There are plenty of reasons to visit Morocco and among them is to taste its typical dishes. Recipes are full of flavor and aroma that reflect the evolution of its people.
If you have been following us, you will know that throughout its long history, the most diverse civilizations have passed through these lands; from the Phoenicians, Romans, or Berbers -who still live here- to the French and Spanish.
This abundance of cultures, together with its geographical variety, results in a tasty cuisine made with ingredients provided by the land.
In short, the typical dishes of Morocco are a compendium of products and culinary techniques that have been simmering for thousands of years and are part of the traveling experience in the country.
Today we bring you a compilation of the most representative ones.
Shall we start?
Let’s go!
Before talking about the typical dishes of Morocco…
Before getting into the most characteristic dishes of Morocco, it is worthwhile to go through the highlights of Moroccan gastronomy.
If we had to highlight just one of the particularities of Moroccan cuisine, we would choose the spices, as they are used in both sweet and savory dishes and they have an enormous variety.
The best known is Ras el Hanout, a mixture of about twenty spices including cinnamon, chili, cardamom, cloves, coriander, and cumin, although it has a thousand variations.
A word of advice: take advantage and buy here to take home the best olfactory souvenir you will ever find.
In addition to spices, it is also very typical to use fresh herbs such as coriander, parsley, and mint. Thus, stews and salads are seasoned, two of the most common dishes on the tables of Moroccan homes and restaurants.
As emblematic recipes, we have the tajines, which are stews cooked in iconic clay pots with the elongated lid and couscous, steamed wheat semolina accompanied by vegetables, legumes, and meat.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, let’s take a look at the top 10 typical Moroccan dishes.
Top 10 typical Moroccan dishes
Now it’s time: let’s go to the 10 recipes from Morocco that you must try.
#1 Tajin
As we have already advanced, the number one dish of Moroccan gastronomy is the tajine. It’s a traditional stew whose recipe is passed from generation to generation and which is cooked in a clay pot with meat, generally lamb, chicken, or beef.
Add vegetables, spices and if you like nuts, it is also delicious.
#2 Couscous
Couscous is another of Morocco’s must-try dishes.
It is composed of a good portion of the steamed wheat semolina we were talking about before, lamb, chicken or fish, vegetables, spices and all generously sprinkled with sauce.
#3 Pastela
Also known as pastilla or bastilla, pastela is a puff pastry filled with a surprising combination of ingredients. It has poultry meat -usually chicken or pigeon-, almonds, egg, and spices.
So far so normal, right?
Well, here comes the extraordinary part: it is covered with powdered sugar and cinnamon. In this way, the combination of sweet and salty gives it a very peculiar flavor.
#4 Harira
The harira is a thick and comforting soup thanks to its combination of lentils, tomato, lamb meat, and sometimes noodles. And spices, of course.
This hearty and nutritious recipe is known because it is traditionally consumed during Ramadan, although it is also eaten throughout the year.
#5 Mechoui
Although there are many typical Moroccan dishes suitable for vegetarians and vegans because of their abundance of vegetables, there are others that there is no way to adapt in any way; this is the case of Mechoui, which is lamb and only lamb.
It is slow-roasted in a subway oven, which gives it an extra juicy and tender texture. This meat lover’s delight is especially popular on festive occasions and celebrations.
#6 Briouats
Briouats are triangular or cylindrical pastries made with filo dough and filled with almost anything, sweet or savory. What briouats or briwats share in all their variants are spices. They are used sparingly in their preparation.
Stuffed with chicken, minced meat, seafood or almost anything, they are crunchy snacks that are usually eaten as an appetizer.
#7 Zaalouk
Zaalouk is a salad based on roasted eggplant cooked with garlic, cumin, and paprika and is also known as eggplant caviar; with such a name you can imagine that it is one of the most popular dishes in Morocco.
Although it can be drunk hot or cold, we recommend that you try it at room temperature.
#8 Khobz
The bread… Oh, the bread!
If your bread is religion, in Morocco you will enjoy khobz: round, flat, and firm.
Perfect to help you eat alone with it.
That is, in the traditional Moroccan way, which is with your hands, without cutlery. Maybe the first day you find it uncomfortable or dirty because you are not used to it, but when you get the hang of it you will see that the food tastes better.
#9 Sfenj
We can not fail to include in this top ten of typical Moroccan dishes some for the sweet tooth.
Among its large catalog of desserts and other sweet recipes, you have to try the sfenj: it is shaped like a fritter and its flavor is very reminiscent of churros, not in vain these Moroccan doughnuts share with churros all the ingredients, but incorporate yeast and are fried in round.
And to top it off: sugar or honey on top.
#10 Kaab El Ghzal or gazelle horns
With the permission of the famous chebakia, we are going to include in this list another Moroccan sweet: gazelle horns.
They are so-called because they have a half-moon shape reminiscent of a gazelle’s horn. They are filled with dates and nuts with cinnamon and wrapped in a soft almond dough, moistened with orange blossom water.
Pure delicatessen.
And to finish with the most typical Moroccan dishes…
We cannot finish this post without mentioning mint tea. It will be impossible not to try it if you travel to Morocco. Alone or eating, in the afternoon or in the morning, tea is a constant in Moroccan daily life.
But it is not tea and that’s it: it is prepared with green tea, fresh mint leaves, and sugar. And to complete the ritual, it is served in small glasses and on high so that it can be aired. This is how the canons dictate it.
If you come to Kam Kam Dunes, you will be able to taste it in the traditional way, just like all the typical Moroccan dishes we prepare in our kitchen.
