Tips for cooking vegan Moroccan Tagine
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Tips for cooking vegan Moroccan tagine
Moroccan tagine is a fabulous dish to serve for friends and family: it looks and tastes terrific, and you can put the tagine pot in the centre of the table for everyone to help themselves. You can take turns dipping bread into any sauce still in the pot.
A traditional tagine pot is made of clay and usually requires the use of a heat diffuser (typically a flat metal paddle) to spread the heat evenly from the stove around the tagine pot to ensure it doesn’t crack.
However, you can still have the beauty of a tagine with all the convenience, if you are fortunate enough to have a tagine pot made of cast iron.
Here is a delicious vegan tagine recipe, followed by some tips for you to make the very best vegan tagine that will please everyone, whether they are vegan or not.
Tips for cooking vegan Moroccan tagine FAQs
Do you put a tagine in the oven or on the stove?
Usually, you use your tagine on the stove, but the beauty of tagine pots is that they work in the oven as well.
Can you use a tagine on a gas stove?
You can use a tagine pot on a gas stove, but remember that if your tagine is clay rather than cast iron, you’ll need a heat diffuser as well. You’ll want to start cooking at a very low temperature with the tagine pot at room temperature to begin with and increase the heat gradually.
How do I clean my tagine pot?
It’s best to clean your pot as soon as possible with light soapy water. You don’t want to soak your pot or use too much soap because the soap can break down the oil that you have used to season your pot.
What food goes with a Moroccan tagine?
You could serve a mixed salad with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and olives.
If you want to go full-out Moroccan, you can serve a Moroccan tangerine and olive salad, with some bitter greens on the side such as arugula, chicory, and watercress.
What else can I put in a vegan tagine?
The main principle in a tagine is to aim for a variety of textures and flavors. Prioritize flavorful veggies rather than too many root vegetables such as potatoes.
With that in mind, you could add:
- chopped prunes instead of or in addition to the dried apricots
- pulses such as lentils or beans
- turnips
How long does tagine last?
Your vegan Moroccan tagine will last for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator, or up to two months in the freezer in an airtight container.
What can you do with leftover tagine?
Here are several ideas:
- Savory pastry. With your tagine still in your tagine pot, top it with buttered phyllo pastry and bake for 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 400 degrees F
- Lunch wraps: Fill a wrap, grab some plant-based cream (oat cream is delicious) or vegan hummus, and you’re all set
- Flatbread treats: Drizzle some flatbread with olive oil and dollop some tagine on top. Put slices of vegan cheese on top and bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees F for a tasty lunch
There you have it! Enjoy your vegan Moroccan tagine!
Vegan Moroccan tagine recipe
This recipe serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 onions, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 carrots, diced
- 2 cups diced butternut squash, zucchini, eggplant, sweet potato, or a combination
- Two preserved lemons, finely diced*
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 pinches saffron strands
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 ½ cups canned chopped tomatoes (with the juice)
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 large can (about 1 ½ to 2 cups) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup dried apricots, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 handfuls baby spinach or kale
*If you can’t find preserved lemon, substitute the zest of 2 lemons and ½ teaspoon salt. Or make your own.
Optional ingredients for serving
- Couscous (traditional), or rice
- Chopped fresh mint or parsley
- Pomegranate seeds OR olives
- Slivered almonds
- Harissa sauce
Method
Heat the oil in the bottom of your tagine over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for a few minutes till soft. Add the garlic, chopped vegetables, and spices. Stir to combine and cook for 5-7 minutes more.
Add the preserved lemon pieces, canned tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Bring to the boil, cover, and reduce to medium-low, allowing the tagine to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Add the chickpeas and dried apricots to the tagine pot and cook 5 minutes more, still on low heat. You’ll know when your tagine is done because the mixture will be thick and the vegetables soft. If the mixture looks a bit dry, add a bit of water.
Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Toss in the spinach or kale and stir till it wilts (about 2 minutes).
Serve your tagine in the pot along with couscous, then top with the chopped mint or parsley, slivered almonds, and either olives or pomegranate seeds. Serve the harissa sauce on the side, as it’s quite spicy but tasty. Enjoy!
