21 Moroccan Foods You Must Try in Morocco

21 Moroccan Foods to Try While Visiting Morocco

1. Tagine

We had tagine multiple times while in Morocco. It’s a clay cooking pot with a conical lid with multiple types of dishes slow cooked inside (beef, lamb, chicken, veggies, etc). You can get it practically anywhere, at roadside stops, cafés, and nicer restaurants.

We want to try making this at home, anyone have a good recipe?

Restaurants: L’ibzar, Marrakech | L’Amandier Palais Faraj, Fes

Try it at Home: 10 Tagine Recipes You Have to Try

2. Couscous (National Dish of Morocco)

Couscous is originally from Morocco and typically served with meat or vegetable stew. Traditionally, they prepare couscous on the Muslim holy day (Friday) and for special occasions, but you can find it at most restaurants and cafes.

Restaurants: Cafe Clock, Fes | Restaurant Naima, Marrakech

Try it at Home: Moroccan Couscous Recipe

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3. Zalouk

Zalouk (also spelled zaalouk) is a common side dish and typically served with crusty bread. The spread is made with eggplants, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and spices.

Restaurants: Nur, Fes | Bazaar Cafe, Marrakech

More: 21 Things You Must Know Before Visiting Morocco

4. Fish Chermoula

Chermoula is a mix of herbs and spices used when grilling or baking fish and seafood. Depending on the mix, you’ll get flavors of onion, coriander, chili peppers, or saffron. Often times you’ll see it as a dipping sauce too.

Best Restaurant: The Ruined Garden, Fes | Krita, Marrakech

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5. Harira

Harira is basically a Moroccan lentil soup usually served as a starter or used during Ramadan to break the fast at dusk.

Restaurants: Cafe Caravan, Marrakech | The Ruined Garden, Fes

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6. Bastilla (Chicken or Pigeon Pie)

If you love the mix of sweet and salty flavors than you definitely need to try bastilla (also spelled pastilla). This flaky pie is traditionally made with pigeon, but more commonly served with chicken now.

Restaurants: Table d’Hotes Dar Bensouda, Fes | Al Fassia Aguedal, Marrakech

Try it at Home: Chicken Bastilla Recipe

7. Makouda

Who doesn’t love deep-fried foods? Makouda is a deep-fried potato ball dipped in spicy sauce and a street food staple.

Restaurants: Riad Rcif, Fes | Cafe Clock, Marrakech

Try it at Home: Makouda Batata Recipe

8. Khobz

This crusty bread is typically baked in communal wood-fired ovens and served with a lot of meals. Also, be sure to check out all the other breads in Morocco, like the harcha (a buttery bread), rghaif (a flaky flat bread), or baghira (spongy crumpet). Yes, give me all the carbs!

Try it at Home: Moroccan Khobz Recipe

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9. Steamed Sheep Head

During the festival of Eid al-Adha, everyone slaughters a sheep and then steams the head for hours. You can typically purchase a half or whole head and enjoy it with cumin, salt, and chili. The whole head is edible, but the best parts are the tender cheek meat and tongue. Would you try it?

Try it at Home: Steamed Sheeps Head Recipe

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10. Spicy Sardines

Morocco is the world’s largest exporter of sardines. Naturally, they serve it all over the country. Stuffed and cooked with a spicy chermoula sauce, they deep fry the fish for a tasty snack.

Where to Try it: The Ruined Garden, Fes | Miyame, Essouira

Try it at Home: Moroccan Stuffed Sardines Recipe

11. Mint Tea

Everyone has his or her own version of mint tea, which is the drink of choice in Morocco. It’s a green tea base with lots of mint leaves and sugar.

More: 21 Unique Things to Do in Fes Morocco

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12. Bissara

Bissara is a rich and hearty soup made from dried fava beans and commonly served during breakfast. Typically it will be topped with fresh olive oil and a sprinkle of cumin.

Restaurants: Beldi Bab Ssour, Chefchaouen | Riad al Bartal, Fes

13. Crumbed Liver

This is one of the Moroccan foods you can try with a side of fries or in a sandwich, but the smooth and buttery calves’ livers is a delicious fried dish.

14. Brochettes

These tasty kebabs are rubbed in salt and spices and can be found in a lot of the markets. You can get chicken, lamb, or beef and the enormous clouds of smoke make for great photos.

Restaurants: Kasbah Cafe, Marrakech | Riad Andalib, Fes

Try it at Home: Chicken Brochettes Recipe

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15. Aubergine or Moroccan Eggplant Fritters

Aubergine, or eggplant, is common in a few different dishes in Morocco, but be sure to try the fritters. They slice the eggplant then dip them in a paprika batter before deep-frying them for a delicious side dish.

Restaurants: Kasbah Cafe, Marrakech | Riad Andalib, Fes

Try it at Home: Moroccan Fried Eggplant Recipe

16. Snail Soup

Snail soup is a Moroccan dish you can find all over the country. Use a toothpick to pick out the snails from the shells then slurp up the soup. Locals believe the broth is good for digestion and fever.

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17. Stuffed Camel Spleen

Taking on the form of a sausage, stuff camel spleen is soft and creamy. It’s usually filled with beef or lamb, olives, spices, and a bit of hump fat. It’s typically served in a sandwich.

18. Tanjia or Tangia

Tangia, like tagine, is a clay pot. These dishes are named after the cooking vessels they use. It’s traditionally filled with chunks of beef or lamb and a bunch of spices, then slow cooked in the embers of a furnace.

Restaurants: Mechoui Alley, Marrakech | Cafe Clock, Fes

Try it at Home: Moroccan Tangia Marrakchia

19. Kaab el Ghazal

Kaab el Ghazal, or gazelle horns, are crescent-shaped pastries have almond paste scented with orange flower water and cinnamon.

Try it at Home: Kaab el Ghazal Recipe (Gazelle Horns)

20. Briwat or Briouats

You can’t leave Morocco without having some of these delicious sweets! Briwat is a deep fried filo pastry. It is in shaped like a triangle and filled with almonds.

Restaurants: La Table de Marrakech, Marrakech | Riad Andalib, Fes

Try it at Home: Almond Briouat Recipe​

21. Shebakia or Chebakia

Another delicious dessert, shebakia is a flower-shaped, fried sesame cookie dipped in honey. You’ll usually find bees all over them in the markets, and they just shoo them away before serving them to you. It’s all part of the experience.

More: 21 Fascinating Things to Do in Marrakech Morocco

Pro Tip: Don’t Forget Your Imodium

It doesn’t matter how strong you think your stomach is. It’s better to be safe than sorry, friend. We’re no strangers to eating random street foods in the countries we visit, but it’s always a good idea since bacteria species can vary based on diet and geography. I’ve never taken Imodium before. On this trip, a third of our tour got sick after our first night, including me, and that Imodium came in really handy!

More: Packing List for Morocco, Spain, and Portugal

More Moroccan Foods to Try

• Baba Ghanoush
• Baklava
• Chicken with Preserved Lemon and Olives
• Chickpea Stew
• Kefta Meatball Tagine
• Mechoui
• Nuts and Olives
• Lamb or Beef with Prunes
• Rfissa

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Planning Checklist

Would you try sheep’s head, pigeon pie, or snail soup? Which of these Moroccan foods do you want to try the most? Are we missing anything on our list that we need to try on our next trip?