Tunisian Merguez Sausage (Print)

A spicy North African blend of beef and lamb elevated with chili, garlic, and aromatic herbs.

# Ingredients:

→ Meat

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

→ Aromatics & Spices

03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 tbsp harissa paste
05 - 1 tbsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tbsp ground coriander
07 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1 tsp ground fennel
09 - 1 tsp ground caraway
10 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
11 - 1 tsp salt
12 - ½ tsp ground black pepper

→ Fresh Ingredients

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

→ Binders

15 - 2 tbsp cold water

→ Casings

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

# Instructions:

01 - In a large bowl, combine ground beef and ground lamb thoroughly.
02 - Add minced garlic, harissa paste, ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, ground fennel, ground caraway, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Mix until evenly distributed.
03 - Stir in chopped cilantro and parsley. Add cold water and mix until the mixture is sticky and cohesive.
04 - If using casings, rinse and soak as per instructions, then fill with the meat mixture using a sausage stuffer or piping bag, twisting into links approximately 5 to 6 inches long. If not using casings, shape the mixture into sausage-sized logs and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
05 - Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
06 - Grill sausages for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through.
07 - Serve immediately, optionally with flatbread, couscous, or fresh salad.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • That first bite cracks open with char and releases a warm spice cloud that fills your whole kitchen.
  • You can make it your way—stuff it in casings or shape it free, depending on what you have on hand.
  • It's the kind of dish that tastes like you know something everyone else doesn't.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cold water step—it sounds tiny, but it's what holds everything together without making the sausage dense or grainy.
  • If you're new to sausage making, these free-form patties are actually easier than stuffing casings and taste just as good, so don't feel pressured to source casings if you don't want to.
  • Taste a small raw piece of your mixture in a pan before you commit to the heat level—raw harissa tastes different than cooked, and adjusting now is easier than wishing you had later.
03 -
  • Don't move the sausages too much on the grill—let them sit long enough to develop a dark crust, then turn once and let the other side do the same.
  • If your harissa paste is very thick and concentrated, you can loosen it with a tiny splash of water before mixing it in, just so it distributes more evenly through the meat.
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