This scrumptious Moroccan lamb casserole (or tagine) with apricots and carrots is one of my favourite slow cooker recipes. It’s hearty, rich, nutritious and easy to make and is paleo and gluten-free.
When the days get colder or life gets hectic, I ditch the stove and throw myself into a love affair with my slow cooker or my Instant Pot. Stews, curries, soups and even roasts get going in my magic pot on an almost daily basis.
Together these ingredients will bring the flavors of Morocco to your kitchen. You would never guess just how much you could fall in love with slow-cooker Moroccan lamb stew. Lamb, spices, and a few vegetables are all you need for this simple and healthy slow cooker recipe.
This Moroccan stew has tender, slow-cooked lamb seasoned with warm ras el hanout spices and flavored with dried apricots and dates. All the delicious Moroccan flavors of lamb tagine, made easier in a slow cooker.
Slow cooker recipes are a real time saver because once the ingredients are in, the appliance does all the work. They're also handy for freeing up oven space when cooking for a holiday. This slow cooker lamb tagine is savory and tender.
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Traditionally lamb tagine is cooked in a clay pot with a conical lid, called a tagine. I’ve adapted the recipe for American cookware so the dish can be made in either a slow cooker or dutch oven. The key to making this lamb tagine recipe in the slow cooker is to start it on the stove top. Searing the lamb and onions first in a skillet helps add an extra layer of flavor.
A tagine is similar to a curry, but usually has dried fruits like raisins, apricots, or dates. It usually features warm spices like cinnamon, coriander, ginger, and cumin.
If you’re looking to make the best lamb stew, this recipe is all you need! Comforting, fall-apart tender braised lamb with loads of veggies, chickpeas and warm Moroccan flavors. Lamb stew has that rich heartiness with deep and well-developed flavors that taste as if it has been cooked in an oven all day. My version takes only a few minutes of hands-on time and about two hours in the oven, making it a shortcut version without sacrificing any of the flavors.
The flavors of Morocco: lamb and apricots, cumin, coriander, and allspice with a whisper of cinnamon. It may sound like a lot of elements going into the dish, but the complexity of details is necessary to produce an authentic dish that is worthy of praise.
Love this recipe? Try my Scrummy Coconut Lamb Curry or my Quick & Easy Pumpkin Chicken Curry. You might also like to try making your own harissa sauce.
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I love lamb with sweet dried fruit, like apricots, and warm spices. This combination goes way back and spans multiple culinary traditions from North Africa to the Middle East.
This lamb stew is pretty hearty on its own, and does not require much else to complete the meal. I occasionally serve it with challah bread, or any crusty bread. It’s also great, ladled on top of some beautiful Lebanese rice or plain couscous.
Serve it with a light green salad or steamed green vegetables. The warm spices and slow cooking of this dish make it ideal for the cool weather of fall and winter. It's a great fit for all the high holidays. Serve it as an entree for Rosh Hashanah or as a hardy meal before the Yom Kippur fast.
Lamb stew is a hearty and comforting dish perfect for chilly days.
This lamb stew is hearty enough to serve on its own, or serve over a bed of couscous, rice, or quinoa to soak up the savory gravy.
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Moroccan Lamb With Potato & Raisins | Gordon Ramsay
Ingredients
See the recipe card below for a complete ingredient list and measurements.
- Boneless lamb shoulder - Lamb shoulder is a tougher cut of meat that is marbled with fat. This cut of lamb is perfect for slow cooking. The long cook time will tenderize the meat and allow the fat to render adding extra flavor.
- Produce - Carrots and onion. You can substitute yellow onion for a white or sweet onion.
- Dried fruits - Dried sweet apricots are one of the hallmarks of lamb tagine. I also add medjool dates for extra flavor and a touch of sweetness. Other varieties of pitted dates can be substituted, but they need to be soaked in water for 10 minutes because they are less moist than medjool. The dried fruits paired with lamb produce a wonderful sweet and savory combination.
- Ras el hanout seasoning - This Moroccan seasoning mix is a blend of several warm spices. Every family and company has a different recipe, but they typically contain cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, nutmeg, clove, ginger, chili, pepper, paprika, turmeric, and allspice. You can buy a blend, or make your own with the recipe given in the recipe card below.
Alternative Ingredients
I used diced lamb steak in this recipe. You can buy lamb leg or shoulder and cut it into chunks. Dried apricots can be replaced with a few dates or figs for a similar result. I love adding toasted almond flakes to this stew but you can easily go without.
Although lamb leg is a leaner cut of lamb, stewing (or slow-cooking in a crock pot) breaks it down. And the little bit of marbling dissolves right in during the cooking process, making the lamb buttery and melt in your mouth tender.
In choosing your cut of lamb for stew, opt for meat from the shoulder if you can, as this becomes incredibly tender after braising - the two-step process of browning the bite-sized chunks on the stove top, followed by a long, slow simmering.
As for the dried apricots, search for those that have not been treated with sulfites to keep your meal as clean as possible. They won't be bright orange, but it is the sweetness and flavor, not the color you are after here.
I tossed in some carrots and onions but absolutely you can use your preferred vegetables.
Slow Cooker Moroccan Lamb Stew Recipe
Make simple cauliflower rice or regular rice for this dish. Here are the instructions:
Slow Cooker Directions
- Place the lamb cubes onto a plate. Pat dry with a paper towel to facilitate browning. Sprinkle all sides of lamb with salt and pepper.
- Heat ½ tablespoon of the oil in a large pan over medium high heat for about 1 minute until hot. Add lamb and cook on all sides for 7-10 minutes total until browned. If needed, cook in two batches so the lamb is not too crowded in the pan.
- Transfer seared lamb to a 7-quart slow cooker pot.
- To the now-empty skillet, add ½ tablespoon olive oil and chopped onion. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat until softened. Stir occasionally.
- Mix in carrots, garlic, and ras el hanout, and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add 1 cup of broth to the pan, and deglaze by scrape the bottom of the pan to release any flavorful bits from cooking the meat and onions. Pour everything from the pan into the slow cooker pot.
- Pour the remaining 1 cup broth over the meat-vegetable mixture (in the slow cooker pot), and stir to combine.
- Cook for 5-6 hours on the low setting until the meat is very soft.
- Uncover the pot and mix in the dates, apricots and potato starch slurry. Turn the heat to High and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes until sauce thickens and is brown in color.
- In the meantime, toast the almonds. Start by adding 1 teaspoon oil into a medium fry pan. Turn the heat to medium and add almonds. Toast for 3-4 minutes, mixing often until lightly golden. Transfer to a plate to cool.
- Serve lamb hot over couscous, rice, or quinoa, and top with toasted almonds and a sprinkle of parsley or cilantro.
Oven Directions
- Position the oven rack on the second or third rung from the bottom. Preheat to 350ºF (175°C).
- Follow the slow cooker directions steps 1 through 7 above. There is no need to brown in a separate skillet; use a 5 or 6-quart oven-safe soup pot or dutch oven.
- Once the lamb and vegetables are browned and the broth and seasonings are added, cover the pot with a lid. Use hot mitts to transfer the pot to the oven. Cook for about 2 hours or until the meat is cooked through and very soft and fork tender. Check the lamb about halfway through cooking, and add a little water if the sauce reduces greatly.
- Remove the pot from the oven, and stir in the dates and apricots. If the liquid has thickened to a brown sauce, then no thickener is needed. If the sauce is thin, add the potato starch and water slurry and stir to combine. Return the pot to the stove uncovered, and simmer on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Serve lamb hot over couscous (or rice or quinoa), and top with garnishes.
Stovetop Instructions:
Repeat steps 1 and 2 in a large pot on the stove. Then cook covered, over low-medium heat, for 2 hours, until the lamb meat is tender.
Instant Pot Instructions:
Do steps 1 and 2 on Sauté function in the Instant Pot. Then cover, set to Manual, HIGH for 25 minutes. Allow natural release for 5-10 minutes, then follow with quick release.
Slow Cooker Alternative Instructions:
If your slow cooker vessel is heatproof, place it on the stove over medium-high heat. Alternatively, use a large frying pan or saucepan for this first step.
Add the onion, coconut oil and salt and sauté for 2 minutes. Follow with the lamb, carrots and lemon peel, and stir through for a minute.
Now add the spices and stir through to release the aromas before adding the rest of the ingredients (except for almonds and parsley). Stir through and bring to a boil.
Place the vessel with the lamb stew back on the slow cooker base and set to HIGH for 4 hours, MEDIUM for 6 or LOW for 8 hours.
If using a different saucepan, transfer the contents to the slow cooker vessel and set the timer as mentioned above.
After 4 or more hours, as per your heat setting, transfer the slow cooker vessel to the stove and set the heat to high. Again, if the vessel is not heatproof, transfer the casserole contents into a saucepan. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, allowing some of the liquid to evaporate. Add the almonds half way through and mix together (reserve a few almonds for garnish).
Pressure-Cooker Instructions:
Instead of using a Dutch oven or other oven-safe cooking pot, follow the steps below to sauté and braise using your pressure cooker.
Then, add in all the ingredients except for the chickpeas to the pot and lock the lid in place. Cook for 30 minutes on high pressure.
When the timer is up, allow the pressure to safely release for about 10 minutes before using quick-release according to the manufacturer’s directions. Add in the chickpeas and cook for another 5 minutes.
Tips and Tricks
Make sure you press the rub firmly into the meat. When it slow cooks it will form a sort of crust on the meat. Similar to bark that you find on brisket or other smoked meats.
I usually don’t take the time to sear my meat beforehand but I’m trying to use my 6-quart stove top browning slow cooker more which allows me to brown directly in the slow cooker, no transferring it from a skillet.
3 important notes about this recipe:
- This is one of those recipes where your house will smell amazing while it cooks, especially towards the end.
- You’ll know it’s done when the meat it so tender it shreds easily with a fork.
- The top of the meat will look burnt. It is not.
Make Ahead Instructions
This recipe can be made ahead of time. How to store: Allow lamb stew to cool.
Freezing Instructions:
Store in a freezer-safe container well sealed for up to 3 months.
Reheating Instructions:
To reheat, place the lamb stew into a pan, cover with foil, and heat at 350°F in the oven for about 15-20 minutes.
If you’re planning a dinner party and want to work a bit in advance, you can make this lamb stew a day or two ahead of time and keep in the fridge.
This stew can also be frozen for those who meal prep. Cool the stew to room temperature and store in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to one month.
Questions and Answers
Can I make lamb tagine without a tagine?
Yes! You can make lamb tagine with a dutch oven in the oven, or with an electric slow cooker.
What’s the difference between a tagine and a stew?
A tagine is a type of stew cooked in a special pot also called a tagine.
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tags: #Moroccan
