Top 12 Foods to Try in Morocco

Morocco is a glamorous country with strong traditions and exotic culture. The local cuisine is a mixture of Berber, Jewish, Arab, and French food creating a gastronomical and spicy treat for foodies. No trip to Morocco is complete without enjoying all the local food and our top 12 picks listed below are the dishes you won't want to miss.

Tagine

What is it: Tagine is the name used for the myriad of dishes cooked in a conical lid clay pot. People normally eat the dish directly from the pot with pieces Moroccan bread called khubz as the utensil of choice.

What to expect:

Basically everything can be cooked in tagine: beef, lamb, chicken, vegetables, etc. You'll find the flavor varies from place to place as every chef has their own way of cooking tagine. The dish needs to be cooked slowly in a circular oven so the kitchen keeps the oven running all day because customers may come at  anytime.

Couscous

What is it: Couscous is a special dish cooked most for Friday (a Muslim holy day) dinner after prayers in Moroccan families. It's also a dish used for celebrating special occasions.

What to expect:

Couscous is not usually a quick dish as it takes time to cook the stew that goes on top. As a popular dish, it can be found in many restaurants and cafes. First, the steamed couscous is laid out on a big bowl or plate and then the stew is ladled over it.

One of the more popular ways this dish is served is couscous with seven veggies. However, if you love your meat, it comes in lamb, beef, and chicken stew with different veggies all mixed in as well.

Bastilla

What is it: Bastilla is a Moroccan dove or chicken pot pie that represents Fassi cuisine exquisitely.

What to expect:

Traditionally dove is the filling used for this pie, but chicken is more common these days. Nonetheless, they both work well for this savory delight. The flavor profile is a mixture of sweet and salty.

The meat is mixed with almonds and eggs, flavored with saffron, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, and fresh coriander. The meat mixture is then layered into crispy pastry. The whole pie is then dusted with icing and cinnamon.

The spicy version with a seafood filling is another good option if you are not fond of sweet meats.

Harira

What is it: Moroccan lentil soup. Normally served as a starter or for breaking fast at sunset during Ramadan.

What to expect:

This unique Moroccan soup is loved across the country. There are variations of making the soup in different regions, but generally tomatoes, lentils, and chickpeas make up the ingredient list. That is served beside lamb or beef braised to savory perfection and the finishing touch is a sprinkle of chopped coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Chebakkiya (a kind of sticky sweet pretzel), rice, or chaariya (broken vermicelli) are usually served with harira.

Lamb or Beef with Prunes

What is it: A delicious combination of savory and sweet as nature intended it.

What to expect:

Prunes are not a common ingredient used for cooking meat dishes, but you won't be disappointed after feasting on this sweet and savory combo. The lamb or beef is cooked with saffron, ginger, and onions until it turns into a buttery, tender, melt in your mouth dish.  This deliciousness is then topped with what some would call dessert: a prune compote simmered down with cinnamon and honey finished with fried almonds to garnish the masterpiece. If that doesn't make you hungry, I don't know what will.

Chicken with Preserved Lemon and Olives

What is it: It is what the name suggests it is. Lemon chicken with olives. This dish can be found in restaurants, homes, and even street stalls. It can be dressed up fancy or dressed down for a dine as you go treat.

What to expect:

Surrounding the roasted chicken is a roasted onion puree blended with saffron and a dash of ginger. Finishing the dish, preserved lemons and olives are used to brighten the flavors.

Olives and olive oil are very popular in Moroccan cuisine as Morocco is the 5th largest exporter of olive oil. You'll likely find spiced olives available in every restaurant.

Briouates

What is it: A golden sweet or savory puff pastry appetizer normally served in a triangle shape.

What to expect:

Briouats are stuffed with chicken, beef, cheese, veggies and are wrapped in warqa (filo dough) and fried to perfection. Let's be honest, does anything taste better than fried food? Sometimes it is filled with sweets and served as dessert.

Moroccan Dips

What is it: A cold salad similar to a dip, popularly served as an appetizer.

What to expect:

There are different kinds of salads in Morocco and the most common ones are:

• Zaalouk: A dip cooked with eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and spices usually eaten with crusty bread.
• Matbucha: A dip cooked with tomatoes and roasted bell peppers (spicier than chili peppers and garlic). This can be used as a dip with sliced veggies or bread, especially if you are keen on spicy food.
• Taktouka: A puree made up of tomatoes, green bell peppers, garlic, and olive oil with a smoky flavor that can be eaten alone or with bread.
• Tomato Jam: A jam-like dip made with roasted tomatoes flavored by honey, cinnamon, and orange flower water.

Makouda

What is it: A Moroccan potato beignet that is a very popular street food.

What to expect:

This street food is usually eaten as an appetizer, a side, or as a filling in a sandwich. Served with harissa chili sauce, this on-the-go dish will have you coming back for seconds through your entire time in Morocco.

Bissara

What is it: A rich soup or sometimes bean dip made from pureed broad beans.

What to expect:

This soup is traditionally served for breakfast. Dried broad beans are cooked into a thick and rich soup. After you sit down with your bowl of steaming soup, you can top it with olive oil, cumin, and crushed chilis.

Don't forget to order bread fresh from the oven to complete the meal.

Brochettes

What is it: Cumin, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cayenne, paprika, etc. Need I say more? This is beautiful Moroccan barbecue at its finest.

What to expect:

This Moroccan barbecue is available at places like Jemaa El-Fna Public Plaza in Marrakesh. Kebabs of lamb, chicken, and beef are the stars here. Moroccan magic happens over these skewers of well spiced meat. The aroma alone will pull you in and take you back for seconds.

Stuffed Msemen

What is it: Another delicious street food of flatbread stuffed with all of Morocco's finest ingredients.

What to expect:

Msemen is a pan fried flat bread. The stuffing is usually a mixture of tomato, pepper, onion, and sometimes ground meat. You can order it in a restaurant or pick it up from a street side vendor as you stroll and sightsee.

Taste More with Global Highlights

Besides the dishes listed above, there are still numerous foods in Morocco any foodie should try. If you are a more adventurous eater, you could even try snail soup, spicy sardines, crumbed liver, camel hump fat, and Moroccan cheese. Click here to start your conversation with a Global Highlights' trip advisor and let them help you find each dish with that authentic Moroccan taste.