dish for adults and for entertaining, especially if you make it the day before, since it tastes even better after resting.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Beef chuck 800 g

Pantry

  • Jute mallow powder (mloukhia) 100 g
  • Ground corianderoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Ground cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 10 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 6 cloves

Bakery

  • Round bread 1

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the beef into cubes and brown it in the pot with four tablespoons of oil. 10 min

    A good sear gives the dish its deep flavor.

  2. Whisk the jute mallow powder into 1.5 liters of cold water until smooth, then pour it over the meat with the bay leaves.

    If you can't find jute mallow, blend frozen spinach with a bit of green pepper, the flavor comes close.

  3. Let it simmer over very low heat while stirring, with the salt, pepper, cumin, and coriander. 2 h

    Stir often, the thick sauce sticks to the bottom easily.

  4. Add the crushed garlic and the rest of the oil little by little, and keep cooking. 40 min

    The oil should rise to the surface, the sauce turns black and glossy.

  5. Adjust the seasoning and serve with the bread.

    It tastes even better after resting, make it a day ahead if you can.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use a heavy bottomed pot, jute mallow sauce sticks easily and a thin pot can scorch at the bottom without you noticing.
  • Always whisk the jute mallow powder into cold water before pouring it in, never add it straight to the hot pot, or it will clump and you won't be able to smooth it out.
  • Taste the sauce before serving and add a bit of crushed raw garlic if you want a sharper kick, it wakes the dish up right before you bring it to the table.

The variations

  • Swap the beef chuck for lamb shoulder, mloukhia is also traditionally made with lamb and takes on a richer flavor.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the beef and use a strong vegetable broth instead, keeping all the spices and garlic.
  • To save time, use leftover cooked meat and cut the simmering to one hour, the sauce will be slightly less deep but still good.

What to serve it with

  • Round bread for dipping
  • Fresh lemon at the table
  • Mint tea to finish the meal

Storage

Mloukhia keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and it often tastes better the next day. It freezes well for up to 2 months, in portions. Reheat it gently over low heat while stirring, adding a splash of water if it has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can you replace jute mallow powder if you can't find it?

Yes, you can blend frozen spinach with a bit of green pepper to get close to the flavor. The result isn't identical but comes close in texture and color.

Why is mloukhia sauce so dark?

The color comes from the jute mallow powder cooking for a long time with olive oil added gradually. The longer it simmers, the darker and glossier it gets.

Can you make mloukhia ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually recommended, it tastes better after resting overnight in the fridge. Reheat it gently the next day and serve with fresh bread.

How do you keep the sauce from sticking to the pot?

Stir regularly throughout the simmering, especially during the last hour as it thickens. A heavy bottomed pot also helps spread heat evenly without hot spots.

How long does it take to make a Tunisian beef mloukhia with bread?

Count 3 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a Tunisian beef mloukhia with bread?

About 640 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 a Tunisian beef mloukhia with bread cost?

About €3.50 per serving, or €14.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

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

Maghreb and Middle Eastern cuisine

See all

Recipes with raw garlic

See all