17 Best Traditional Moroccan Recipes

Moroccan cuisine is a beautiful blend of bold spices, fresh ingredients, and time-honored techniques. These 17 authentic recipes showcase the heart of Moroccan cooking, from slow-simmered tagines to sweet treats and everyday staples.

Whether you're new to Moroccan food or a longtime fan, these dishes are approachable and full of flavor. Let's explore them one by one with complete ingredients and instructions.

1. Classic Lamb Tagine with Apricots and Almonds

This iconic sweet-savory tagine features tender lamb slow-cooked with warm spices, dried apricots, and toasted almonds.

Ingredients (serves 6):

• 2 lbs (1 kg) lamb shoulder, cubed
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of saffron threads
• 1 cup dried apricots
• 1/2 cup toasted almonds
• 2 tbsp honey
• Salt, pepper, olive oil
• 2-3 cups broth

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a tagine or Dutch oven. Brown lamb on all sides.
2. Add onions, garlic, and spices. Cook until fragrant.
3. Stir in apricots, honey, and broth. Cover and simmer 2-3 hours until tender.
4. Garnish with almonds. Serve with couscous.

2. Couscous with Seven Vegetables

A festive dish with steamed couscous topped with seven symbolic vegetables and tender meat in spiced broth.

Ingredients (serves 8):

• 2 lbs lamb or chicken
• 3 cups couscous
• Vegetables: carrots, zucchini, pumpkin, turnips, cabbage, tomatoes, chickpeas
• Onions, saffron, ginger, ras el hanout
• Salt, pepper, oil

Instructions:

1. Brown meat with onions and spices.
2. Add water and hard vegetables; simmer.
3. Add softer vegetables later.
4. Steam couscous separately or over broth. Serve piled with meat and veggies.

3. Moroccan Mint Tea

The refreshing symbol of hospitality, poured high for perfect foam.

Ingredients (serves 4-6):

• 2 tbsp gunpowder green tea
• Fresh mint bunch
• 4-6 tbsp sugar
• Boiling water

Instructions:

1. Rinse teapot. Add tea, rinse and discard water.
2. Add mint and sugar. Fill with boiling water.
3. Steep 5 minutes. Pour high to froth.
4. Serve in rounds.

4. Harira Soup

Hearty Ramadan soup with lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes, and warm spices.

Ingredients (serves 6-8):

• 1 cup lentils
• 1 can chickpeas
• Optional: lamb or beef
• Tomatoes, onions, celery, herbs
• Ginger, cinnamon, turmeric
• Vermicelli, lemon

Instructions:

1. Brown meat if using. Add onions and spices.
2. Add tomatoes, lentils, herbs, water. Simmer.
3. Add chickpeas and pasta. Thicken if desired.
4. Finish with lemon and herbs.

5. Bastilla (Pastilla)

Luxurious flaky pie with spiced chicken, almonds, and sweet dusting.

Ingredients (serves 8):

• 1 chicken
• Phyllo or warqa pastry
• Almonds, eggs, onions
• Saffron, ginger, cinnamon
• Powdered sugar topping

Instructions:

1. Cook and shred chicken with spices.
2. Make almond filling and egg layer.
3. Layer pastry with fillings. Bake golden.
4. Dust with sugar and cinnamon.

6. Chicken Rfissa

Comforting dish of shredded chicken and lentils over msemen pancakes.

Ingredients (serves 6):

• 1 chicken
• Lentils, onions
• Fenugreek, ras el hanout
• Msemen or flatbread

Instructions:

1. Cook chicken with spices and lentils.
2. Shred chicken. Reduce broth.
3. Serve over shredded msemen with broth.

7. Bissara (Fava Bean Soup)

Creamy, garlicky fava bean puree—simple and nourishing.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 2 cups dried fava beans
• Garlic, cumin
• Olive oil, salt

Instructions:

1. Soak beans overnight.
2. Cook with garlic until soft.
3. Puree smooth. Season.
4. Drizzle with oil and cumin.

8. Zaalouk (Eggplant Salad)

Smoky cooked eggplant and tomato salad, perfect as a dip.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 2 eggplants
• 4 tomatoes
• Garlic, cumin, paprika
• Olive oil, cilantro

Instructions:

1. Cook eggplant and tomatoes until soft.
2. Mash with garlic and spices.
3. Cook down to thicken.
4. Garnish with herbs.

9. Chebakia

Honey-dipped sesame flower cookies, a Ramadan favorite.

Ingredients:

• Sesame seeds, flour
• Spices: anise, cinnamon
• Honey, orange blossom water

Instructions:

1. Make dough with ground sesame.
2. Shape into flowers.
3. Fry golden. Soak in honey.
4. Sprinkle sesame.

10. Sellou (Sfouf)

Nutty unbaked sweet with toasted flour and almonds.

Ingredients:

• Toasted flour, almonds, sesame
• Cinnamon, anise
• Honey or butter

Instructions:

1. Toast and grind nuts/seeds.
2. Brown flour.
3. Mix with spices and honey/butter.
4. Mound or shape.

11. Baghrir (Thousand-Hole Pancakes)

Spongy yeasted pancakes perfect for soaking up honey.

Ingredients:

• Semolina, flour
• Yeast, baking powder
• Water, salt

Instructions:

1. Mix batter. Rest until bubbly.
2. Pour on hot pan. Cook one side.
3. Serve with honey butter.

12. Msemen (Rghaif)

Flaky square laminated pancakes.

Ingredients:

• Flour, semolina
• Oil, butter

Instructions:

1. Make dough. Rest.
2. Stretch thin, fold with butter.
3. Cook on griddle until golden.

13. Tanjia

Marrakech specialty: slow-cooked meat in clay jar.

Ingredients:

• Lamb or beef
• Preserved lemon, garlic
• Cumin, saffron

Instructions:

1. Layer meat with spices in jar.
2. Add oil and water.
3. Slow cook 4-6 hours.

14. Kefta Tagine with Eggs

Spiced meatballs in tomato sauce with poached eggs.

Ingredients:

• Ground beef/lamb
• Tomatoes, onions
• Cumin, paprika
• Eggs

Instructions:

1. Form seasoned meatballs.
2. Cook in tomato sauce.
3. Add eggs to poach.

15. Sardine Balls in Spicy Sauce

Flavorful fish meatballs in chermoula tomato sauce.

Ingredients:

• Fresh sardines
• Chermoula spices
• Tomatoes

Instructions:

1. Process sardines with herbs.
2. Form balls.
3. Simmer in sauce.

16. Chicken with Preserved Lemons and Olives

Classic bright and savory tagine.

Ingredients:

• Chicken pieces
• Preserved lemons
• Green olives
• Saffron, ginger

Instructions:

1. Brown chicken with spices.
2. Add onions and broth.
3. Simmer. Add lemons and olives.

17. Ras el Hanout Spice Blend

The signature Moroccan mix of up to 30 spices.

Ingredients:

• Cumin, coriander, ginger
• Cinnamon, turmeric, paprika
• Cardamom, cloves, nutmeg

Instructions:

1. Toast whole spices lightly.
2. Grind together.
3. Store in airtight jar.

Conclusion: Bring Morocco Home

These 17 recipes capture the essence of Moroccan cuisine—generous, aromatic, and soul-satisfying. Start simple and build your confidence. Soon you'll be hosting your own Moroccan feast!

Which recipe will you try first? The journey through Moroccan flavors is endless and delicious.