Tunisian Merguez Spiced Sausage (Printable)

A flavorful North African sausage with spiced beef, lamb, and aromatic herbs, ideal for grilling or serving with couscous.

# 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 - ½ 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 - 5 feet sheep sausage casings, rinsed and soaked (optional)

# Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, mix ground beef and ground lamb until evenly blended.
02 - Add minced garlic, harissa paste, ground cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, fennel, caraway, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly for uniform seasoning.
03 - Fold in chopped cilantro and parsley, then pour in cold water to help bind the mixture. Mix until sticky and cohesive.
04 - If using casings, rinse and soak as per package instructions. Fit a sausage stuffer or wide nozzle piping bag, and carefully fill casings with meat mixture, twisting into 5 to 6 inch links.
05 - If not using casings, shape mixture into sausage-sized logs and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
06 - Heat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
07 - Grill sausages for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through.
08 - Present sausages immediately, alone or within sandwiches, couscous, or as part of mezze.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're bursting with authentic North African heat and aromatics that make every bite feel like an adventure.
  • Once you master the basic technique, you can make these ahead and freeze them for weeknight grilling.
  • They work everywhere—stuffed in flatbread, crumbled over couscous, or just eaten straight off the grill with your hands.
02 -
  • The harissa paste you choose matters enormously—some brands are much spicier than others, so taste your mixture before grilling and adjust the heat level to your preference.
  • Don't skip the cold water step; it helps everything bind together and keeps the sausages from drying out during the high heat of grilling.
  • If you're nervous about casings, the casing-free version is just as delicious and honestly more forgiving for beginners.
03 -
  • Make a double batch and freeze the raw sausages (whether stuffed or formed) for up to three months; they grill beautifully straight from frozen and actually stay more moist.
  • If you don't have fresh cilantro and parsley, use dried herbs at about one-third the amount, though the fresh version really does taste noticeably brighter and more alive.
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