Traditional Moroccan Food

If you're a foodie planning a visit to Morocco, then sample traditional Moroccan food with one of our Marrakech food tours. Influenced by culinary roots that can be dated back to the era of the Berber Empire.

The very best in North African food can be sampled while on a food tour in Marrakech. As well as other food and drink experiences, such as cooking classes or booking a table at an authentic restaurant.

Traditional Moroccan Food

Here are just 10 ingredients and dishes considered among the most traditional Moroccan food. All of which you may well find on our Marrakech food tours and cooking classes.

Couscous

This is a very traditional North African dish that derives from the Berber Empire. Although a common base for many healthy dishes around the world, in Morocco it's traditionally eaten on Fridays. Which means it may not be available at some restaurants on the other days.

The soft wheat is steamed in a traditional pot, before being rolled into balls, served with either meat or vegetables. Couscous balls are typically eaten by using your hands, shared among the family as a communal dish.

Bissara

This is a very popular bowl of thick, hearty and warming soup. Bissara is made using fava beans, along with cumin, and chilli.

This traditional Moroccan food is often eaten for breakfast as a wholesome start to the day.

Tagine

Named after the clay pot it's cooked in, this is another typical dish from Morocco. Whereby the tagine is filled with an array of different vegetables, meat, poultry, and seafood.

Alternative, more upmarket tagines contain lemon, herbs and spices, along with dried fruit to create more depth of flavour. Traditionally, tagine is then served with fresh chunks of bread to soak up the juices.

Harira

Another delicious Moroccan soup that is warm and filling. The main ingredients comprise of chickpeas, lentils and tomatoes. Other vegetables may include onion and celery. Each Chef or Cook will prepare the soup differently, so don’t be amazed if no two bowls are alike. Some Chefs will blend the ingredients, whereas others want the texture rougher so the chickpeas and lentils are on view.

Tangia

Tangia is a local favourite dish that comes from Marrakech. The dish takes its name from the rather urn type of pot it is cooked in. The pot is crammed full of meat, lemon, butter, garlic, and spices, before slow-cooking over the coals.

R’fissa

This is a very traditional Moroccan dish with strong Arabic roots. R’fissa is a rich stew containing lentils, chicken, fenugreek seeds, and mixed spices. The stew is then served on a bed of shredded crepes, creating a flavoursome dish with an unusual texture. Served within a large communal pot, R'fissa is recommended in the wintertime.

Moroccan Salad

A simple Moroccan salad that is brimming with flavours. It is made from - tomato, pepper and onion and seasoned with cumin and coriander, then drizzled with olive oil.

B'stilla

Today, the b'stilla served is actually a sweet and savoury chicken broth, however, traditionally it's made using pigeon. The chicken is cooked with spices into a broth and then shredded, while eggs are slowly cooked in the liquid. The meat is then layered and covered with dough to form a delicious pie.

Mechoui

A whole lamb that is usually made for weddings or important celebrations. The lamb that is slow-cooked over coals in the fire pit. It obviously has a smoky taste and is cooked until the meat is very tender. The melt-in-mouth lamb is seasoned with salt and cumin.

Sardines

With a coastline that travels along the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, it's no surprise that traditional Morrocan food includes a lot of seafood.

In fact, Morocco is one of the world’s largest suppliers of sardines and among the tastiest sardines that you'll likely to come across!

Food and Drink Experiences in Morocco

With food and drink experiences in Morocco becoming ever-popular, book in confidence with tabl. Where we have a growing number of food tours in Marrakech, as well as cooking classes and much more.