Morocco is known around the world not only for its beauty but also for its quality and diversity of delicious dishes. Expect to see, smell and taste more spices your senses have ever experienced! The infinite flavor combinations will leave you wanting more.
We have tried many Moroccan dishes ourselves and have created a list of the top 11 foods you need to try during your next trip to Morocco:
1. Couscous
Commonly served with meat or vegetables, it is almost impossible to leave Morocco without trying this popular dish. Couscous is tiny balls of semolina and is traditionally cooked in a steamer over a large metal pot filled with stew until it softens. Berbers often prepare massive portions of couscous to serve to others. The couscous is often accompanied by raisins and a bowl of sweet buttermilk infused with orange flower. This dish is often saved for holidays and special occasions such as weddings, funerals and the conclusion of Ramadan. Lucky for travelers, it can also be found in almost any restaurant in Morocco year-round.
2. Bastilla
This savory and unique pie features layered sheets of thin dough. Many are surprised to find this dish filled with a mixture of meat, parsley, onions, spices, and egg. When making bastilla, the cooking process is finished off with a top layer of icing, sugar, cinnamon, and more onions. Traditionally Bastilla was saved for special occasions and was sometimes made with meat from young pigeons. Today, Bastilla is made a lot cheaper and with more common meats such as chicken, beef or fish.
3. Tagine
Tagine is a staple on every Morrocan menu ranging from food stalls to famous restaurants. It is named after the conical clay shaped pot the dish is cooked in. The tagine pot features two halves- one being the wide, circular base and the other being the cone lid that helps trap the steam and moisture back into the stew. This entire cooking process is very unique and requires very little water. The dish features a warm stew with a mix of tender meat, vegetables and blend of spices. Tagine is almost always served with a slice of bread on the side.
4. Mint Tea
Also known as Morocco’s national drink, mint tea has an ancient history in this country. Mint tea is often described as borderline addictive with its green tea base and the addition of many mint leaves and sugar. Serving tea is a form of art in itself with servers showing off their skills in how high they can pour the drink out of the pot.
5. Zaalouk
With eggplant and tomatoes as the dish’s main ingredients, zaalouk is a popular dish you will find all over Morocco. It often has a smoky flavor due to the mix of its other ingredients of olive oil, garlic, coriander, cumin, and paprika. Find it next to your order of kebabs or tagine as either a salad or a savory dip. Try spreading it on some traditional Moroccan flatbread for a delicious snack or meal.
6. Harira
During the holy month of Ramadan, it is common that each day fast is broken at sunset with a hot bowl of harira soup. These bowls are filled with rich ingredients of lamb, chickpeas, tomatoes, lentils, chopped coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice. The soup is served alongside a sticky sweet pretzel known as chebakkiya.
7. Fish Chermoula
Morocco’s long Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines account for many national fish dishes, one of them being fish chermoula. Chermoula is the combination of many spices and herbs that are used to marinade the fish and act as a dipping sauce. Best made with the freshest catch of the day, this seasoning is extra tasty.
8. Briouats
This dish is very versatile! Briouats can best be described as deep-fried sweet puff pastry triangles filled with almond paste for a dessert. They can also be served as appetizers and made to be savory with fillings of chicken, beef, cheese or vegetables.
9. Snail Soup
Yes, you read that right. You can find snail soup at stalls all over Morocco, but this dish is most well recognized in Jamaa El Fna, located in Marrakech. The method of consuming this dish includes using a toothpick to pluck the snails from their shells before sipping on the salty broth. Many describe the snails as chewy but with an earthy, meaty flavor similar to mushrooms. Many Moroccans believe that this dish is good for digestion and in cases of fever.
10. Dates
With Morocco offering over 100 varieties of dates, you are going to need to try at least once while visiting Morocco. Dates are another food that is commonly eaten to breakfast during Ramadan. You can buy a wide selection of them by the pound from stalls in the bustling market square for super cheap. Choose to eat them fresh right away or save them for a later time cooking. If just looking to try a small amount for the first time, try some dates in one of your tajine dishes.
11. Stuffed Msemen
In a rush? Stuffed msemen is flattened square-shaped dough kneaded together with a mixture of peppers, onions, and tomato. This dish is then grilled, rolled, and then ready to serve on-the-go. Look for the street food msemen vendors surrounding the medina in Marrakech. Msemen allows your shopping adventures to not have to stop!
Which dish is calling your name? Excited to try one or all 11? You can contemplate which one to try first on your flight to Morocco. Let ACanela do the planning for you as your inner foodie prepares to indulge all the tastes of Morocco!
Post written by: Kirsten Cusack, @kirqsak