Tunisian Merguez Spiced Sausage (Printable)

Spiced North African Merguez featuring beef, lamb, and bold aromatics, ideal for grilling or sandwiches.

# What You Need:

→ Meat

01 - 8.8 oz ground beef
02 - 8.8 oz ground lamb

→ Aromatics & Spices

03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 tablespoons harissa paste
05 - 1 tablespoon ground cumin
06 - 1 tablespoon ground coriander
07 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1 teaspoon ground fennel
09 - 1 teaspoon ground caraway
10 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
11 - 1 teaspoon salt
12 - 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Fresh Ingredients

13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

→ Binders

15 - 2 tablespoons cold water

→ Casings

16 - 59 inch sheep sausage casings, rinsed and soaked (optional)

# How-To:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, blend ground beef and lamb until evenly mixed.
02 - Add minced garlic, harissa paste, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, fennel, caraway, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to distribute spices evenly.
03 - Fold in chopped cilantro and parsley, then add cold water to help bind the mixture. Stir until the texture becomes sticky and cohesive.
04 - If using casings, rinse and soak according to package directions. Fit a sausage stuffer or piping bag with a wide nozzle and carefully fill casings, twisting into 5–6 inch links. If not using casings, shape mixture into sausage-sized logs and refrigerate for 30 minutes to maintain shape.
05 - Heat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat to prepare for cooking.
06 - Cook sausages for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally until browned and cooked through.
07 - Serve immediately with accompaniments such as flatbread, couscous, or fresh salad.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These sausages deliver restaurant-quality heat and complexity that somehow taste like they took hours when you've really spent just twenty minutes mixing.
  • They're naturally dairy-free and gluten-free, so you're not sacrificing anything—the harissa and spice blend do all the heavy lifting.
  • Once made, they freeze beautifully, meaning you can grill a quick dinner that tastes authentically Tunisian on any ordinary Tuesday.
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking your casings—dry casings crack and leak, and you'll lose all that precious spiced meat into the grill.
  • The harissa paste is salty, so taste your mixture before you add more salt, or you'll end up with something inedible.
  • Merguez cook fast because they're thin and spiced throughout; move them around on the grill rather than leaving them to sit, or the outside burns before the inside finishes.
03 -
  • Keep everything cold—cold meat, cold water, even cold hands if possible—because warm fat smears and creates dense sausages instead of tender ones.
  • If your casings keep tearing as you stuff them, they're probably too dry; soak them a few minutes longer and they'll become more pliable.
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