Discover the Best Culinary Delights in Morocco

Moroccan cuisine offers much more than the familiar couscous and tajines. The diverse culinary landscape features a variety of traditional foods, including savory cooked vegetable salads, slow-cooked meats, fresh fruits, and delectable pastries that are sure to please every palate.

While midrange restaurant menus may frequently feature the same old tajines, a broader array of options can be found in street food and creative fusion restaurants. Furthermore, some of the best culinary experiences arise from home-cooked meals within local guesthouses. Below are the top dishes worth savoring in Morocco.

Find Your Favorite Tajine

Arguably the most iconic Moroccan dish, tajine is a stew cooked in a distinctive conical earthenware pot that locks in moisture and flavors. Some common varieties include:

Chicken with preserved lemons and green olives
Lamb or beef with prunes
Kefta (spiced meatballs) with eggs in zesty tomato sauce

Bite into a Brochette from a Street Stall

Moroccan kebabs, often seasoned with salt and spices, are grilled to perfection on skewers and typically served with khobz (flatbread) and various sides like harissa, cumin, and salt. Popular types include:

Lamb
Chicken
Kefta
Mixed meat options including lamb and offal

Savor Morocco’s National Dish, Couscous

Couscous, known as seksu, is traditionally served on Fridays. The preparation involves grinding durum wheat into fine granules and rolling by hand, with an elaborate steaming process that can take up to five hours. It is often served with a medley of vegetables or a meat mixture, drizzled with flavorful broth.

Scoff Down Some Slow-Cooked Tanjia

This dish, originally dubbed the bachelor’s meal, consists of chunks of meat slow-cooked with onions, preserved lemon, garlic, and cumin in a terracotta pot. Today, it’s a culinary experience not to be missed when visiting Morocco.

Treat Yourself to Cornes de Gazelle

These crescent-shaped cookies, filled with almond paste and infused with orange-flower water, are a delightful treat found across Morocco, best enjoyed alongside a cup of mint tea.

Chow Down on Bastilla

A Fassi specialty, bastilla is a layered pie made with wafer-thin pastry, stuffed with pigeon or chicken, complemented by caramelized onions and sugared almonds, then dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar.

Don’t Miss Melt-in-the-Mouth Mechoui

This traditional dish typically includes a whole lamb, marinated with spices and roasted to tenderness. It’s ideal for group gatherings but can also be enjoyed in smaller portions at food stalls.

Slurp Up Some Budget-Friendly Bissara

This thick fava bean soup, often enjoyed for breakfast, is topped with olive oil, cumin, and accompanied by freshly baked khobz. It’s a filling and economical option popular across Morocco.

Enjoy a Refreshing Maghrebi Mint Tea

Known affectionately as Berber whiskey, this refreshing drink combines steeped green tea with fresh mint, and it’s often served to guests upon arrival, making it a staple in Moroccan hospitality.

Vegetarian and Vegan Options

In addition to traditional meat dishes, Morocco caters well to vegetarians and vegans. Offerings include:

Dried fruits and nuts
Pastries and pancakes
Fresh fruit and fresh juice

It’s recommended to seek out vegetable tajines or a seven-vegetable couscous when dining out.

Food Worth Trying

For the adventurous eater, Morocco offers unique dining experiences such as:

Snail Soup: A flavorful broth highlights the earthy taste of snails, reputed for its digestive benefits.
Camel Spleen: Often prepared as a sausage, this dish combines spices and camel meat.
Sheep’s Head: A traditional delicacy featuring charred head parts that are considered a delicacy in Moroccan culture.

A Year in Food

Morocco is a destination for slow food enthusiasts, with seasonal produce available throughout the year:

Spring: Avocados, oranges, and strawberries dominate the markets.
Summer: Enjoy fruits like watermelon and figs; don’t miss the Cherry Festival in Sefrou.
Autumn: Grapes and pomegranates flourish, with an impressive assortment of dates.
Winter: This season brings clementines, beetroots, and a range of winter vegetables.

Eating During Ramadan

During Ramadan, observant Moroccans fast throughout the day, leading to special mealtime customs. Evening meals, known as iftar, are celebrated with family and friends, and while dining options may be limited during the day, the evenings are vibrant with community meals.