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Home » Main Meals » Moroccan lamb tagine

Moroccan lamb tagine

Author: VJ Published : June 2023 Updated : July 2023 / 2 people have commented

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Moroccan lamb tagine served with spicy rice is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that’s perfect for any occasion. Fruity apricots add a sweet and tangy flavour, while the spicy rice gives it a nice kick. Cooking it in a tagine ensures that the lamb remains tender and succulent while allowing the aromatic spices to permeate through every mouthful.

A tagine filled with Moroccan lamb stew next to a bowl of spicy rice.

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Table Of Contents
  1. What is Moroccan lamb tagine?
  2. What is a tagine?
  3. What you will need
  4. What to do
  5. Moroccan lamb tagine FAQ
  6. Save for later
  7. Other recipes
  8. The recipe
  9. Moroccan lamb tagine

What is Moroccan lamb tagine?

At its simplest form, a lamb tagine is simply a lamb stew! But this isn’t just any old stew. This is my version of a Moroccan lamb stew that is absolutely packed with the flavours of North Africa.

For the vegetable component, I added fruity apricots, carrots and chickpeas and used lots of warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, cumin and paprika for plenty of flavour. I didn’t add any chilli because I wanted to be able to savour the warmth and aromas of the spices without any additional heat.

For the meat I used bone-in lamb chops, but you can use any cut of lamb for this Moroccan lamb tagine. The tougher cuts of lamb such as neck or shoulder are a good choice, as the long slow cooking time helps to tenderise the lamb.

To serve with the tagine, I made a dish of spicy Moroccan rice and carried similar flavours from the lamb through into the rice.

To ensure the lamb remained moist and succulent I cooked this Moroccan lamb stew in a tagine.

What is a tagine?

A tagine refers both to the cooking method (slow-cooked stew) and the cooking vessel.

The cooking vessel itself is a cooking pot with a conical-shaped lid. Tagines were originally made of clay, either glazed or unglazed, but nowadays you can get tagines made from both ceramic and even cast iron.

Overhead shot of a tagine with a red-domed lid.

The shape of the lid traps the steam during the cooking process. The steam then condenses and drips back down into the food ensuring that the food remains both moist and succulent.

The base of the tagine is normally used as the serving bowl for whatever it is that you have cooked in it.

If you don’t have a tagine you can get a similar result by using a heavy cast iron dutch oven or even a casserole dish with a tightly fitting lid.

What you will need

Equipment

You can use a tagine, or a casserole dish with a tightly fitting lid. You will also need a large frying pan for browning the meat and vegetables before adding them to the tagine.

Ingredients

This recipe will feed 4 people.

**You can get the complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making this Moroccan lamb tagine on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**

Ingredients for a Moroccan lamb tagine.
These are the ingredients you will need for making Moroccan lamb tagine:

As with all stews, you can mix and match ingredients to suit your own taste, and you don’t have to be too precise with measurements. This is what I used. I would be inclined to stick with my choice of spices though because that’s what gives this stew the flavour.

Lamb chops – I used lamb chops but you could use any cut of lamb you choose. 2 to 3 lamb chops will be sufficient for one person (depending on the size of the chops). If you decide to use boneless lamb (eg cubed shoulder) then you should allow 150 grams (or 5 ounces) per person.

Tomato and onion – because what is a stew without tomato and onion? They should both be cut into approximately half-inch pieces.

Carrots – add a touch of sweetness. They should also be cut into half-inch pieces.

Chickpeas – great for adding extra protein and also full of fibre, making this stew not only tasty but good for you too!

Apricots – I bought a bag of soft, dried apricots from either Lidl or Aldi (can’t remember which) and cut them into smallish pieces. They add a lovely sweet fruitiness to the stew. If you can’t find apricots you could use sultanas instead – or if you like a lot of fruit you could use both!

Garlic – I used the equivalent of 3 cloves of chopped garlic from a jar.

Stock – I used a vegetable stock pot dissolved in a cup of boiling water. You could use lamb (if you can find it) or chicken. I think beef would be too strong – but that’s just my opinion.

Lemon juice (mistakenly labelled in the image as oil 🙂 ) – the tartness adds an additional depth of flavour. If you don’t have any you can leave it out or use a splash of vinegar, or even stir in a tablespoon of natural yoghurt.

Flaked almonds – these were sprinkled on top of each plate when I served the stew. If you don’t have any or are allergic to nuts, just leave them out.

Olive Oil – for browning the chops and frying the onions.

Spices – this is the mix of spices I used:

  • Ginger powder
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Ground cumin
  • Ground paprika
  • Ground turmeric
  • Salt – to your own taste.

What to do

A plate of lamb chops coated with spices.

Combine the salt and spices in a bowl and use them to coat the lamb chops. Reserve any remaining spices to add to the tagine.

Spice coated lamb chops in a frying pan.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and brown the chops for 2 minutes per side until they are nicely seared.

Browned lamb chops arranged in the base of a tagine.

Transfer the browned chops to the base of the tagine.

Onions and garlic softening in a frying pan.

Using the same frying pan brown the onions and garlic for 3 minutes until the onions start to turn translucent (you may need an additional splash of oil).

Vegetables and stock added to the lamb chops in the base of a tagine.

Add the onions to the lamb chops in the tagine along with the rest of the ingredients (and any remaining spices).

Moroccan lamb tagine after being cooked for 1.5 hours.

Cover the tagine with the lid and place it into the oven (180C / 360F) for one and a half hours.

Garnish with flaked almonds and serve hot with spicy Moroccan rice.

If you are cooking cubed lamb shoulder (without the bone) or lamb neck (which is quite a tough cut of lamb) you may want to leave the tagine in the oven for another half an hour.

You should find that the gravy in the tagine has thickened sufficiently. However, if you feel that the gravy needs thickening, make a slurry with one tablespoon of cornflour and 2 tablespoons of water, stir it into the tagine and place it (uncovered) back in the oven for 5 minutes.

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Moroccan lamb tagine FAQ

What can I serve with Moroccan lamb tagine?

I served it with spicy rice, but you can serve it with couscous if you prefer. You may also like to add flatbread or a fresh green side salad sprinkled with pomegranate seeds.

How long does it take to cook?

The answer to this one is ‘it depends on what cut of meat you are using’. I used lamb rib chops and it took one and a half hours. If you are using a tougher cut of meat such as neck or shoulder (or even shanks) it will probably take closer to 2 hours.

Can I freeze leftovers?

If you have any leftover lamb tagine you can freeze it (once it has cooled down). Pack it into suitable freezer-safe containers and freeze it for up to 3 months. Defrost it in the refrigerator and reheat it in a saucepan on the stove.

How long can I store it in the refrigerator?

This Moroccan lamb tagine can be safely stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Some people say the flavour actually improved on standing overnight! Reheat it in a saucepan on the stove.

A white plate of Moroccan rice topped with lamb tagine.

Save for later

If you would like to make this Moroccan lamb tagine yourself, why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click on the image below.

Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.

Other recipes

If you enjoyed this Moroccan lamb tagine, you may also enjoy some of my other Moroccan-themed recipes too:

  • Moroccan lamb meatballs with homemade tomato sauce – succulent lamb meatballs served in a tangy homemade tomato sauce.
  • Moroccan chicken in pita – tender chicken pieces with roasted vegetables in a zesty yoghurt sauce, wrapped in fluffy pita bread.
  • Lamb keema – a tasty lamb mince curry topped with a baked egg.
  • Lamb pide – a soft and chewy bread dough stuffed with a filling of lamb, onions, tomatoes, red pepper and spices.

The recipe

A tagine filled with Moroccan lamb stew next to a bowl of spicy rice.

Moroccan lamb tagine

Moroccan lamb tagine served with spicy rice is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that’s perfect for any occasion. Fruity apricots add a sweet and tangy flavour, while the spicy rice gives it a nice kick. Cooking it in a tagine ensures that the lamb remains tender and succulent while allowing the aromatic spices to permeate through every mouthful.
Recipe by: Veronica
Main Course
Moroccan-inspired
Calories 574
Prep 20 minutes minutes
Cook 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
Total Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 people
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5 from 1 vote

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Equipment

  • Tagine
  • Frying Pan
  • Sharp Knife
  • Chopping Board

Ingredients

  • 1½ pounds / 700 grams lamb chops
  • 1 large tomato diced
  • 1 large red onion peeled and diced
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
  • 10 ounces / 400 gram can chickpeas drained
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 ounces / 60 grams soft dried apricots diced
  • 1 cup / 240 ml stock vegetable or chicken
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons flaked almonds for garnish
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil for browning the meat
  • Salt to taste

Spices

  • 1 teaspoon ginger powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground paprika
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric

Instructions

  • Combine the salt and spices and use them to coat the lamb chops. Reserve any remaining spices to add into the tagine.
    Salt to taste, 1 teaspoon ginger powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground paprika, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1½ pounds / 700 grams lamb chops
  • Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and brown the chops for 2 minutes per side until they are nicely seared.
    1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Transfer the browned chops into the base of the tagine.
  • Using the same frying pan brown the onions and garlic for 3 minutes until the onions start to turn translucent (you may need an additional splash of oil).
    1 large red onion, 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • Add the onions to the lamb chops in the tagine along with the rest of the ingredients (and any remaining spices).
    1 large tomato, 2 medium carrots, 10 ounces / 400 gram can chickpeas, 2 ounces / 60 grams soft dried apricots, 1 cup / 240 ml stock, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Cover the tagine with the lid and place it into the oven (180C / 360F) for one and a half hours.
  • Remove the tagine from the oven and garnish with flaked almonds. Serve hot with spicy Moroccan rice or couscous.
    1 – 2 tablespoons flaked almonds

Notes

You should find that the gravy in the tagine has thickened sufficiently. However, if you feel that the gravy needs thickening, make a slurry with one tablespoon of cornflour and 2 tablespoons of water, stir it into the tagine and place it (uncovered) back in the oven for 5 minutes.
If you decide to make this dish with lamb neck or cubed lamb shoulder, you should allow an extra 30 minutes of cooking time.
Nutrition does not include rice or extras that may be served with the tagine.

Nutrition

Calories – 574kcal | Carbohydrates – 35.6g | Protein – 57.6g | Fat – 21.8g | Saturated Fat – 5.6g | Cholesterol – 158mg | Sodium – 654mg | Potassium – 1125mg | Fiber – 8.1g | Sugar – 6.3g | Calcium – 105mg | Iron – 7mg

I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.

Unless otherwise stated, a cup is the standard US cup containing 240 ml. In all my recipes this cup is assumed to hold 140g of flour. For help converting other ingredients between cups, grams, ounces and other measures, see my recipe conversion calculator.
All my recipes are developed and tested at sea-level. For tips on adjusting recipes for high altitudes see my post on baking at high altitudes.
Tried this recipe?If you made this recipe I’d love it if you could leave me a comment and let me know how it went!
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Filed Under: All Recipes, Main Meals

About VJ

In my previous life, I was an IT Consultant. Now that I've swapped an office for a kitchen I have a lot more time to spend on things that interest me such as trying out new recipes. Most of my cooking is based around quick and easy meals, and you'll probably find a little South African influence creeping in due to the many years I spent there.

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Comments

  1. Bessie

    2 July 2023 at 10:40 pm

    Hi VJ,
    I love your recipes, can the Moroccan lamb tagine. Be done in the instant pot or slow cooker, if so, please can you forward the recipe, to me.
    Regards Bessie

    Reply
    • VJ

      3 July 2023 at 7:08 am

      Hi Bessie, So pleased you like my recipes. I normally add instructions to all my recipes for the different methods of cooking. I didn’t do it this time because the recipe is specifically cooked in a tagine, and so far, that is the only way I have cooked it. However, that said, there is no reason why you couldn’t cook it both in the instant pot and the slow-cooker.
      You will have to consult your manufacturer’s instructions for the exact cooking times for the instant pot, but if you follow the instructions for browning the meat and onions, and then add those to your instant pot along with the remaining ingredients it would work well. I would be inclined to cook lamb chops for about 15 minutes (I have a Ninja pressure cooker) and if they are not soft enough after that time, cook again for another 5 minutes.
      For the slow-cooker you can once again follow the instructions for browning the meat and onions and then cook everything in the slow cooker for about 5 hours on low, and 3 to 4 hours on high. The exact timing will depend on your choice of lamb cut – chops will cook faster than shoulder or neck.
      Hope this helps.
      VJ x

      Reply

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In my previous life, I was an IT Consultant. Now that I've swapped an office for a kitchen I have a lot more time to spend on things that interest me such as trying out new recipes. Most of my cooking is based around quick and easy meals, and you'll probably find a little South African influence creeping in due to the many years I spent there.

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