Most Delicious Moroccan Food Dishes

Moroccan food is unique and amazing.

Most Delicious Moroccan Food Dishes

The Arabic country of Morocco is located in Northern Africa, separated from Europe by the Strait of Gibraltar.

Moroccan food shares several elements common across Arabic and Middle Eastern nations like couscous, dried nuts and fruits, and the generous use of fragrant spices. Still, the country has its own culinary variations that make its gastronomy as unique as it is delicious.

If you haven't had the pleasure of tasting Moroccan food yet, don't delay. These are the best Moroccan food dishes to eat.

30. Msemen

Simple but delicious, msemen is the perfect breakfast food. It is a thin and crunchy bread that is usually eaten with jam and soft cheese.

In Morocco, you'll find it everywhere at a very cheap price, so you'll probably eat a lot of it.

29. Bissara

Another very cheap Moroccan breakfast food is bissara.

This thick bean soup is given flavor with cumin and olive oil and always eaten with bread on the side. Portions are small but deceptively filling.

28. Khlea

Often eaten during religious holidays, khlea is made by drying meat — often in the sun — after being dipped and rubbed in spices. After a couple of days, the meat is placed in a jar with cooking fat and left in the fridge.

The result is an interesting mix of the rubbery dried meat and the buttery fat that somehow really works.

27. Fried Sardines

Sardines are a divisive meal, but if you're one of the people who like the strong flavored fish, you definitely have to try the Moroccan version.

Rather than grilling or canning it, Moroccans lather the fish with a special mix made up of lemon juice, oil, coriander, garlic, red peppers and spices like ginger and cumin. The sardines are rubbed in flour and fried.

This technique takes away a bit of the pungent taste of sardines, which is why this recipe is well-beloved.

26. Taktouka

A popular puree, taktouka is made with mashed green peppers and cooked tomatoes, topped with olive oil, coriander and parsley.

The pureed salas is normally used as a side dish when served with meats or as an appetizer dip served with freshly baked bread.

25. Snail Soup

If you haven't yet woken up to the absolute deliciousness of snails, we recommend you go out and try this soup as soon as possible.

Snails are boiled in water with condiments and then served as a soup. To eat, use the toothpick provided to pick the snail out of the shell, then slurp the broth that is inside as well as at the bottom of the bowl.

24. Tfaya

You can't go to Fez and not try tfaya, one of the regional dishes of the city. The side dish consists of many fragrant ingredients, including saffron, ginger, cinnamon, raisins and caramelized onions. To make it savory, lamb and hard-boiled eggs are added in.

Tfaya has many uses, served with or on top of dishes like couscous, sandwiches and grilled meat. Its savory version is usually reserved for festivities.

23. Zalouk

Otherwise known as baba ghanoush, zalouk is the Moroccan version of this beloved Middle Eastern dish.

The base for it is pureed eggplant, to which peppers are added. It is used as a salad side dish or as a dip.

22. Bulfaf

Usually served in big celebrations like weddings, births and the Islamic holiday of Eid Aladha , bulfaf is beloved around the country.

It is made by wrapping pieces of lung and liver in fat and grilling them. If liver isn't your thing, you probably won't enjoy this too much, but if your palate is much more experimental, you should jump at the chance of trying this.

21. Shakshouka

A common dish in Maghreb and Middle Eastern countries, shakshouka is a simple yet very delicious meal.

Tomato sauce is made by slow cooking tomatoes and onions with numerous spices. Once the sauce is ready, eggs are poached in it. Merguez sauce is sometimes added for a bit of protein.

20. Loubia

Cheap and easy to make, loubia is a staple of every Moroccan household. The white bean stew is nutritious and warms you up like the love of a grandmother.

Loubia can be a side dish or an appetizer.

19. Sigarim

Sigarim are nicknamed Moroccan cigars. Despite their decidedly unappetizing name, these pastries are nothing but deep-fried goodness that will lift up your spirits without fail.

The pastry is stuffed with lamb, spices, onions and garlic, rolled into a thin cylinder (resembling a cigar) and dipped into oil until they're fatty enough to be good comfort food. To contrast the oiliness, they're usually served with a yogurt dip that's light and fresh.

18. Tkalia

Many Northern African dishes are shared between several countries, but tkalia is completely Moroccan.

Another dish reserved for feasts and special occasions, it is made with lamb guts that are cooked with chickpeas and a generous variety of spices.

It is sometimes garnished with olives.

17. Kaab el Ghazal

Shaped like crescent moons, these cookies are one of the most beloved Moroccan desserts.

The pastry is dipped in orange blossom water and stuffed with almond filling. Sugar is then sprinkled on top to round off the fragrant sweetness of the treat.

16. Briouat

These triangular pastries make for the perfect snack to ward off hunger until dinner. They are stuffed with different kinds of meat, usually lamb or chicken, but you can also find ones with cheese filling.

If sweet is more your thing, almond paste briouats are easy to find in practically any city in Morocco.

15. Makouda

Makouda is an extremely popular street food snack that consists of potato fritters.

The balls are usually accompanied with harissa sauce, a spicy Maghreb dip that adds a kick to the delicious snacks.

14. Pastilla

Chicken or pigeon is the main ingredient of this pie dish, which is normally reserved for festivities.

The meat stuffing is complemented with garlic, onions, fried almonds and fragrant spices like saffron and ginger.

13. Fried Chicken

Fried chicken is common around the world, and Morocco is no exception.

As a preferred local dish for thousands of years, you'll more likely find fried chicken at a celebration than at a street food stand, as is the norm in other countries.

Moroccans take this traditional food seriously, so you can count on the chicken always being on point.

12. Seffa

Sweet-and-savory seffa adds chicken, onion sauce, sugar, raisins and almonds to couscous.

The dish is commonly served for special occasions, probably because of its unusual yet delicious contrast of flavors.

11. Rfisa

A dish that is meant to be shared, rfisa brings together chicken, lentils, saffron, hard bread and spices.

The dish is often called "the mother's meal" because it is traditionally made for mothers who have just given birth and need healthy, nutrient-rich food.

10. Brochettes

Brochettes are basically kebabs that you'll find at any Moroccan street market.

The meat is sprinkled with spices and condiments and then grilled to juicy perfection.

9. Medfouna

Also called Berber pizza, medfouna is a type of flatbread that is stuffed with meat, usually beef or lamb, as well as onions and topped with almonds.

The flatbread is then cooked in a fire pit or a mud oven and served in triangular slices.

8. Fish Chermoula

Though not necessarily known for its fish dishes, Morocco has an extensive coastline, which always means delicious seafood.

Fish chermoula is a fish that is grilled over coals and marinated in a special sauce called chermoula. The sauce is made with parsley, cilantro, garlic, hot spices and citrus juice.

7. Chebakia

If you try one dessert in Morocco, let it be chebakia. With a history going back hundreds of years, this dessert is part of the country's cultural identity and is especially enjoyed during the month of Ramadan.

The dough is shaped like a flower or rose, doused in honey, rosewater and anise and topped with sesame seeds.

6. Harira

Another Ramadan staple, harira is the soup that is used to break fast once the sun sets.

Made with lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes and lamb, harira is hearty and rich with protein — very necessary for prolonged fasts.

5. Mrouzia

Like many Moroccan dishes, mrouzia is made in a tajine, a cylindrical clay pot.

The base ingredients are lamb and raisins, a delightful contrast between the strong meaty flavor of lamb and the sweetness of raisins.

Honey, almonds and sesame seeds are also added.

4. Tanjia

A dish typical of Marrakech, tanjia is made with lamb or beef, heavily spiced. The meat is placed on a clay pot and cooked by burying it under hot ash.

This particular cooking method gives the dish an earthy, smokey taste that people love.

3. Mint Tea

Although not technically "food," mint tea is such a ubiquitous part of Moroccan gastronomy, it simply had to make it into the top three.

Making it is quite simple: just add mint leaves and sugar to green tea. But despite (or perhaps because of) its simplicity, mint tea accompanies almost every Moroccan meal, especially snacks and desserts.

While in Morocco, you'll see people gathered in tables outside in the afternoon, talking and discussing local life over a delicious cup of mint tea.

2. Tajine

Besides a clay earthenware, tajine (or tagine) is also a dish that is made using this particular cooking tool.

There are several kinds of tajine but the gist of it boils down to vegetables, meats and nuts being steamed for hours inside the casserole.

The resulting tenderness of the ingredients and the infusion of spices into every bite makes this one of the most beloved Moroccan dishes around the world.

1. Couscous

Couscous is the national dish of Morocco, and there is simply no question that couscous is thebest Moroccan food. In fact, it is among the best dishes in all of Africa.

The base for this dish is, of course, couscous, which is cooked in a couscoussier, a pot specifically for making couscous. The pot consists of a metal dish where the stew brews. On top, a basket contains the couscous that is steamed with the heat of the stew.

Common ingredients include red or white meats, raisins, onions, peppers, chickpeas and vegetables like carrots and eggplants in chunky slices arranged to form a pyramid on top of the grain.