Simple to make but delicious to eat, this Moroccan chickpea tagine is a great recipe to have in your repertoire. Made using store cupboard ingredients, it’s a healthy dinner time stand by in our house.
It’s has a very mild heat due to the chilli flakes, but you can leave these out if you wish to, there’s plenty of flavour coming from all the other spices. If you’re missing a few of those spices from your cupboard then just leave them out, there’s lots going on here so don’t worry too much.
You can serve this with almost any carb option, potatoes probably being the exception. Couscous, rice and bread all go really well. I’ve served it with some tortilla wraps that I’ve toasted for a few minutes on each side in a dry frying pan. The wraps go hard and chewy (a lot better than it sounds!) and you can scoop the tagine up using them.
I could gladly eat the yogurt that I serve this with by the spoonful. The fresh herbs along with the zing of the lemon are gorgeous. If you don’t have any preserved lemons in then feel free to add a little finely grated fresh lemon zest, or leave the lemon out entirely. You will still have a really lovely side dish.
Historically I have cooked chicken with this, sinking the breasts into the tagine to simmer in the juices, but I’m always on the hunt for vegetarian options that don’t feel that they are missing something and this is one, so I usually take the opportunity to have a meat free day.
Moroccan Chickpea Tagine
A Moroccan inspired vegetarian tagine. Healthy and full of flavour, this is a great one dish meal.
Ingredients
For the tagine
- 1 onion peeled, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tablespoons flavourless oil divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon crushed chilli flakes
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tins chopped tomatoes drained
- 2 tins chickpeas drained
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
For the preserved lemon yogurt
- 400 ml natural yogurt
- A small handful mint leaves finely chopped
- A small handful fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
- 2-3 preserved lemons flesh removed and discarded, rind finely chopped*
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Black pepper to taste
To serve
- Couscous, rice, flat bread or naan to serve
Instructions
For the tagine
Place 1 tablespoon of the oil, the onion and the garlic in a heavy bottomed pan, and cook on a gentle heat until the onion is soft and transparent.
While this is cooking, measure out the spices into a bowl. Add the remaining oil and the spices, and cook for 1 minute stirring occasionally to ensure that the spices do not burn.
Add the tinned tomatoes, drained chickpeas and honey. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes then remove the lid and simmer for a further 15 minutes.
Season to taste. Serve.
For the preserved lemon yogurt
- Spoon the yogurt into a bowl.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
To serve
- Spoon into a bowl alongside the carb of your choice. Serve the yogurt separately so that each person can add it as they wish.
Recipe Notes
*If you can’t get hold of preserved lemons, feel free to use the grated zest of a fresh lemon for side that is different but just as nice.
I cant have tomatoes, do you think pumpkin would work?
This looks *so* great – and easy! I’m the same with with trying to eat more meat-free without feeling like the meal is missing something, and find that restaurants fall down on that front a lot.
I agree – I often go for fish in a restaurant for the same reason. Glad you like the look of it!