Moroccan Recipes
110 recipes found
Turmeric Chicken Skewers With Green Olive Yogurt
These skewers offer a simple yet delicious way to bring the bold flavors of Moroccan cuisine to your table using a handful of spices. But what truly sets this dish apart is the green olive yogurt sauce; the creamy, tangy addition ties everything together. Inspired by the way olives are paired with chicken in Moroccan tagines, this briny sauce balances the warm spices. It's perfect for gatherings but just as great for busy weeknights, and while grilling adds depth, a grill pan works beautifully, too. Serve with a simple tomato salad, roasted or grilled vegetables or flatbread.
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These Harissa-Honey Glazed Chicken Skewers Cook in Under 15 Minutes
These grilled harissa and honey chicken skewers are smoky, sweet, and perfect for an easy weeknight grilled dinner.
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This 3-Ingredient Granita Is My Ultimate Summer Refresher
Turn Moroccan mint tea into a refreshing granita with just a few simple ingredients: green tea, fresh mint, and sugar. It's an icy dessert that's aromatic, easy to make, and perfect for summer.
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These 3-Ingredient, One-Bowl Moroccan Doughnuts Are Crispy, Golden, and Delightfully Chewy
Crispy, chewy, and golden brown, these sfenj—airy yeasted doughnuts—are an iconic Moroccan street food. Made at home with just three ingredients, these delightful doughnuts are perfect dusted with sugar or drizzled with honey for breakfast or an afternoon treat.
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Harcha (Moroccan Semolina Bread)
Often referred to as Moroccan semolina biscuits, harcha are faintly sweet and nutty tasting flatbreads. They require just one bowl to make and mere minutes to cook.
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Loubia (Moroccan Stewed White Beans With Lamb)
This creamy Moroccan white bean stew is studded with spoon-tender morsels of lamb and infused with sweet and earthy flavors from onion, tomatoes, cumin, paprika, ginger, and turmeric. It requires just one pot and minimal effort to prepare.
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Chicken Couscous Tfaya (Moroccan Couscous With Braised Chicken)
Chicken couscous t’faya is a classic Moroccan dish featuring fluffy couscous piled with tender braised chicken topped with a rich, caramelized onion sauce. This signature onion sauce, t’faya, is sweetened with raisins and flavored with cinnamon and honey to create a balance of savory and sweet flavors.
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Lamb and Prune Tagine
Traditionally prepared for celebrations and gatherings, this lamb and prune tagine is a Moroccan classic that showcases tender savory lamb, succulent sweet prunes, and a blend of aromatic spices for a comforting meal.
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Simple Fluffy Couscous
Cooking couscous according to the packaging instructions is quick and easy, but it almost always results in sticky, unevenly cooked couscous. But this unique technique guarantees fluffy, perfectly cooked couscous every time.
Kaab el Ghazal (Gazelle Horn Cookies)
Kaab el ghazal, also known as gazelle horns, are cookies beloved by many Moroccans and are typically shaped like a crescent, mimicking the curve of a gazelle's horn. They are made from a fragrant almond-based dough, flavored with orange blossom water and a hint of cinnamon. In this version, the dough is coated in sesame seeds before baking, giving these gluten-free cookies a distinctive nutty flavor and a subtle chewy texture that contrasts beautifully with the soft, aromatic filling inside. Often enjoyed with tea, these cookies are a staple during special occasions and celebrations such as Eid al Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan. Traditionally, blanched almonds are ground at home in a food processor, but this recipe simplifies the process by calling for store-bought almond flour.
Bissara (Creamy Fava Bean Purée)
Bissara is a comforting Moroccan dish made primarily with dried, split fava beans or dried split peas. Often enjoyed as a warming winter meal, it features a creamy, smooth texture and is typically seasoned with garlic, cumin, paprika and olive oil. It can be served as a dip, with bread, or thinned into a hearty soup. A staple in Moroccan cuisine and a popular street food, bissara is celebrated for its simplicity, satisfyingly smooth texture and rich, savory flavors.
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Bastila (Moroccan Chicken Pie)
Savory and sweet all at once, an elegant layered chicken bastila is a centerpiece at most Moroccan special occasions. This simplified skillet version features a savory stewed chicken filling topped with eggs and crunchy almonds, all topped with a crisp pastry dough. It’s easy enough for a weeknight, but worthy of a celebration.
Chicken Pastilla
Pastilla, or B'stila in Moroccan Arabic, is one of the most iconic Moroccan dishes. Traditionally served during special occasions and festive gatherings, it masterfully balances sweet and savory notes, aromatic flavors and contrasting textures. While the original recipe calls for pigeon or squab encased in warqa (a thin, Moroccan pastry), this version uses chicken and phyllo pastry for a more accessible approach. The pie features layers of spiced chicken, caramelized onions, fluffy scrambled eggs and crunchy almonds. The chicken is cooked with the onions, then removed to allow the onions to caramelize while the almonds are toasted and eggs scrambled. However, all the layers can be prepared up to two days in advance; store them in sealed containers in the fridge, except for the almonds, which can be kept at room temperature. While the dusting of cinnamon sugar on top is optional, it’s a beloved tradition among many Moroccans, who typically enjoy an extra touch of sweetness.
Friday Couscous
In Morocco, couscous is traditionally served on Fridays, a holy day in Islam for prayer, community gatherings and family meals. Known as Friday couscous, this custom is deeply rooted in the country's cultural and religious traditions. Couscous refers to the entire dish — the couscous granules called smida which translates to semolina, and the flavorful stew of vegetables and meat called marka. Traditionally, the couscous granules are steamed until light and fluffy in a couscoussière, while the marka is made with a variety of vegetables, meat and aromatic spices. For this quicker, vegetable-only version, the couscous is cooked according to package instructions for convenience. Ideal for busy weeknights or meal prep, by the time the vegetables are fully cooked, the broth, which is poured over the couscous to moisten it, becomes richly infused with the spices and deep, savory flavors of the vegetables. Any remaining broth is often served on the side to be enjoyed on its own or added to the dish.
Beef Tagine With Green Beans and Olives
This hearty tagine is a staple family meal in many Moroccan homes, cooked in the traditional m’qualli style with garlic, ground ginger and ground turmeric. The comforting, earthy flavors of the meat, spices and green beans create a satisfying dinner perfect for sharing or meal prepping. The cozy, fragrant stew is packed with pops of flavor from tangy preserved lemon and briny olives. The green beans are added towards the end when the meat is almost cooked. For a variation, consider substituting or adding peas and/or chopped carrots (see Tip).
Amlou Blondies
Amlou is a Moroccan spread made with just three ingredients: almonds, honey and argan oil. Affectionately referred to as Moroccan Nutella by Moroccans, it is traditionally enjoyed at breakfast or teatime alongside breads, pancakes, yogurt or cheeses. Here, it’s used to top blondies, adding a smooth textural contrast and a deep, sweet, nutty flavor. While amlou is traditionally made with almonds, peanut butter is commonly used as a substitute. Argan oil is extracted from the kernels of the argan tree native to Morocco; if you can't get your hands on argan oil, walnut or peanut oil is a suitable alternative.
Chermoula Potato and Fish Stew
This dish features tender potatoes and flaky fish fillets simmered in Moroccan chermoula, a fragrant marinade bursting with fresh parsley, cilantro, lemon and garlic, and complemented by warm spices. In Moroccan cuisine, chermoula is used to marinate meat and fish before grilling; it can be also served as a sauce drizzled over vegetables or any number of cooked dishes. Here, the chermoula and potatoes are cooked first, creating a flavorful base for the fish, resulting in a satisfying one-pan meal. The optional harissa oil comes together in no time and is highly recommended if you like heat and crave complexity. To make the chermoula, this recipe calls for finely chopped herbs, but feel free to pulse the herbs and garlic in a food processor, if you prefer.
Carrot and Orange Salad
In Morocco, when temperatures soar, this refreshing dish is often served to help combat the heat at the beginning of a meal. The crispy carrots and sweet orange juice work to cleanse the palate and refresh the senses before enjoying heartier dishes. Beyond this dish’s refreshing qualities, its vibrant flavors and simple preparation make it perfect for summertime gatherings or as a light snack any time of year. Although the dish is referred to as a salad, its light consistency is closer to a chilled soup due to the orange juice. Make sure the shredded carrots and the orange juice are both chilled before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients, and chill the serving bowls too, if you like.
Weeknight Chicken Tagine
Making a tagine might not be the most labor-intensive task, but it can definitely be time-consuming. In this non-traditional recipe, you'll enjoy all the classic flavors of a m'qualli chicken tagine but in less than an hour. Made with preserved lemon and olives, this dish is perfect for satisfying your mid-week Moroccan food cravings. M’qualli tagine refers to one of the ways Moroccan tagines are traditionally seasoned, incorporating ground ginger, ground turmeric and garlic, resulting in a rich, dark yellow sauce. Don’t hesitate to adjust the consistency of your tagine by adding a couple tablespoons of water or stock if it’s too dry, or letting it simmer for a few extra minutes for a thicker sauce. Serve it with bread for a more traditional experience (such as flatbreads or crusty breads like a baguette), but rice or potatoes will also work.
Zaalouk (Eggplant and Tomato Salad)
Zaalouk is a Moroccan cooked salad, similar to baba ghanouj and moutabal, that highlights eggplant in all its glory. Just a few ingredients come together to create a lightly aromatic, herby and melt-in-your mouth dip. There are many ways to prepare zaalouk; what varies is the way in which the eggplant is cooked. It can be steamed, boiled, chargrilled, baked or, as in this recipe, simply cooked on the stovetop with the rest of the ingredients. Zaalouk is commonly served as a starter, however, feel free to enjoy it as a side or as a spread in a tasty sandwich with grilled meat or vegetables.
Zaalouk With Tahini
A Moroccan salad or dip, zaalouk is typically composed of tomatoes and eggplants, plus spices and a good amount of olive oil. It’s usually served at room temperature, with plenty of bread to mop it all up, but it’s equally delicious warmed and spooned over baked potatoes, or accompanied by fish or meat. Here, it's topped with tahini, which is untraditional but adds a lovely nutty, creamy element to the dish. The vegetables are roasted in this recipe for ease, but feel free to grill them over an open flame to get an extra smoky flavor, if you like.
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Moroccan Kefta and Bell Pepper Briouats (Ground Meat and Bell Pepper Pastries)
Caramelized onions and red bell peppers lend sweetness to these briouats, while paprika, cumin, coriander provide an additional layer of flavor.
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Chicken M’qualli Tagine With Olives and Preserved Lemon
Bold, sweet, fragrant—but also sour and bitter with olives and preserved lemon—m’qualli carries a myriad of flavors that make it a special and comforting meal.
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Moroccan Egg Drop Harira (Vegetable and Legume Soup)
Derived from the Arabic word “harir,” harira translates into “silk,” which describes the consistency of the soup. This version features both lentils and chickpeas, and is finished with a drizzle of beaten egg.