Moroccan Tagine

Origin:The tagine, both the name of the dish and the earthenware pot it’s cooked in, traces back to Morocco’s Berber (Amazigh) people, who used low-fire clay cooking vessels as portable ovens over open flames.

Over centuries, as Arab traders, Moorish refugees, and colonial influences brought spices, dried fruits, preserved lemons and new techniques, the tagine evolved into a slow-simmered expression of Moroccan terroir—an emblem of hospitality and layered flavour.

In the conical-lid pot, steam rises, condenses, and returns as gentle moisture. This method uses very little added water, perfect for arid climates, and yields deeply tender meats, nuts, vegetables, and fruit in rich spiced sauces.

Ingredients

Born in clay, fed by spice routes, and softened with dried fruits, the Moroccan tagine blurs the line between savory and sweet, earth and ether.

This version pulls from tradition—warm spices, braised meat, preserved lemon, and a broth thickened not with cream, but with time.

Served with couscous, it’s not just a meal. It’s a ritual.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 pounds lamb, chicken, or beef, cut into chunks (bone-in preferred)

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Salt, to taste

1 preserved lemon, quartered

1/2 cup dried apricots or prunes

1/2 cup green or kalamata olives

1 1/2 cups broth or water

Fresh cilantro or parsley, to garnish

Toasted almonds (optional, for crunch)

How The Alchemy Happens

In a tagine base or heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil. Sauté onions and garlic until soft.

Add meat and brown on all sides.

Stir in spices, salt, preserved lemon, and pour in broth. Bring to a simmer.

Scatter in dried fruit and olives. Cover and cook on low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours, until meat is tender and sauce is fragrant. (If using a clay tagine, cook very low and slow.)

Taste and adjust salt, garnish with herbs and almonds if using.

Serve with couscous or flatbread — and silence, if you respect the moment.