Diced Pepper & Tomato Salad

This Moroccan salad is all about the smoky sweetness of grilled green peppers paired with ripe, juicy tomatoes and raw garlic. Four ingredients. No dressing. Just clean, bold flavor.

Grilling and skinning the peppers first is what gives this salad its character. The charred flesh turns silky and sweet, completely different from raw bell pepper. That smokiness carries the whole dish.

Skinning and seeding the tomatoes takes an extra few minutes but makes a real difference. You get pure tomato flesh with no tough skins or watery seed pockets diluting the flavors.

Dicing everything to the same size matters for a salad this simple. Even cuts mean every bite has the right balance of pepper, tomato, and garlic.

Chilling before serving lets the garlic mellow and the flavors meld. Drain off the liquid that collects at the bottom right before plating, otherwise the salad turns watery.

Pro Tips

• Score the tomatoes with an X on the bottom and dip in boiling water for 30 seconds for easy peeling. The skins slip right off.
• Grill the peppers directly over a flame or under a broiler until blackened all over, then steam in a covered bowl to loosen the skin.
• Use the best, ripest tomatoes you can find. With so few ingredients, there’s nowhere for mediocre produce to hide.

Variations

• Spiced version: Add a pinch of cumin and a drizzle of olive oil for a warmer, richer Moroccan flavor profile.
• Preserved lemon: Stir in finely diced preserved lemon for a bright, salty punch that’s classic North African.