What’s up foodies! Today we’re taking a flavorful journey through Moroccan spices - the soul of our cuisine. Moroccan spices are Moroccan cuisine essentials. Growing up in Morocco and having learned cooking from my mother, I now use a lot of spices in my cooking.
If you had the chance to travel to Morocco, you probably went to the Medina and saw those gigantic bags full of vibrant Moroccan spices. Oh, and if you ever have the chance to travel to Morocco, don’t forget to buy some of the Moroccan spices you might need back home. Whenever I visit the country, I make sure I bring back Moroccan spices. They cost incredibly cheaper in Morocco and they taste stronger than most of the spices you can find in the grocery stores.
The Essence of Moroccan Cuisine
Morocco’s unique location at the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and the Arab world made it a natural spice capital. Spices in Morocco are more than ingredients - they’re stories, memories, and identity.
Many Moroccan dishes require little in the way of special ingredients. They rely heavily on staple foods and seasonal produce. However if you want to be prepared no matter the dish, the following items will help make sure you are prepared. Many of the pantry items you can make at home and work well if you’ve got time. If you’re more into purchasing ready-made items I will also share suggestions on where to buy them as well.
But we didn’t just import - we transformed. Unlike what you might read elsewhere, there is no magical mix that can be used in all Moroccan dishes. However, there is a spice mix that I learned from my mother and that can be used in Moroccan chicken tagines. This mix is super easy to make and can be used in any chicken-based recipe to add that cherished Moroccan touch.
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Spice Blends: Chermoula and Ras el Hanout
Moroccan cuisine often relies on a spice blend known as Ras el Hanout. Moroccan Rass el Hanout is an aromatic blend of Moroccan spices that includes between two and 20 ingredients such as cardamom, cloves, ginger, sumac, turmeric, and cumin. The accompanying flavors and aromas vary from region to region-usually due to the availability of different regional spices-but all Moroccan Rass el Hanout recipes contain cinnamon, black pepper, cumin, coriander, and chili flakes for heat.
A complex, fragrant blend that can include up to 30 spices. Moroccan cooks often use this special blend of herbs in stews and tagines because it helps balance the flavor, creating a complexity that elevates dishes to new heights.
Moroccan chermoula is a delicious spice blend that originates from Morocco and is used to give complex flavor to many Moroccan dishes. This mix is composed of a wide range of Moroccan spices, such as garlic, paprika, cumin, parsley, coriander and oil, which come together to create an amazing flavor profile. Moroccan chermoula is often used in fish and chicken dishes as well as vegetable-based recipes like stews and salads. It can also be used as a marinade for grilling or roasting meats.
Now, here’s my take:When I make chermoula for fish, I go in with paprika, cumin, garlic, parsley, coriander, lemon juice, olive oil, and just a touch of vinegar. For tomato-based red sauces - like kefta in tomato or grilled fish - I lean on paprika and cumin.
Another spice blend example is Moroccan mrouzia - a mixture of some of the most recognizable Moroccan spices. This combination can consist of up to twelve separate spices including saffron, ginger, black peppers, turmeric, cinnamon, ras el hanout, cumin and more. The result is a complex yet subtle flavor that works in tandem with traditional Moroccan dishes like couscous or tagine. Generally, Moroccan people prepare Mrouzia as a special occasion dish during special events such as weddings and Eid al-Adha celebrations.
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Core Spices in Moroccan Cuisine
There are 8-12 core spices that are used in most dishes. Having a standard pantry of spices will help you create most dishes. I’ll give two examples below; one is the “starter” spices and then additional spices you can add to your arsenal as you go.
This is a spice that is used in most Moroccan dishes. This spice is used ground in many Moroccan dishes. This spice is mostly used ground.
- Cumin: Cumin has a strong flavor and because of that, is not used in all Moroccan recipes. For example, Cumin is not used in the popular Moroccan chicken tagine. Cumin is most commonly used to add earthy warmth to Moroccan dishes like lamb tagine with prunes or a savory vegetable stew.
- Turmeric: Turmeric is also an essential in most Moroccan dishes. Turmeric adds depth of flavor and a rich yellow hue to soups and other Moroccan recipes as well.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon is part of many Moroccan dishes especially the sweet-and-salty recipes. Moroccan cuisine uses this spice grounded or whole grains. Meanwhile, keeping with the theme of subtle sweetness mixed with heat are fragrant ingredients like cinnamon and nutmeg which can be found in Moroccan pastilla - a savory-sweet pastry made up of layers of mesh funnel cake filled with spiced meat or fish mixed together with caramelized onions, cinnamon, and nuts.
- Ginger: In Moroccan cuisine, ginger can be used fresh. But it’s most commonly used dried and grated, in powder form.
- Black pepper grains.
- Saffron: This is one of the fanciest spices used in Moroccan cuisine. In Morocco, Saffron is sold in grams and is used to give a light red color to the recipes. Saffron is very expensive.
- Mace: Mace is a unique-flavored spice from the nutmeg tree used in some high-end Moroccan dishes like in the Moroccan pastillas.
- Nutmeg: Nutmeg is a spice mostly used for special celebrations dishes. It can be found in powder form but most Moroccans prefer to buy nutmeg dried nuts and grate a small portion each time they need to add the spice to their dishes.
While recipes will give quantities to be used in a dish, in Morocco it’s really more a liberal interpretation. Once you’re comfortable feel free to play with the amounts to make things your own. I have always bought my spices pre-ground as I just don’t want to have another appliance in my kitchen, however you can buy whole spices and grind them if you prefer to do it that way.
Here is a table summarizing the essential spices and their uses in Moroccan cuisine:
| Spice | Uses | Flavor Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Cumin | Lamb tagine, vegetable stews | Earthy, warm |
| Turmeric | Soups, tagines | Deep, yellow hue |
| Cinnamon | Sweet and savory dishes, pastilla | Sweet, fragrant |
| Ginger | Various dishes, teas | Warm, spicy |
| Saffron | Special dishes, color | Delicate, floral |
| Mace | High-end dishes, pastillas | Unique, nutmeg-like |
| Nutmeg | Celebration dishes | Warm, nutty |
Once you stock your spice cabinet it’s time to move on to the other pantry ingredients you will need. Instead of listing everything that might be used in different dishes, I’m going to list the items that are most common. There are of course many other vegetables and fruits that you’ll find but most are based around what’s in season.
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While the above will get you started cooking just about any Moroccan salad recipe or couscous recipe you fancy, there are several other condiments and Moroccan-inspired dishes you can make to accent your food as well. But, if you don’t have plans or can’t make it, you can buy a lot of these items online. The Spice House is one of the shops that I’ve found online that carries nearly all of the spices you need for Moroccan cooking. Penzey’s is another shop that I have used in the US to get good quality spices. Finally, if you go to a Mediterranean, Arabic, or Indian grocery store near you you’ll find nearly everything on this list and usually MUCH cheaper than in a regular market. For other pantry items I’ve got a list of options that include some of my personal favorite tried and tested brands and products.
Beyond Flavor: Medicinal Uses of Spices
Everything! I’m kicking off a week of posts focusing on natural ideas and recipes. I have been wanting to do these posts for a while. I was a total skeptic about traditional/natural medicine before I went to Morocco. I was a skeptic up until the day I had gotten a serious bout of digestive issues and couldn’t keep anything down. My mother in law shoved a spoonful of cumin in my mouth and all of the nastiness stopped. Just like that.
Moroccan food is full of different spices and traditional medicine shops can be found everywhere in Morocco. Moroccan spices really are used for more than just flavoring food.
Here are some spices and their medicinal uses:
- Cumin: Cumin has been used as a flavoring and medicinal herb since ancient times. Seeds have been found at archaeological digs dating to the 2nd millennium BC! Ancient Greeks, like Moroccans of today kept cumin on their table much as other cultures do with salt and pepper. The plants are grown and harvested during the hot summer months in Morocco. The seeds can be used whole or ground to powder to use. It is supposed to increase lactation and reduce nausea in pregnancy. It also has been shown to be effective in treating carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as diarrhea, indigestion, and morning sickness. Cumin tea is also brewed. A teaspoon of cumin seeds steeped in a cup of hot water for 5 minutes releases the healing properties. For indigestion problems a teaspoon of cumin powder swallowed directly aids in the reduction of symptoms.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon is another ancient spice. It is grown in Eastern Asia, primarily Sri Lanka, India and the West Indies but also in Egypt. Its use in Moroccan food is most likely attributed to Arab traders who brought it back from journeys to this region of the world. Medicinally cinnamon has a lot of good qualities. It has been shown to help with the treatment of diabetes, and has properties that help with blood clotting and reducing cholesterol rates.
- Fenugreek: This spice has three different culinary uses; as an herb (the leaves are dried or fresh), as a spice in seed form and as a vegetable (the fresh leaves, sprouts and microgreens). Traditionally fenugreek is found on the Indian subcontinent but is common in Persian, Ethiopian and Eritraean cuisine. Fenugreek is used in Morocco as a spice and brewed into tea. The most common use is as an aid to lactation for new moms. Fenugreek is also used to treat heartburn and stomach problems.
- Ginger: Ginger has been praised throughout the world for its medicinal properties. Most people are aware of the Chinese reverence and use of ginger as a medicinal spice. It is common in Middle Eastern, and specifically North African cooking. Moroccan cooking would suffer immensely without the use of ginger. Some of the issues that ginger can help with include digestion, constipation and colic in babies. It has been shown to help with morning sickness and other forms of nausea. Although inconclusive scientifically ginger is used to help with joint problems and muscle injuries. Used as a medicine ginger should be taken in small amounts as it can have bloating and heartburn as a side effect.
- Nigella seeds: Nigella seeds also were brought to Morocco from the Indian subcontinent. They are now domestically grown and harvested for use in traditional medicine and with some dishes. Nigella seeds are found in the hadith and heralded as a cure for everything except death. The seeds are used extensively to cure simple things such as a rash or cold or to use as an anti-inflamatory for joint pain.
- Turmeric: Native to South Asia turmeric is a member of the ginger family. To make the yellow powder the root or rhizome of the plant is harvested and dried. It is then ground to the fine yellow-gold powder known as turmeric. In Moroccan cooking turmeric is often used simply for it’s yellow color. The distinctive hue is common in chicken tajines. Turmeric is also used as a substitute for the more expensive saffron which might also be used to achieve the color and taste of a great tajine. One of the most unique uses I have seen for turmeric is its ability to stop bleeding. When the spice is placed over a cut the bleeding will stop almost immediately.
These are just some of the spices used in Moroccan food to help with ailments. Walking into a herboisterie one will be confronted with hundreds of jars of ingredients, all that have some medicinal property.
How to Make a Tagine with Chef Mourad Lahlou | Williams-Sonoma
Regional Variations and Dishes
Fes: Rich and elegant - saffron, cinnamon, and ginger reign supreme. 👨🍳 Me? I’m from Rabat, and here’s how we do it:We love chicken with preserved lemon and olives, beef with prunes, and fish tagines with bright chermoula.
Moroccan cuisine is well-renowned and admired the world over, showcasing signature ingredients and spices like Moroccan mrouzia - a mixture of some of the most recognizable Moroccan spices.
The most famous Moroccan dish that has made its way world-wide is couscous. It is essentially a part of almost every meal in Morocco. Typically the couscous is cooked and served with a meat or vegetable stew spooned over it.
Another popular dish is pastilla, which is a meat pie made of squab (fledgling pigeons) or, since pigeons are hard to come by, it is often made with shredded chicken. It has sweet and salty flavors with it's combination of a crisp layer of crepe-like werqa dough, savory meat slow-cooked in broth and spices and shredded, and a crunchy layer of toasted and ground almonds, cinnamon and sugar. Pastilla is often served at the beginning of special meals.
Harira is a soup that is eaten as a starter or light snack. A typical Harira recipe is flour, tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, onions, rice, beaten eggs, herbs (celery, parsley, and coriander), spices (mainly saffron, ginger, and pepper), a small amount of beef, lamb or chicken and a spoon or two of olive olive oil. Harira is a popular dish served during the month long Islamic Ramadan.
The most popular dish served in Morocco is a historically Berber dish that is named after the special clay dish, called a tagine or tajine, that is used to make it. A tagine is a rich stew of beef, chicken, or fish and most often includes vegetables or fruits. If you can't find a traditional tajine you can use a Dutch oven like we do in our Chicken Tagine
Eating Habits
Similar to other Islamic and Northern African countries, the midday lunch is the most important meal of the day. It usually includes hot and cold salads, a lamb or chicken dish like a tagine or pastilla, that's served over couscous. Meals are often finished with a refreshing cup of spearmint tea. There's also plenty of pita available, to dip into the food and even use as a sort of utensil, wrapping the food in a floaty layer of thin bread to carry to the mouth.
Heat Factor in Moroccan Cuisine
🌶️ What About Heat? Here’s the thing - Moroccan cuisine isn’t inherently hot. One of the biggest misnomers people have is around the idea of spices = spicy when it comes to Moroccan food. Overall Moroccan food is not spicy hot. It uses a lot of spices but they create a more layered flavor combination than a pepper-feast on your tongue.
If you’re expecting a spicy heat flavor you will likely be disappointed. Instead what you’ll find in many dishes is a play on sweet and savory flavor combinations. Hot flavors are only added sometimes as a “bump” to the dish. The spiciest flavor you may encounter is harissa paste which is optional and the occasional hot pepper added to dishes. Not really.
We don’t usually cook with strong chilies in the dish itself. In families where everyone enjoys spice, a little chili powder might be added directly to soups or sauces. But most often, we let people spice up their plates at the table.
Are you ready to get cooking?
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