A Guide to Morocco’s Must-Try Foods

Morocco is famous for its vibrant culture, bustling cities, and jaw-dropping natural vistas, but if you want to get a real taste of the country you need to immerse yourself in its rich culinary world. With a deliciously diverse offering of national foods, Morocco is a dream travel destination for foodies. Celebrating fresh ingredients, slow cooking and subtle spices, Moroccan food is packed with aromatic flavour that’s as captivating as the country itself.

The legacy of Morocco’s unique geography and history is evident wherever you travel, and this melting pot of influences – an intriguing mix of Berber, Arab, Andalusian and Mediterranean – defines this country’s dazzling cuisine. You may already be familiar with some of the most famous food in Morocco like tagine and couscous, but there’s so much more to explore on your Riviera Travel Moroccan holiday, from vegetarian street food to mouth-watering pastries. Here’s everything you need to know about the must-try food in Morocco and where to experience it.
 

Tagine

This traditional Moroccan dish has become popular the world over, but nothing beats an authentic tagine made in Morocco. Tagine is a succulent, slow-cooked stew typically made with either chicken or lamb, along with a colourful mix of vegetables, dried fruit and plenty of spices, although some are made without meat (perfect for vegetarian travellers) and some with fish.

The name tagine comes from the North African pot it’s cooked in; typically made from earthenware, ceramic or clay, it has a distinctive cone shaped lid to help keep the moisture in and the meat perfectly tender. For Moroccans, tagine is a social dish that brings friends and families together to share and enjoy. Often served with crusty bread to soak up the delicious stew, a true Moroccan tagine is a must-eat while visiting the country. You’ll find it served in most restaurants, but we love the tagine in Dar Cherifa, located in Marrakesh’s central Jemaa el Fna square, the fantastic locally sourced fish tagine at Dar Dasha in Essaouira, and the tagine at Le Tarbouche in Talaa Kebeera in Fez.
 

Harira

When it comes to crowd pleasers, you can’t beat Harira, a hearty traditional North African soup packed with goodness. Made from chickpeas, lentils, tomatoes and a wonderfully fragrant mix of spices including cumin, turmeric, paprika and cinnamon, it’s a fantastic Moroccan vegan or vegetarian option. The warming soup can also include meat, rice or pasta and is typically eaten as a starter or snack, rather than a main course.

Harira is a popular dish in Morocco and Algeria, although each country has their own take on the recipe. In Algeria, the soup doesn’t include lentils, whereas the Harira you’ll eat in Morocco will likely include both lentils and chickpeas. Some of our top picks for enjoying a bowl of Harira on your Moroccan travels are Café Caravan and Dar Tazi in Marrakesh, and Heure Bleue in Essaouira.
 

Couscous

Couscous is Morocco’s national dish, and no celebration or family get together would be complete without a generous helping. The traditional North African dish is made from granules of rolled semolina, steamed until fluffy. Couscous is actually a type of pasta, not grain, and can absorb the flavours of the other ingredients it’s been cooked with, whether that’s meat, vegetables or preserved lemons and olives. In Morrocco it’s typically served with meat or vegetable stews, however it’s so versatile it can be served with everything from dried fruits and cinnamon, or as a sweet dessert.

It’s a delicious side dish packed with texture, colour and flavour, usually served up on a large platter to be easily shared around. Couscous Fridays is a beloved Moroccan tradition, where families come together to share the dish after midday prayers. If you’d like to try some of the best couscous in Morocco, book a table at either Restaurant Kebdani or Restaurant Ahlen in Tangier, El Bahia in Rabat or Riad Fes in Fez. 
 

Maakouda

Morocco has a thriving street food culture and if you want to pick up a tasty and inexpensive meal or snack, the country’s bustling markets are the place to go. Maakouda, a traditional fried potato snack, is one of Morocco’s most popular street food dishes. Here, mashed potato is mixed with flour, garlic, onion, parsley and spices, before being rolled into balls and fried. Served alone as a snack, a side to a larger meal or as the filling inside a crusty sandwich, these more-ish potato fritters are absolutely delicious. Widely available across Morocco, Maakouda can be picked up at any traditional market or food stand.

Zaalouk

Moroccan Zaalouk is a simple cooked salad made with aubergine (eggplant), tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and spices like cumin. Served either hot or cold, you’ll typically find Zaalouk as part of a Moroccan mezze or  served as a dip alongside slices of crusty bread. Zaalouk is a common dish in Morocco, and you can easily find it at markets and street food stands, as well as in  most restaurants as an appetiser.

Pastilla

Made from the flakiest, paper-thin warqa pastry – similar to filo pastry – the Moroccan pastilla is a tasty sweet-savoury pie, perfect for fuelling a day’s sightseeing. A favourite in both Morocco and Algeria, believed to be of Andalusian origin, the pastilla can be filled with meat or seafood, along with North African seasoning like ras el hanout, ginger and cinnamon. Traditionally pigeon is used in a pastilla, which you can find across Morocco in restaurants, cafes and market food stands.

If you’re keen to get an authentic taste of pastilla, head to Dar Roumana in Fez, which serves up pastilla with the traditional pigeon filling. Dinarjat restaurant in Rabat offers either pigeon or chicken fillings with powdered sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top, while seafood fans should book into La Sqala in Casablanca for their famous seafood pastilla.

Méchoui

Méchoui is a must-try for meat eaters when visiting Morocco. For this North African dish a whole lamb, or sometimes a goat or sheep, is slowly roasted on a spit in an underground clay oven or on a barbeque. The meat is first massaged with spiced butter or marinated in garlic, tomato and spices like saffron and ras el hanout, then cooked until it’s perfectly tender. It is often served with bowls of salt, pepper and cumin, so you can season the meat to suit your personal taste. There are various ways to eat méchoui; in some restaurants or cafes it comes with saffron rice or a zesty salad of carrot and orange, it may be served in a flatbread or in thin slices over couscous.

A staple at Moroccan feasts, méchoui is also a street food favourite, and the best place to go to try it for yourself is the famous Méchoui Alley in Marrakesh. Located in the city’s iconic medina, here you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to food stands serving up delicious, authentic méchoui. 
 

Exploring Morocco with Riviera Travel

If all this talk of food has whet your appetite for a holiday of a lifetime to Morocco, take a look at our escorted tours around the country. Here our expert guides will help you discover the best Morocco has to offer on an unforgettable trip around this dazzlingly diverse and vibrant country.