Moroccan Vegetable Tagine
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This Moroccan vegetable tagine is sweet, fragrant, and completely delicious. Carrots, sweet potatoes, and chickpeas are cooked with warm spices and served over a bed of couscous. Make it in a crockpot or instant pot for a low-effort meal that everyone will enjoy!
This Moroccan vegetable tagine is one of my favorite cozy, hands-off meals, with a mix of sweet and spicy flavors and lots of satisfying texture. Instead of cooking it in a traditional tagine, I make this recipe in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, which delivers the same rich, gently simmered results using a cooking vessel that’s much more common in North American kitchens.
After a quick bit of prep—chopping vegetables and sautéing the onion, carrots, garlic, and ginger—the rest is mostly hands-off. Ras el hanout brings layers of flavor with its warm blend of spices like cumin, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, paprika, and chili, while tomato paste adds depth and dried apricots and dates add a subtle sweetness. Sweet potatoes and chickpeas make it hearty and satisfying, with plenty of texture in every bite.
I love serving this tagine over fluffy couscous and finishing it with toasted almonds, fresh cilantro and mint, olives, and a squeeze of lemon. It’s the kind of comforting meal that warms you from the inside out and works just as well for an easy weeknight dinner as it does for a make-ahead meal you can come home to at the end of the day.
Stovetop version
If you don’t have a slow cooker or Instant Pot, you can still make this tagine on the stovetop. A Dutch oven or another heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid works perfectly; it just requires a bit more hands-on time to let the vegetables soften and the flavors meld.
To make it on the stovetop, follow the same steps as the Instant Pot method, but instead of pressure cooking, cover the pot and let the tagine gently simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. From there, continue with the rest of the recipe as written—it’s just as flavorful, with a slightly longer cook time.
Store and freeze instructions
Can I prepare it ahead of time? Yes! Like other soups and stews, this vegetable tagine can easily be made ahead of time. Store it in the fridge in a covered container for 3-4 days. Warm it up in a pot on the stove with a splash of water.
Can I freeze it? Yes, it freezes wonderfully. Once it’s completely cool, store it in a freezer-proof container or reusable silicone bag (we like these stasher bags) for up to 3 months.
Moroccan Vegetable Tagine Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 3 carrots (diced)
- 2 tablespoon ras el hanout
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 lb sweet potatoes (cubed)
- 2 tablespoons minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup dried apricots (cut in half)
- 8 pitted dates (quartered)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 sticks cinnamon
- 2 14-ounce cans of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- Steamed couscous, chopped toasted almonds, cilantro, mint, olives, and lemons (to serve)
Instructions
- Crockpot Method: Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the ras el hanout and tomato paste to the pot and let it cook for 2 minutes, or until the tomato paste starts to caramelize. Instant Pot Method: Press the saute button on the Instant Pot. Add the olive oil and, once hot, add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until it starts to brown. Add the carrots and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the ras el hanout and tomato paste and let it cook for 30 seconds until the tomato paste starts to caramelize.1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 large onion, 3 carrots, 2 tablespoon ras el hanout, ¼ cup tomato paste
- Crockpot Method: Transfer everything into your crockpot. Add the sweet potatoes, apricots, ginger, salt, dates, garlic, cinnamon sticks, and 4 cups of water to your crockpot and stir well. Set your crockpot for 8 hours on low.Instant Pot Method: Add the sweet potatoes, apricots, ginger, salt, dates, garlic, cinnamon sticks, and 4 cups of water to your Instant Pot. Secure the lid and put the valve into the sealed position. Turn on the Manual or Pressure Cook function and pressure cook for 8 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then manually vent to release the remaining pressure.1 lb sweet potatoes, ¾ cup dried apricots, 2 tablespoons minced ginger, 8 pitted dates, 4 cloves garlic, 2 sticks cinnamon, 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Both Methods: When the tagine has finished cooking, stir in the chickpeas. Let them warm for a few minutes then serve the tagine over some steamed couscous with some chopped almonds, cilantro, mint, olives, and a squeeze of lemon over top.2 14-ounce cans of chickpeas, Steamed couscous, chopped toasted almonds, cilantro, mint, olives, and lemons
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Nutrition
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So disappointed after all the rave reviews. Made it in my Crockpot as I don’t have an Instant Pot. Came out so watery. 8 hours on low with 4 cups of water in a Crockpot is probably not a great method for making this dish. Family was so disappointed.
It’s supposed to be liquidy so you can pour that tasty sauce over rice or couscous. I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy that part.
This recipe says gluten free but couscous is not gluten free so maybe it’s mislabeled?
Thanks for catching that! This also tastes great over rice if you need a gluten-free option.