Don’t be daunted by Moroccan cuisine. There’s a sumptuous variety of flavours to seek out, each infused with myriad spices, carefully chosen, and built on a culinary heritage going back gernerations. It’s also one of those classic melting pots, where Moorish meets Amazigh flavours from the mountains, and where colonialisation still leaves a legacy on the food people eat to this day. Here’s a run down of the must-try dishes so you can order like a local.
Couscous
It’s an obvious choice, but you can’t really escape couscous when in Morocco. It’s the ultimate staple, and it’s safe to say you’ve never had it quite like this. Soft, pillowy, and aromatic, authentic couscous is nothing like what you might nab from the supermarket. Tuck into lashings of the stuff across the country.
Tagine
Another classic, tagines are synonymous with Moroccan cooking. The peculiarly-shaped clay pot can be spied in fancy restaurants and streetside cafes alike, slow-cooking a myriad of spiced stews. With a variety of spices infusing each dish, it’s the stalwart bite for authentic Moroccan flavours.
B’stilla
B’stilla is a unique dish. It has a curious sweet savoury mix, with layers of thin pastry, almonds, eggs, saffron, cinnamon and icing sugar. The filling is typically pigeon meat. It may sound a tad adventurous but have faith that it is worth trying. It has its home in Fez, so head for the Medina to savour this unique pie.
Harira
Usually eaten around Ramadan, this rich lentil and lamb soup is the go-to for breaking the day’s fast. Usually served with a sticky sweet pretzel called chebakkiya, you’ll find it across the country in cafes and small eateries.
Mechoui
Mechoui is a classic sharing and feasting dish, usually brought out at special occasions. Traditionally, a large cut of lamb is slow-roasted over a fire pit, until it’s fall-off-the-bone tender. Eating it is a satisfyingly simple affair – most go in with their hands, dipping the meat into a cumin and salt dip. You’ll find it in most restaurants, but be prepared to share!
Kefta Tagine
This popular take on tagine uses minced meatballs cooked in a rich tomato-based sauce. It’s often found in the street food markets of Casablanca, Marrakech and beyond, a perfect midday bite infused with the spices and flavours of North Africa.
Zaalouk
This classic side dish is the perfect accompaniment to the rich meats and fresh fish you can enjoy across the country. Typically, for a true North African feast, the table will be filled with vegetable dishes like this one, to be slathered on bread before the main dish arrives. Zaalouk is similar to baba ganoush, an aubergine puree that is as moreish as they come.
Msemen
The classic Moroccan bread, Msemen is a square-shaped flatbread that is served with pretty much everything. Nothing quite beats nabbing a table at a bustling souk cafe in the morning, for a tea and slice of Msemen with honey and jam.
Maakouda
It’s hard to think of a country that doesn’t have a take on fried potato, so here’s Maakouda. A popular street-food snack typically dipped in a spiced harissa sauce, Maakouda is found pretty much everywhere; though nowhere does it better than Meknes, where the potato balls are stuffed into sandwiches and slung alongside other dishes.
Mint Tea (Atayef B’Nana)
It doesn’t get any more ubiquitous than mint tea – not just in Morocco, but across North Africa and beyond. Mint tea is drunk anywhere and everywhere, at any time, in vast quantities. It is at the heart of Moroccan social life and culture, fueling reunions, friendships, fiery debates, and moments of personal respite. It’s served hot and unforgivingly sweet.
