Moroccan Tagine  

“When the desert speaks, it simmers.”

Moroccan Tagine  

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.

Ingredients

  • Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1½ lbs lamb, chicken, or beef, cut into chunks (bone-in preferred)
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1 preserved lemon, quartered
  • ½ cup dried apricots or prunes
  • ½ cup green or kalamata olives
  • 1½ 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

🔙 Back to the Kitchen

“The tagine doesn’t rush. It remembers the heat of every hand that stirred it before you.”