Morocco is a country with a beautiful culture, where you’ll find many specialties, not least culinary. It’s impossible not to mention these jewels of this magnificent culture. Between perfume, flavors and colors, today we’re going to travel to Marrakech thanks to this art. In this article, you’ll discover some delicious dishes and tasty desserts.
Savoury dishes
The couscous
Let’s start with one of the world’s best-known specialties: couscous. Couscous is a must-try if you’re in Morocco. According to the locals, the best couscous is found in Marrakech. It can be meat, fish or even vegetarian. Being a seasonal dish, it evolves according to what’s in season. However, it is often made with semolina and tasty vegetables such as squash, artichokes and truffles. This dish is full of spices and herbs, enough to awaken all your taste buds.
The tagine
Let’s move on to another dish just as famous as couscous: tagine. Be careful not to confuse it with couscous! Many people confuse the two, even though they don’t have the same characteristics. Compared to couscous, tagine doesn’t use semolina. What’s more, tagine is a simmered dish, unlike couscous, which is a steamed dish. Tajine is therefore prepared over a low heat and cooked slowly, for a more concentrated, harmonious taste. It’s a highly varied dish that can be made with meat, vegetables, fish, fruit or even seeds. Of course, spices such as cinnamon or saffron are also added. So you can enjoy it every day without ever tasting the same one.
The tanjia
The tanjia, like the tagine takes its name from its cooking utensil. It can be compared to a pot-au-feu, because like the pot-au-feu, the tanjia is slow-cooked for several hours. The earthenware pot is used to simmer beef or mutton, then filled with vegetables and candied fruit to blend the aromas. It is then cooked in ashes from a hammam or wood-fired oven. After the 5-hour cooking time, the meat and vegetables are meltingly tasty. Traditionally, this dish is prepared only by men.
Cooked salads
If you go to Marrakech, you’ll find all kinds of cooked vegetables, seasoned with herbs or spices, or even stuffed. They can also be steamed, grilled or braised. These salads are generally served as an appetizer or side dish. You’re spoilt for choice with squash, turnips, tomatoes, eggplants, carrots and many more.
Harira
This dish, or rather traditional Moroccan and Algerian soup, has its roots in Andalusia. It’s made with meat, often beef, tomato and onion. As the seasons change, it is adapted and enriched with seasonal vegetables that go well together. Local spices are usually added for an even more pronounced taste.
Between sweet and savoury
The pastilla
Pastilla is a typical Moroccan dish. This dish is served on special occasions, such as weddings and receptions. It’s synonymous with refinement and age, thanks to its highly technical and time-consuming preparation. It’s like a pie with Warka leaves, stuffed with a base of almonds and pigeon meat. The Warka sheets are extremely thin sheets of puff pastry. The pastilla is buttered, making it crisp, crunchy and light. This dish is perfectly balanced between sweet and salty, as it is sprinkled with powdered sugar and spices such as cinnamon. In Marrakech, you can also find pastilla with chicken, fish or seafood.
The briouates
Still, somewhere between sweet and savory, briouates are small fritters stuffed and fried. As you’ll have gathered, you can eat these little triangles either salted with meat or fish, or sweetened with almonds or honey. Either way, the dough made from warqa leaves, like pasilla, encloses a filling. After frying, the turnovers will be crispy and served with vegetables or mushrooms for the salty ones.
Sweet desserts
Moroccan pastries
Pastries are an essential specialty of Marrakech. They bear witness to ancestral know-how and an unrivalled wealth of flavors. Here are just a few to discover!
Gazelle horns
Famous for their crescent-moon shape, gazelle horns are made from almond paste scented with orange blossom and cinnamon. They are wrapped in fine shortbread dough, then dusted with powdered sugar. Crunchy on the outside and melt-in-the-mouth on the inside, they’re a classic.
Baklava
Originating in the regions of the former Ottoman Empire, baklava comes in many forms. In Morocco, it’s made with filo pastry, honey and dried fruits such as pistachios, walnuts or hazelnuts. Each bite combines crunchiness and sweetness.
Baghrir
Nicknamed “thousand-hole pancakes”, baghrirs are light and fluffy. They are made with semolina, yeast and a little bit of salt, then topped with a syrup of honey, orange blossom and cinnamon. A delicacy to be enjoyed hot!
Sellou
Traditionally eaten during Ramadan or at weddings, sellou is a rich dessert made with toasted flour, almonds, sesame seeds, honey, melted butter and spices such as aniseed or fennel.
M’kharqa
These pillow-shaped pastries are made from flour, eggs and oil and flavored with orange blossom. They are fried, then dipped in honey and coated with sesame seeds. They are often served on special occasions.
Kadaïf
Kadaïfs are made from thin vermicelli dough, topped with dried fruit, then rolled and baked before being drizzled with honey. Their crunchy texture and melting center make them a pastry classic.
Zlabia
Twisted and golden in color, zlabia is fried and then dipped in a sweet orange blossom syrup. This pastry is particularly popular during Ramadan.
Mint tea
Finally, let’s talk about tea, a veritable Moroccan institution that I was lucky enough to taste. It can be enjoyed at any time of day and several times a day, with family or friends, in a convivial atmosphere. It’s an infused blend of green tea, water, sugar and mint. It’s renowned for its digestive properties. If you like it sweet, you’ll love it. And why not accompany it with a little pastry?
If you’d like to discover these local specialties, look at our villas in Marrakech.
