Moroccan Lamb Tagine

A deeply flavorful, aromatic stew featuring tender ground lamb, chickpeas, sweet apricots, and warm spices, served over fluffy couscous with a bright lemon-parsley garnish.

• Prep: 25 min
• Cook: 40 min
• Total: 1 hr 5 min
• Servings: 6
• Cuisine: Moroccan
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $5.20/serving

Dietary

• Dairy-Free
• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber
• Halal

Tags

• comfort food
• spicy

Ingredients

• 1.5 pound ground lamb
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (medium, chopped)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (grated)
• 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1.5 cup chicken broth
• 1 can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
• 0.5 cup dried apricots (roughly chopped)
• 0.5 cup pitted dates (roughly chopped)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 1.5 cup couscous
• 1.5 cup water (boiling)
• 2 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
• 2 lemons (wedges)

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground lamb and cook, breaking it apart, until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess fat and set lamb aside.
2. Add the chopped yellow onion to the pot and sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and grated fresh ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (if using) to the pot and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to toast the spices.
4. Stir in the diced tomatoes (undrained) and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the cooked lamb to the pot.
5. Add the rinsed and drained chickpeas, roughly chopped dried apricots, and roughly chopped pitted dates. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir well.
6. Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly. Stir occasionally.
7. While the tagine simmers, prepare the couscous: Place 1 1/2 cups couscous in a heatproof bowl. Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over the couscous, stir briefly, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
8. Ladle the Moroccan Lamb Tagine over fluffy couscous. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

If you prefer a milder flavor, omit the cayenne pepper. This dish tastes even better the next day as the flavors deepen.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 610
• Protein: 37.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 71.4 g
• Fat: 19.8 g
• Fiber: 12.3 g
• Sodium: 650 mg
• Saturated Fat: 7.5 g
• Sugar: 18.5 g
• Cholesterol: 105 mg