Though Tunisia is famous for its flavorful meat dishes like lamb couscous and tajine, there are plenty of Tunisian vegetarian dishes to enjoy for those skipping meat!
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From vegetable couscous to amazing street food, these are my top ten vegetarian dishes in Tunisia.
Tunisia was our last stop on the MSC Fantasia 7-day Mediterranean cruise we took as a family. As with the other countries we've visited on this excursion, I made it a point to research as much as I could about the area's well-known vegetarian cuisine. I also asked some of my friends to send me their recommendations. By the time we arrived, I had a short list of spots and meals I was genuinely excited about, but I still left room to discover things along the way.
This list is a result of all the Google Maps scrolling and trial and error we've done.
If you're curious about how we spent our time in Tunis, check out my Tunisia one-day itinerary, where we explored the beautiful city as a multi-generational family in just 24 hours.
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To stop you from getting lost through the bustling medinas, unsure of what to eat, or hesitating at a cafe because you’re a picky vegetarian, here’s a guide to the top vegetarian food to try in Tunisia. Fair warning, though: these dishes are so flavorful that you'd forget they were made of veggies.
Couscous with Vegetables
Couscous isn't usually a vegetarian Tunisian dish. It’s traditionally served with lamb, beef, or chicken. However, we had the opportunity to try nutritious vegetable couscous, and it still felt like a true taste of Tunisian cuisine, even without the meat. Vegetable couscous is naturally vegetarian, since it's made from semolina wheat and water, and is usually paired with tomatoes, carrots, zucchini, and chickpeas. Tunisians love their food spicy, so the one we tasted had a touch of harissa for that spicy kick. I'm already quite familiar with the dish, having made my own Moroccan couscous salad recipe with Israeli couscous.
Lablabi (Chickpea Stew)
A comforting soup made with soft chickpeas, garlic, soaked bread, and harissa. Lablabi is Tunisia's national dish and is especially popular during the cooler months. You literally cannot walk a block in Tunis without passing by a shop selling it. My kids were unsure at first because of the soaked bread, but once they tried it, they kept going back for more. Though we had to ask the restaurant we ate at to serve a less spicy version for them to try, while we adults upped the ante with the amount of harissa.
Kafteji
Kafteji is a classic street food in Tunisia, made by frying a mix of potato, zucchini, peppers, and pumpkin before chopping everything into a rough mash. The name comes from the Turkish word for "chopped" or "minced," which refers to the traditional way of cutting the ingredients using a hook-shaped knife. Locals often top it with cubes of fried eggs as an appetizer or pack it into crusty Tunisian bread like tabouna for a sandwich. My first experience with it was at a stall in the medina. The line was long, so I obviously thought it must be good. And we were right!
Brik with Egg and Herbs
Brik is a thin, deep-fried pastry with a filling of whole egg, tuna, parsley, and spices. The dough is made out of malsouka or warka, which is similar to phyllo, a dough I use in my breakfast Bourekas recipe. In the cafe where we ordered this, I made sure to specify no tuna. Luckily, the cafe had a vegetarian option that used capers and ricotta cheese instead of tuna. The server also said that you can replace the egg with mashed potatoes, cheese, or a mix of vegetables, if you want. We just kept it as is, and it was wonderful.
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Slata Mechouia (Grilled Salad)
My family and I wandered through the local farmers' market and spotted this salad by chance, although many people had recommended it to me since I love salads. It combines finely chopped summer produce such as charred tomato, cucumbers, pepper, onion, and garlic with olive oil, making it the perfect savory summer Tunisian dish. I had this with some pita bread on the side, and it was delicious. Each bite had that smoky, charred taste that made me wish I could take a bowl back home with me.
Ojja with Vegetables
After a long walk through the busy streets, we stopped at a small restaurant where my husband insisted we sit and rest. That’s where we shared a pan of ojja, a bubbling tomato sauce filled with onion, pepper, and garlic. Ojja is commonly served as an appetizer and is traditionally made with merguez sausage, shrimp, or fish. Of course, we had the fully vegetarian version, which included poached eggs and a touch of harissa for that signature heat. It arrived still sizzling, and we immediately tore pieces of bread to scoop it straight from the pan.
Fricassé Sandwich
Walking near Sidi Bou, we came across a small stall selling fried bread stuffed into a sandwich. Curious, we ordered one filled with potato, olive, and harissa. It was crisp outside and soft inside, making it perfect for eating on the go. My kids enjoyed it while we walked toward Carthage, soaking in the coastal views. I later learned that similar food can be found in Algeria and Morocco, showing how North Africa shares food traditions across borders.
Hummus (Tunisian Style)
I'm no stranger to hummus. I've made recipes more than I could actually count on one hand. So when my friends told me I had to try hummus Tunisian style, I was a bit skeptical. I mean, how different could it be? The answer? A whole lot different. It's chunkier and bolder in flavor (because of course it also has harissa incorporated in it). The one we had actually served as a full plate, topped with olives and capers, and served with bread on the side.
Makrouna
My kids asked me for something familiar to eat, so we sat in a cozy restaurant and ordered this tomato-based dish with eggplant. Again, it's traditionally made with meat. This vegetarian version is even jokingly referred to by locals as makrouna kadheba, which means "lying pasta." But hey, it was still a great choice for us. The pasta was perfectly al dente, the sauce tangy and well-spiced, and the generous drizzle of olive oil made every bite comforting. The only downside? The portions at the restaurant were way too small for a family as big as ours, so we ended up wishing there had been more!
Makroudh (Date Pastry)
Before heading out of Tunis, my mother insisted on one last stop at a small cafe. We needed to get back to the cruise ship, and the Type A in me was already slightly panicking about the time. Good thing I listened to my mom, because that’s where we found makroudh, a semolina and flour snack filled with dates and lightly fried. It was finished with a sprinkle of sesame as garnish, and when I tell you I had hearts in my eyes. We had taken out a few to go and ate them around midnight!
Ending Our Tunisian Food Journey on a High Note
Even with just a day in Tunis, we were able to experience some of the most memorable traditional dishes in Tunisia. From quick street food bites to small restaurants, these meals proved that even a short visit can be full of flavor, variety, and truly authentic vegetarian options in Tunisia.
Remember: always ask about ingredients to make sure they fit into your dietary needs and preferences. I learned this the hard way through the years. Don't worry, because locals are actually quite polite when it comes to informing you about their available vegetarian meals in Tunisia.
