Marokkaanse maaltijd met tajine, harira, couscous, salades en muntthee op tafel

5 x Moroccan cooking in your own kitchen: dishes you can easily make

From tagine and harira to zaalouk: five Moroccan dishes you can easily cook in your own kitchen, with the ingredients and recipes to go with them.

For many people, Moroccan cooking sounds like something you only do on holiday, but the opposite is true: you can cook most Moroccan dishes with regular ingredients from the supermarket, in pans you already own, or with a tagine from our webshop. In this article, we'll give you five dishes to start with, including the method for each dish and the tools that make the work easier.

1. Chicken Tagine with Lemon and Olives

The classic. Sear the chicken, sauté onions with ras el hanout, preserved lemon, and green olives, and let the whole dish simmer slowly. The tagine does the work: the cone-shaped lid condenses the steam and lets it drip back down, keeping the meat tender and juicy. An authentic 35-centimeter earthenware tagine is large enough for the whole family. If you cook on induction, the Cuilina tagine is suitable for all heat sources. Want to learn the basics first? Read our article on essential ingredients for an authentic Moroccan tagine.

Chicken tagine with preserved lemon and green olives in an earthenware tagine

2. Harira: The Warm Tomato Soup of Ramadan

Harira is the soup traditionally eaten in Morocco to break the fast, but it is just as delicious on an ordinary evening. You stew onions, tomatoes, chickpeas, and lentils with celery, cilantro, and ras el hanout, adding a handful of vermicelli at the end for the right consistency. In a generous 5-liter Dutch oven, such as the one from the Hage cast-iron cookware set, you can cook a large batch at once to last for several days.

Bowl of Harira tomato soup with chickpeas, lentils, and fresh cilantro

3. Couscous with Vegetables

Couscous is the Sunday dish of Morocco: a complete meal of golden-brown couscous with pumpkin, zucchini, carrots, and chickpeas, and a broth with ras el hanout and saffron. The secret lies in the steaming technique: couscous is steamed and fluffed multiple times so that every grain becomes soft and light. No couscous pot at home? The lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven and a colander lined with a cloth work just fine. Serve the vegetables and the broth separately on the side, for example in oval stoneware baking dishes.

4. Zaalouk: Warm Eggplant Salad

Zaalouk is a smooth, warm salad made of eggplant, tomato, garlic, cumin, and parsley, which is served in Morocco as an appetizer with fresh bread. It is a perfect dish to practice the technique of slow stewing: first roast or pan-fry the eggplant, then let it simmer together until it reaches a smooth consistency. Serve it in a ceramic bowl with an organic shape and your table will instantly look like it's in a riad.

5. Batbout: Soft Moroccan Pan-Fried Bread

Batbout are small, soft semolina breads that you bake in a dry pan instead of the oven; they are like pita bread, but lighter and softer. It is one of the most fun Moroccan baked goods to make together: kneading, shaping, baking, and smelling the aroma. A crepe pan with low edges, such as the 24-centimeter Hakal crepe pan, bakes the breads evenly on both sides. Pour a glass of Moroccan mint tea to go with it, and the afternoon is complete.

Ready to start?

Begin with the dish that appeals to you: with an authentic tagine, a generous Dutch oven, or a good skillet, you have the essentials covered. Want to read more? Dive into our article on what a tagine is and how to use it or check out the three typical Moroccan meals that you need to know.