Top 10 dishes not to be missed in Morocco

Are you visiting the land of the “distant sunset” and looking for new flavours? You’ve come to the right place, as Moroccan cuisine is ranked the 2nd best in the world. Here’s a short list of the must-try dishes you won’t want to miss! Are you ready to discover new flavours while you salivate?

The best dishes in Morocco!

1. Harira

As soon as you get off the plane, stop off at a restaurant and order a Harira, a traditional Moroccan soup. Usually eaten after breaking the fast during the month of Ramadan, it’s a highly nutritious and filling dish. You’ll find tomatoes, meat, vegetables and onions, but if you like, you can add hard-boiled eggs.

2. Tajine

Yes, a great classic of Moroccan cuisine! The name comes from the uniquely shaped container in which it is served. You can try it in a thousand and one versions, so rich and varied is the way it is prepared, but many people like to enjoy it with vegetables, lamb and fish… Not forgetting the bewitching spices! The condiments used include coriander, cumin, cloves, turmeric, paprika… This delicious blend of traditional spices is what makes this dish so original.

3. Zlabia

If you’re wandering around Moroccan streets, it’s highly likely that you’ll come across this eye-catching confection. This bewitching translucent orange colour, similar to a sunset, is sweet and crunchy. It is one of the sweets of the month of Ramadan, and in just a few years has become one of the must-try dishes.

4. Mrouzia

This is one of the oldest dishes in Moroccan cuisine. Often served on ceremonial days, it is also found during the sheep festival. What makes it so original? It’s a perfect combination of sweet and savoury, with hints of honey, almonds and spices. Usually served with semolina or couscous, Mrouzia is also eaten with lamb and vegetables. It’s sure to delight your taste buds and satisfy your palate.

5. Chebakia

We’re back with a bit of sweetness, as it’s time to tell you about Chebakia! Sink your teeth into this crunchy yet melt-in-your-mouth pastry and you’ll plunge into an explosion of fragrant flavours. With its distinctive rosette shape, the confection means “little window”, and refers to the Moroccan windows, which have a similar shape. Made from sesame seeds, cinnamon, orange blossom and aniseed, it is fried and coated in a layer of honey.

6. Mint tea

Called “Atay” in Arabic, green tea is known the world over as a bewitching beverage. This simple, refined drink is served at the end of meals and can be enjoyed with a hint of orange blossom or cinnamon. It also goes very well with the confectionery mentioned above!

7. Baghir

In France, we have crêpes, and in Morocco there are “crêpes with a thousand holes”, more commonly known as “Baghir”. Originating in North Africa, they have the particularity of being cooked on one side only, hence the small holes that form during cooking. Made from semolina, flour and yeast, they are the perfect breakfast or snack dish. Soft, light and melt-in-your-mouth, you’ll feel like you’re eating a pancake… but with an oriental aftertaste!

8. Zaalouk

Do you like grilled aubergines? Then you’ll be delighted with a zaalouk, because that’s the main ingredient in this dish. Add tomatoes, peppers, olive oil, spices and aromatic herbs, and you’ve got a Moroccan aubergine caviar! Rich in fibre, the salad is usually eaten with a few slices of bread.

9. Rfissa

This recipe originated in the Casablanca region. This unique dish, made from pancakes, thin sheets of yellow bread and chicken meat, is eaten hot and delicious. With a spicy sauce made from chickpeas, turmeric, saffron and lentils, it is a particularly nutritious dish, regularly served to mothers who have just given birth, to give them strength.

10. Tanjia

Head to Marrakech for the best tanjia of your life! A dish generally prepared by men using veal marinated in a cocktail of spices such as turmeric, garlic, cumin, etc. It is prepared in an earthenware pot known as a “tangia”. What makes it special? It is left for almost 4 hours on the embers of a wood-fired oven in a typical Moroccan hammam. Suffice to say that when the time finally comes to taste it, you’ll have the munchies!

Have you been convinced by this quick culinary diversions around Morocco? Now you’re ready for a journey full of flavour! Some of the specialities vary depending on where you decide to set down your suitcase, but there’s no doubt that this is one of the most fragrant and memorable cuisines in the world.