Moroccan lamb tagine with spicy rice is a fragrant, easy-to-make main that works for family dinners or special occasions. Sweet dried apricots balance warm North African spices while slow cooking keeps the lamb tender and full of flavour. Serve with spiced rice or couscous to carry the same aromatic notes through the meal.
What is Moroccan lamb tagine?
A lamb tagine is essentially a slow-cooked lamb stew, but it’s defined by bold Moroccan flavours and the method used to make it. This version combines warming spices, fruit and legumes to create a well-rounded, aromatic dish.
I include dried apricots, carrots and chickpeas for texture and sweetness, and a blend of ginger, cinnamon, cumin, paprika and turmeric for depth. I chose not to add chilli so the spice aromas remain prominent without extra heat.
This recipe uses bone-in lamb chops, but you can use other cuts. Tougher cuts such as neck or shoulder work well because they become meltingly tender with long, slow cooking.
I served the tagine with a spicy Moroccan rice to echo the dish’s flavours, but couscous or flatbread also pair beautifully.
Cooking in a tagine or a heavy lidded pot helps the meat stay moist while letting the spices infuse the sauce.
What is a tagine?
A tagine is both a cooking method (a slow, stewed dish) and the distinctive conical-lidded pot used to make it.
Traditional tagines are made from clay, but you can find ceramic and cast-iron versions. The conical lid traps steam, which condenses and returns to the food, keeping it succulent.
The lid’s shape ensures moisture circulates and drips back onto the food, preserving texture and concentrating flavour. If you don’t own a tagine, a heavy cast-iron Dutch oven or a casserole with a tight-fitting lid will give similar results.
The tagine’s base often doubles as the serving dish, which looks attractive straight to the table.
What you will need
Equipment
Use a tagine or a casserole dish with a tight lid. You’ll also need a large frying pan to brown the meat and soften the onions before combining everything to cook slowly.
Ingredients
This recipe serves 4.
Stews are forgiving, so you can adapt vegetables or quantities to suit your taste. I recommend keeping the spice mix as listed because it defines the dish’s character.
Lamb chops — about 1½ pounds (700 g). If using boneless shoulder, allow roughly 150 g per person.
Tomato and onion — one large tomato and one large red onion, diced.
Carrots — two medium, diced.
Chickpeas — a 400 g (14 oz) can, drained.
Apricots — about 60 g soft dried apricots, chopped. Sultanas work as an alternative or in combination.
Garlic — roughly 2 cloves, minced (or ready-crushed).
Stock — 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable or chicken stock.
Lemon juice — 1 tablespoon for brightness. Vinegar or a spoonful of yoghurt can be used if preferred.
Flaked almonds — for sprinkling on top at serving.
Olive oil — for browning the meat and frying the onions.
Spices — the blend used here:
- Ginger powder
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground cumin
- Ground paprika
- Turmeric
- Salt to taste
What to do
1. Mix the salt and spices in a bowl and coat the lamb chops thoroughly. Reserve any excess spice mix.
2. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and sear the chops for about 2 minutes per side until nicely browned.
3. Place the seared chops into the base of the tagine or casserole dish.
4. In the same pan, soften the onions and garlic for about 3 minutes until translucent. Add a splash more oil if needed.
5. Add the softened onions, tomato, carrots, chickpeas, apricots, stock and lemon juice to the tagine along with any remaining spices.
6. Cover and bake at 180°C (360°F) for 1½ hours. If using cubed shoulder or neck, allow an extra 30 minutes until very tender.
7. When cooked, garnish with flaked almonds and serve hot with spicy Moroccan rice, couscous or flatbread.
If the sauce needs thickening, mix 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch) with 2 tablespoons water, stir into the tagine and return uncovered to the oven for 5 minutes.
Moroccan lamb tagine FAQ
Serve with spicy rice, couscous, flatbread or a simple green salad. Pomegranate seeds or fresh herbs add colour and brightness.
Cooking time depends on the cut. Lamb chops take about 1½ hours; tougher cuts like neck or shoulder may need up to 2 hours for best tenderness.
Yes—cool completely, pack into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and gently reheat on the stove.
Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Flavours often improve after resting overnight. Reheat gently on the stove.
Save for later
If you want to keep this recipe for later, saving it to a board or bookmarking the page will make it easy to find when you’re ready to cook.
Related recipes
If you enjoyed this tagine, you might also like other Moroccan-inspired lamb recipes such as lamb pie with apricots, spiced lamb meatballs or a hearty lamb keema.
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Moroccan lamb pie with apricots
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Moroccan lamb meatballs with tomato sauce
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Lamb keema (minced lamb curry with eggs)
-
Lamb pide – Turkish pizza
📋The recipe
Moroccan lamb tagine
Equipment
- Tagine or casserole dish
- Frying pan
- Sharp knife and chopping board
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds / 700 g lamb chops
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 1 large red onion, peeled and diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 10 oz / 400 g can chickpeas, drained
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 oz / 60 g soft dried apricots, diced
- 1 cup / 240 ml stock (vegetable or chicken)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1–2 tbsp flaked almonds, for garnish
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil, for frying
- Salt to taste
Spices
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp turmeric
Instructions
- Combine salt and spices, coat the lamb chops and reserve any leftover spice mix.
- Heat olive oil and brown the chops for about 2 minutes per side.
- Transfer the browned chops to the tagine base.
- Sauté the onion and garlic in the frying pan for about 3 minutes until translucent, adding oil if needed.
- Add the onions, tomato, carrots, chickpeas, apricots, stock and lemon juice to the tagine with any remaining spices.
- Cover and bake at 180°C / 360°F for 1½ hours (add 30 minutes for tougher cuts).
- Garnish with flaked almonds and serve with spicy rice, couscous or flatbread.
Notes
You can thicken the sauce by whisking 1 tbsp cornflour with 2 tbsp water, stirring it in and returning the tagine uncovered to the oven for 5 minutes. If using lamb neck or cubed shoulder, allow an extra 30 minutes cooking time. Nutrition shown does not include rice or side dishes.
If you try the recipe I’d appreciate a star rating in the comments. For questions you can email [email protected]. Don’t forget to subscribe for a free cookbook.