Moroccan cuisine is, deservedly, renowned worldwide. It offers a wide variety of dishes typical of Oriental cuisine, in a subtle blend of spices, honey, and dried fruits. With roots in Roman heritage and Mediterranean culture, Moroccan cuisine primarily relies on olive oil, fruits, vegetables, and grains. A true alchemy of a thousand and one flavors, many variations exist for the same recipe depending on the region… During your journey through Morocco, you can delight in all kinds of refined pastries, skewers and grills, salads, soups and stews, and even snails!
Traditional Dishes of Moroccan Cuisine
Tagine
The tagine refers both to the earthenware pot used for this dish and the slow-cooked stew prepared in it. It is often based on fish along the Moroccan coast and chicken and lamb in the inland regions. Numerous variations exist depending on the region: preserved lemons, ginger and cinnamon, prunes, almonds, and honey, etc. If you get the chance, particularly try the tanjia marrakchia: a true delight…
Moroccan Couscous
Moroccan couscous traditionally consists of zucchini, tomatoes, turnips, and chickpeas. Accompanied by wheat semolina, it generally features lamb, beef, or chicken. The recipes vary in spiciness depending on the region. In the Rif, couscous is rich in prunes and carrots, made with fish and coriander along the Atlantic coast, while in Marrakech, it is served with fava beans and turnips. Traveling through the Atlas valleys, you will likely taste couscous with belboula, made with barley semolina.
Atlantic Coast Seafood
The Moroccan Atlantic coast is highly renowned for its fish and seafood. Besides the very popular sardines, the fishing ports supply a large quantity of sea bream, sea bass, red sea bream, and hake daily. These are generally marinated, such as with chermoula (olive oil, coriander, cumin, garlic, and chili), but can also be enjoyed grilled. After tasting oysters and sea urchins, do not miss the sardine keftas; they are excellent and absolutely unique.
