The Top 12 Foods You Must Try in Morocco
Marked by its vibrant colors, rich seasonings, and unusual flavor combinations of sweet and savory, Moroccan cuisine is amongst the best in the world. No visit to Morocco is complete without experiencing Moroccan food.
Morocco’s culinary palette is remarkably influenced by multiple cultures, from Amazigh, Andalusian, Mediterranean, sub-Saharan to European (French and Spanish) cuisines.
Wondering what to eat when visiting Morocco? This article will take you on a gastronomic journey to explore some of the best foods to eat in Morocco.
Couscous
Couscous is the national dish of Morocco and is usually served on Fridays or special occasions. One of the most popular versions of this dish is “couscous with seven vegetables.”
To make couscous, semolina grains are steamed over vegetable or meat stew. The couscous grains are then topped with chicken, beef or lamb and a variety of vegetables in a magnificent heap.
Like many other Moroccan dishes, couscous is served in a big communal dish that Moroccan families gather around.
Tagine
Taking its name from the traditional clay or ceramic pot that it is cooked in, Tagine is a famous slow-cooked stew dish.
Various vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, zucchini, onions, olives, dried prunes are layered on top of any meat of choice in a conical fashion to cook.
The result is an aromatic pot of delicious tender meat, vegetables, and sauce. Tagines are typically eaten from the cooking pot using bread.
Chicken With Preserved Lemons and Olives
This is another classic and popular dish in Morocco served both on special occasions and during casual dinners.
Prepared in a traditional tagine, this dish consists of a delicious daghmira (onion sauce) topped with roasted chicken and garnished with preserved lemons and olives.
Lamb/ Beef with Prunes
No list of the best foods to eat in Morocco is complete without this classic Moroccan dish.
Sure, prunes might not sound like the most appetizing, but you will be surprised by how well the sweet and savory flavors in this dish go together.
The meat in this dish is cooked with saffron, ginger, and onions until tender and is then garnished with honey-glazed prunes and fried crunchy almonds.
Harira
Moroccan Harira is traditionally a Ramadan special but it is also enjoyed by Moroccans throughout the year as a starter dish.
This tomato-based soup comes in countless variations, but the classic version is typically prepared with lentils, chickpeas, and chaariya (broken noodles), and lamb or beef stock.
You can find this nutritious dish served in a traditional Moroccan bowl in every corner of Morocco.
Bastilla
One of the best foods to eat in Morocco if you are a fan of the sweet and salty flavor combination is Moroccan Bastilla
This Moroccan delicacy is traditionally a savory pigeon pie served at weddings and celebrations.
Today you can also find Bastilla made with chicken or seafood.
The meat is cooked with a variety of spices such as pepper, ginger, saffron, cinnamon and then wrapped up in warqa (a crispy pastry).
The Bastilla is then garnished with sugar icing, fried almonds scented with orange flower water to produce a fragrant pie of pure deliciousness.
Babouche (Snail Soup)
Babouche is a very famous street food in Morocco. You can find snail soup vendors all over Morocco, but this dish is mostly well-known in Jemaa El Fna in Marrakech.
What makes this soup special is not just the snails but the varied spices that go into its making including ginger, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, chili pepper, anise, sage, cumin..etc.
This hot and spicy Moroccan dish is typically served in a bowl and consumed using toothpicks to scoop up the snail from its shell. Moroccans also believe that Babouche is effective against fever and helps with digestion.
Zaalouk and Taktouka
Made with roasted eggplants, tomato, olive oil, garlic, and spices, Zaalouk is a delicious savory dip. Taktouka is another dip made with chopped sweet tomatoes and roasted bell peppers.
Both these flavorful dishes are often served as an entree with traditional Moroccan bread or as a side dish with tagine or other Moroccan meals.
Briouat
Briouat rolls are deep-fried pastries found in both triangle and cylindrical shapes. These bite-sized snacks are made in both sweet and savory variations.
Sweet Briouat are typically made with almond and honey and served as a dessert with Atay (mint tea).
The savory version of Briouat is made with either beef, chicken, seafood, or cheese fillings and served as appetizers.
Medfouna
Known as the “Berber stuffed Pizza,” Medfouna (Arabic for buried) takes its name from the way this dish is cooked; buried and backed in the sand of the Sahara.
Medfouna is a traditional Saharawis specialty made with meat, vegetables, and herbs, and spices stuffed in the dough.
Bissara
Bissara soup is a popular Moroccan dish especially in the blue city of Chefchaouen.
Made with dried fava beans, garlic, spices and topped with a drizzle of olive oil and cumin, this healthy soup is a winter breakfast favorite for many Moroccans.
Stuffed Msemen
Msemen is a famous street food in Morocco that you can find in most food stalls in the country.
Stuffed with onions, bell peppers, and lamb or beef fat, this square-shaped Moroccan flatbread is a treat for savory snack lovers.