Moroccan Food

No, a Moroccan Kefta Tagine is not just another meatball dish. The eggs on top are the giveaway that something special, yet homey, is going on here.

Kefta Mkaouara combines meatballs made from seasoned ground meat or lamb with a spicy tomato sauce you make from scratch. You can use a tagine to prepare the Kefta Mkaouara Recipe as I did for the photo, but the dish cooks up beautifully in a skillet as well.

The key to this popular Moroccan dish is in the sauce. Resist the urge to take shortcuts with tomato paste or jarred sauce - aside from a little bit of grating and chopping, a delicious tomato sauce is surprisingly easy to make from scratch. How to Make Moroccan Meatball Tagine shows the classic preparation with fresh tomatoes, herbs and Moroccan spices.

And don't be afraid to try those eggs on top. They're optional, but they go perfectly with the zesty flavors of the meatball tagine.

Photo © Christine Benlafquih

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Ground beef (or lamb) is called kefta, and it can appear on Moroccan tables in a variety of ways. To get ideas, look through the Moroccan Kefta Recipes I've posted on the site. I honestly can't single out a favorite from the list, but when I want an easy supper to prep in advance, I might make Moroccan Meatballs with Saffron Rice, shown in the photo. If you look closely at the picture, you can see that rice is mixed right into the kefta balls!

Photo © Christine Benlafquih

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Usually served as a starter course for special occasions or when entertaining, this beautiful Moroccan Salad Medley features a variety of delicious and colorful Moroccan salads. As it can be a bit time-consuming to prepare, plan to make the salads the day before or well in advance of serving time.

You can arrange individual serving plates, but the salads are traditionally presented in an alternating pattern on a very large platter, with guests eating from their own side of the plate. Olives and hard-boiled eggs can be added as garnishes.

Photo © Christine Benlafquih

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Khlii, a type of preserved meat, is a surprisingly delicious addition to the popular pan-fried dough known as rghaif. In the photo, minced khlii has been folded into coil-shaped meloui. My Meloui with Khlii Recipe explains how to do it. Serve this classic, tasty treat hot from the pan for either breakfast or tea time.

In Morocco, we're fortunate to have easy access to grocery stores and vendors which sell khlii. If you're n the US, you can buy the preserved meat from MoroccanKhlii.com. Otherwise, try making your own with this easy Express Khlii Recipe.

Photo © Christine Benlafquih

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This tangy, flavorful dish was my introduction to carrots stewed Moroccan style with beef or lamb. Easy to prepare, it can be made in a pressure cooker, conventional pot or traditional tagine. Cinnamon and ginger are the dominant seasoning, but I add cayenne pepper and serve harissa on the side for a spicy kick.

Follow the recipe for Beef or Lamb Tagine with Carrots as is, or you might add some celery with the carrots or throw in some quartered potatoes towards the end of cooking. Serve with Moroccan bread and some traditional Moroccan sides such as Bessara, Beet Salad with Vinaigrette or Taktouka.

Photo © Christine Benlafquih

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These fritter-like Moroccan doughnuts are called sfenj, and unlike sweeter Beignets, they don't have any sugar, butter or milk in the dough. Flour, salt, yeast, and water are mixed together to make a very sticky dough that's almost like a batter. The dough needs a long time to rise - about three to four hours - and then sections of dough are deep fried.

Although the Sfenj Recipe is easy to make, many families buy sfenj from vendors who quickly and deftly shape the dough into rings, drop them into hot oil, and use skewers to remove them when golden brown.

We like sfenj plain, but they're also good dipped in sugar. They should be served warm and go perfectly with Moroccan Mint Tea.

Photo © Christine Benlafquih

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Ginger and saffron are key spices in Moroccan cooking, and here they're used to lend classic seasoning in this very easy Cauliflower and Cheese Soup Recipe. I suggest using fromage rouge, a popular, all-purpose cheese in Morocco, but you substitute another variety if you prefer. Offer the soup as a starter or serve it alongside sandwiches for a light supper.

Photo © Christine Benlafquih

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You might be inclined to serve cauliflower as a side dish, but this Moroccan tagine gives cauliflower a more prominent role by pairing it with meat. Tagine of Lamb and Cauliflower is easy to make and sports a mildly spicy and tangy sauce with preserved lemons. Feel free to use beef in place of the lamb. In some regions of Morocco, goat meat might be used as well.

Although the photo shows the dish served in a tagine, I made it in a pressure cooker. A Dutch oven or large pot will work just as well.

For sides, consider offering Tomato and Roasted Pepper Salad and Carrot and Orange Salad.

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The Moroccan spice blend of Ras el Hanout adds exotic, aromatic seasoning to this easy Kefta and Cheese Panini Sandwich Recipe. Less work than other Moroccan kefta recipes - there's no need to shape the meat before cooking it - the sandwich has become a family favorite for tea time, evening meals and school lunches. Consider prepping the sandwiches ahead of time for later pressing in a panini machine - a good idea if you'll be making a large quantity at one time as I do.

The photo shows the sandwich wrapped in a very flat pita round, but it's equally delicious when stuffed and pressed in Moroccan khobz, Moroccan batbout, or other bread of your choice.

Photo © Christine Benlafquih

Years ago, fennel was one of those mysterious vegetables that I read about, but never cooked. After my mother-in-law prepared them for me the first time in a tagine, I was hooked.

In Morocco, fennel is called bisbas (also spelled besbas). The bulbs have a mild anise flavor that is more prominent when raw, but rather subtle when cooked. This Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Peas and Fennel Recipe is a great way to try fennel if you're not familiar with it. The fragrant nuance of the fennel enhances the ginger and saffron seasoning without overwhelming it.

For the photo above, I prepared the recipe in a pressure cooker, but served the dish in the base of a Moroccan tagine. Like most tagines, it's best eaten with authentic Moroccan Bread for scooping up the meat and vegetables.

Photo © Christine Benlafquih