She Strengthens

Savor the Flavors of Morocco with This Vegetarian Tagine Recipe

Tagine, a traditional Moroccan dish, is more than just a cooking vessel – it’s a culinary experience. This vegetarian version is a flavorful and filling delight, packed with an assortment of vegetables, chickpeas, and aromatic spices.

What You’ll Need

For a quick and easy solution, substitute high-quality canned chickpeas for the cooked chickpeas. Preserved lemons, a staple in Moroccan cuisine, add a tangy twist to the dish. Find them in gourmet grocery stores or make your own.

The Recipe

Yield: 6-8 servings
Difficulty: Easy
Total Time: 35 minutes
Active Time: 15 minutes

Tagine Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin seed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 3 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled, medium dice
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 quart (4 cups) vegetable broth
• Pinch saffron threads
• 1 medium head cauliflower, large dice
• 1 1/4 cup green olives, such as picholine, pitted and halved
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
• 1 preserved lemon, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dried currants

To Serve:

• 3 cups dry couscous
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 cup whole almonds, toasted
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions
• 1/2 cup plain Greek-style or whole-milk yogurt

Cooking the Tagine:

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in cumin and cinnamon stick, and toast until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add ginger and garlic, and cook until just softened, about 1 minute more.

Add carrots, season with salt and pepper, and cook until slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and their juice, vegetable broth, and saffron, and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook, covered, until vegetables are almost completely cooked, about 7 minutes.

Add cauliflower, olives, chickpeas, preserved lemon, and currants, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is just tender, about 10 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Serving Suggestions:

Place couscous in a large bowl or baking dish. Bring water to a boil, then pour over couscous, and let stand until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and stir briefly to combine. Serve tagine over couscous, topped with almonds and scallions. Pass yogurt on the side.