Simple and Easy Moroccan Recipes

This easy tagine recipe is a popular family meal in Morocco. Use beef, lamb or goat meat. Carrots or other veggies can be added to the recipe.

This easy Moroccan recipe was taught to me by my mother-in-law, who served it as a family meal with Moroccan bread for scooping everything up. Olives and preserved lemons impart a unique, tangy flavor. If you like things spicy, add a little cayenne pepper to the Moroccan seasoning of ginger, turmeric and cinnamon.

I usually make this easy Moroccan recipe as my friend Souad taught me – in a heavy-bottomed pot with lots of sauce for scooping up with Moroccan bread. Directions are also included for preparation in a traditional tagine. Preserved lemon is optional.

Mechoui is traditionally prepared by roasting a whole lamb either on a spit over a fire or in a pit in the ground. The meat is eaten by hand with salt and cumin for dipping. This mechoui recipe calls for very slowly roasting a leg of lamb or shoulder in the oven until the meat is tender enough to pull off the bone.

Chorba al-Khadra bil Djej wa Roz is a tasty, satisfying soup made by simmering carrots, zucchini and onions with chicken, rice and Moroccan spices and herbs. Serve it as a starter or as a light supper.

Herbel is a sweetened porridge-like soup which is popular for breakfast, particularly on Eid. Wheat berries (wheat kernels) are cooked until tender in salted water and then simmered a second time with milk, butter and sugar. Mildly flavored but very satisfying, herbel may optionally be garnished with orange flower water, honey and additional butter.

Harcha (or harsha) is a Moroccan pan-fried bread made from semolina flour. Although it looks a bit like an English muffin, it's more like cornbread in texture and taste. Offer harcha for tea time or breakfast; they're best served warm with jam, cheese or syrup made from melted butter and honey.

This spicy vegetarian carrot and chickpea tagine is quite versatile.  Increase the cayenne pepper for a fiery quality, or add a bit more honey  and the optional raisins for a sweeter dish. Using half broth instead  of all water will add some depth.