Our 28 best Moroccan recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is Morocco's most famous dish? ›

One of the foremost popular Moroccan dishes is couscous. Traditionally, it's made from wheat pasta, which is rolled and sliced by hand. It's steamed with stewed meat and seasonal vegetables. While serving, the couscous is covered by meat, then vegetables are placed on top or on the edges of the pyramid.

Couscous is considered Morocco's national dish

Steamed above a pot of boiling vegetables, the dish is fluffed by hand for an hour or more to make sure the end result is up to scratch. Served with aubergines, onion and any other vegetable that takes your fancy, it not only tastes great but is super healthy too.

Morocco, 2nd best gastronomic destination in the world in 2020 | Moroccan National Tourist Office.

Tagine: The Quintessential Moroccan Dish

A chicken tagine with olives and preserved lemon. A trip to Morocco would be incomplete without indulging in the country's most famous dish, the tagine.

Traditional Moroccan breakfast is a fried egg served in olive oil with a wedge of cream cheese and a couple of olives. Then 'jiben' – a little softer and more sour goats milk cheese – that's eaten on its own. Followed by sweet mint tea. The Moroccan way of eating is with your hands.

Jben is a traditional Moroccan goat cheese made from pure goat milk or cow-goat milk. It is considered a healthy cheese and often served at Moroccan breakfast tables because it is both easy to digest and can be paired with various types of Moroccan bread.

Zaalouk. As you travel to Morocco, an important meal you don't want to miss is the Zaalouk. The Zaalouk is an indigenous Moroccan salad that is made with eggplant, garlic, tomatoes, and spices. Commonly prepared as a side dish, the Zaalouk is usually served as a dip with crusty bread.

The Moroccan diet is heavily grain-based, focusing on the wheat found in couscous, breads, and pastries. The main protein sources are lentils, chickpeas, and fava beans. Moroccans also frequently eat beef and veal, as well as poultry in the form of chicken and pigeon, and fish in coastal regions.

Greetings. Greetings in Moroccan culture are more formal, yet very warm and welcoming. Moroccans will say “salaam alykum” (hello) to everyone, even in large gatherings and they'll ask about your health and the wellbeing of your family and children.

What is the most popular dessert in Morocco? ›

Baklava. Baklava is a popular dessert all over North Africa and is also known in Greece and parts of the Middle East. It's made with layers of phyllo pastry that are baked and then soaked with syrup and topped or filled with nuts.

Some must-try Moroccan foods include tagine, couscous, bastilla, mechoui, and zaalouk. These dishes offer a taste of Morocco's diverse culinary heritage and are widely enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.

Couscous

In general, couscous is served with mixed veggies and chicken (or lamb) and placed in the middle of the table for everyone to take with bread or to mix with their other dishes. It's got all the Moroccan staples like cinnamon, saffron and ginger.

The Moroccan family diet is punctuated by four daily shared mealtimes: breakfast (ftour) (in addition to the morning snack that children take to eat at school), lunch (ghda), afternoon snack at home (cascrot, lgoté: a snack eaten by children after school) and dinner (3cha).

With so many nations and peoples contributing to Morocco's culinary palette, it comes as no surprise that the country is renowned for its diverse menu. Many of Morocco's dishes are known to offer a burst of contrasting flavours and textures, most notably sweet and crunchy.

Morocco allows the consumption of alcohol. Alcohol must be purchased and consumed in licensed hotels, bars, and tourist areas. You can also buy alcohol in most major supermarkets.