Moroccan Lamb Tagine

A fragrant and hearty lamb stew, slow-cooked with aromatic spices, dried fruits, and chickpeas, served alongside fluffy lemon-herb couscous and tender roasted carrots.

• Prep: 30 min
• Cook: 1 hr 40 min
• Total: 2 hr 10 min
• Servings: 6
• Cuisine: Moroccan
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $4.57/serving

Dietary

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

Tags

• sweet
• savory
• comfort food

Ingredients

• 2 pound lamb shoulder (boneless, cut into 1.5-inch cubes)
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 yellow onions (large, chopped)
• 4 clove garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoon fresh ginger (grated)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5-ounce, undrained)
• 3 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup dried apricots (halved)
• 0.5 cup pitted prunes (halved)
• 1 can chickpeas (15-ounce, rinsed and drained)
• 1.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.75 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
• 1.5 cup couscous
• 2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
• 2 tablespoon fresh mint (chopped)
• 1.5 pound carrots (peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season the lamb shoulder cubes generously with salt and black pepper. Sear the lamb in batches until well-browned on all sides. Remove the lamb and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped yellow onions to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and grated fresh ginger; cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Stir in the ground cumin, ground turmeric, ground ginger, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, and cayenne pepper (if using). Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Return the lamb to the pot. Add the diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, then add the dried apricots and pitted prunes. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the lamb is very tender.
5. Stir in the chickpeas and continue to simmer, uncovered, for an additional 15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed.
6. For the Lemon-Herb Couscous: While the tagine simmers, bring 2 cups of vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the couscous, cover, remove from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork, then stir in the lemon zest, chopped fresh parsley, and chopped fresh mint. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
7. For the Roasted Carrots: Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss the peeled and cut carrots with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and lightly caramelized.
8. Serve the Moroccan Lamb Tagine hot, spooned over the lemon-herb couscous, with roasted carrots on the side. Garnish with additional fresh cilantro or parsley, if desired.

Notes

If you have a tagine pot, you can cook the stew in it on the stovetop or in the oven for a more authentic experience. The flavors deepen overnight, so this is a great make-ahead meal.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 620
• Protein: 45.3 g
• Carbohydrates: 58.7 g
• Fat: 20.8 g
• Fiber: 12.1 g
• Sodium: 890 mg
• Saturated Fat: 6.5 g
• Sugar: 23.5 g
• Cholesterol: 125 mg