In this tempting Moroccan Chickpea Tagine A base of onion and tomato is layered with the contrasting flavors and textures of sweet raisins and carrots, almonds and salty olives. Fragrant saffron and a homemade ras el hanout spice blend bring all these delicious flavors together.
When I cook globally I am always amazed at how many different dishes I can make with the same ingredients in my pantry. Indian cooks use a lot of spices and lemons, as do Ethiopian cooks and Moroccan cooks. But a chana masala tastes dramatically different from a Moroccan chickpea stew flavored with harissa, and an Indian dal tastes nothing like an Ethiopian lentil stew.
This spicy chickpea tagine is just as delicious as my favorite chickpea curry, with many simple ingredients, and they’re both infused with appetizing aromas and flavors. But they don’t taste like each other.
Tagine has many contrasting flavors and textures from olives, raisins, saffron, carrots, onions, garlic and chickpeas. And the Ras El Hanout packs a finishing wallop, bringing all these wonderful flavors together beautifully and adding even more appetizing aromas and deliciousness. It’s like making and eating a dish, over and over again.
Index
What is a tagine?
A tagine (pronounced tuh-zin) is both a clay pot with a conical lid used by North African and especially Moroccan cooks, as well as a descriptive suffix for stews, often meat stews, cooked slowly in clay pots.
The deep, heavy lid of the tagine allows steam to circulate as the food cooks, keeping the meat moist and effectively locking in all the flavors. The unglazed clay of the lid also enhances the dish by adding a deep, smoky richness.
You don’t need tagine to make a delicious tagine; A Dutch oven or any pot with a tight-fitting lid will work just as well. It’s what I use to make my delicious jackfruit “lamb” tagine and this great vegetarian chickpea tagine.
Why you will love this recipe
- Delicious, different and rich in taste. You’ll love the contrasting flavors and textures in this chickpea tagine recipe.
- The recipe is easy to make. This dish requires you to layer in a few ingredients but the process is straightforward and foolproof and you can see my process shots below for more clarity. You can even make this easy chickpea tagine in a slow cooker or Instant Pot. Please check the FAQs below for more.
- Suitable for all diets. The tagine is soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free and therefore suitable for all diets. It can be as spicy as you like and makes the sweet raisin and carrot stew appealing even to children.
material
- onion. Red onion is best for this recipe but yellow onion will do.
- garlic
- the carrot. You can use sweet potato or butternut squash.
- raisins. You can use other dried fruits including chopped apricots or chopped dates.
- Canned tomatoes. Use whole plum tomatoes and crush them with your fingers before adding them to the tagine.
- Canned or cooked chickpeas. If using canned chickpeas, rinse them. Drain all the chickpeas before adding them to the pot.
- Ras el hanout spice mix. Use my recipe for an aromatic homemade ras el hanout spice mix or see the FAQs below for a quick version made with powdered spices.
- Saffron. It adds more wonderful flavor and aroma. But if you don’t have it, use turmeric instead.
- Red pepper or paprika
- cilantro You can use fresh parsley instead.
- Kalamata olives. Or use green olives.
Serving advice
Recipe FAQs
To make tagine in a slow cooker add all the ingredients to the slow cooker followed by the oil. Mix well, add two cups of water and cook on high setting for three hours. Stir a few times during cooking. You can make the tagine oil-free by omitting the oil.
To make an instant pot chickpea tagine, cook all the ingredients on the “saute” setting. Once you add the water to the tagine, put the lid on the IP and cook under manual pressure for 10 minutes. Let the IP stand for 10 minutes, then strain and stir in the cilantro and olives. Add salt as required.
In a bowl, mix half a teaspoon each of cloves, cloves, half a teaspoon each, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper, along with a tablespoon each of coriander and ¼ teaspoon each of fennel or star anise, nutmeg, turmeric, ginger, and paprika. Add to the recipe as you add the ras el hanout.
absolutely To make this more of a chickpea and vegetable tagine, you can add vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, cauliflower, eggplant, and mushrooms. Be sure to adjust the seasoning and add more vegetables if using.
Storage instructions
- Keep in fridge: Place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to four days. Stew tastes even better the next day, when the flavors have had time to meld, so this is a great recipe to make.
- freeze: Freeze chickpea tagine in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
- Reheat: Melt and reheat in the microwave on the stove.
More delicious chickpea recipes
If you like this chickpea tagine, check out more vegetarian soups and stews at Holy Cow Vegan!
Chickpea tagine
In this tempting Moroccan chickpea tagine recipe, a base of onions and tomatoes is layered with the contrasting flavors and textures of sweet raisins and carrots, nutty chickpeas, and salty olives. Fragrant saffron and a homemade ras el hanout spice blend bring all these delicious flavors together.
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Serving: 8 serving
Calories: 176kcal
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instructions
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Add olive oil to a Dutch oven or heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion with half a teaspoon of salt and fry until the onion softens and starts caramelizing.
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Add garlic powder to the pot and continue to fry for another minute.
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Stir in the carrots and fry for a few minutes, then add the raisins.
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Add the crushed tomatoes to the pot and mix well, then stir in the chickpeas.
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Add the ras el hanout, paprika and saffron to the pot and mix well. Stir in cilantro and/or parsley.
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Add one cup of water and mix well. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover the tagine with a tight lid, reduce the heat and let the tagine simmer for 30-45 minutes. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary. The tagine should be thick but if you want more sauce you can add more water or vegetable stock.
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Finally stir in the olives and mix well. Check the salt and add more as needed. Turn off the heat.
Recipe notes
- To make tagine in a slow cooker add all the ingredients to the slow cooker followed by the oil. Mix well, add two cups of water and cook on high setting for three hours. Stir a few times during cooking. You can make the tagine oil-free by omitting the oil.
- To make an instant pot chickpea tagine, cook all the ingredients on the “saute” setting. Once you add the water to the tagine, put the lid on the IP and cook under manual pressure for 10 minutes. Let the IP stand for 10 minutes, then strain and stir in the cilantro and olives. Add salt as required.
- If you don’t have ras el hanout, in a bowl mix ½ teaspoon each of ground cumin, cloves, cumin, pepper, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper with one tablespoon of coriander and ¼ teaspoon of fennel or star anise. , nutmeg, turmeric, ginger and paprika. Add to the recipe as you add the ras el hanout.
- To make this more of a chickpea and vegetable tagine, you can add vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, cauliflower, eggplant, and mushrooms. Be sure to adjust the seasoning and add more vegetables if using.
Storage instructions
- Keep in fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to four days. Stew tastes even better the next day, when the flavors have had time to meld, so this is a great recipe to make.
- freeze: Freeze chickpea tagine in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
- Reheat: Melt and reheat in the microwave on the stove.
nutrition
Calories: 176kcal | Sugars: 31g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated fats: 2g | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 447mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2694IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 3mg
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