Morocco is very well known for its cuisine and its diversity of dishes, which attracts many food lovers to travel to Morocco, especially to try traditional Moroccan food. Gordon Ramsay, a very well-known chef around the world, once held a competition on Instagram for the best cuisine in the world. Guess what? Morocco won the competition!

This shows that, besides its rich culture and the many interesting places to visit, Morocco also has an amazing cuisine. Here are some dishes you should try during your Morocco tour.

Tagine

No trip to Morocco is complete without tagine, it’s less a dish than a way of life here. Tagine is the most well-known dish in Morocco and has become an important part of Moroccan culture. The word “tagine” refers to the traditional cooking pot in which the dish is cooked. Some tagines are made from clay, while others are made from metal.

So, if you want to order a tagine, you should say what kind of tagine you would like, because there are many different types, such as chicken tagine, kefta (meatball) tagine, beef tagine, vegetable tagine, and many others.

Couscous

Couscous is another traditional Moroccan dish. Traditionally, couscous is prepared more often on Fridays, which is an important day in Morocco when families gather together after going to prayer to enjoy couscous as a family.

However, tourists can find couscous in many restaurants throughout the week. Couscous may be served on a traditional tagine plate, but it is never cooked in the tagine itself.

Couscous is cooked using steam. To prepare it traditionally, you need a special two-level cooking pot called a couscoussier. The lower part is used to cook the vegetables, spices, and meat, while the upper part has small holes through which the steam rises and cooks the couscous.

Bastilla or Pastilla

Bastilla, also known as Pastilla, is another traditional Moroccan dish, but it is not available everywhere you go. Fes is one of the cities most famous for this dish, it’s a must-try if you’re joining one of our Tours from Fes.

It is a dish with a delicious mix of sweet and savory flavors, wrapped in a crispy pastry. The most popular version is chicken pastilla, which is usually made with chicken, almonds, eggs, and spices. There are also seafood and vegetarian versions.

Berber Pizza or Madfouna

Berber Pizza, also known as Madfouna, is a typical dish, especially in the desert regions of Morocco. Traditionally, nomads used to cook it underground, although today it is also commonly cooked in an oven.

It is a type of stuffed bread filled with ingredients such as onion, meat, eggs, spices, and garlic. It is especially popular in the desert areas and is definitely worth trying during your Morocco tour.

Msemmen and Baghrir

Msemmen and Baghrir are two popular Moroccan pancakes that you can enjoy for breakfast. They can be served with butter, cheese, honey, or other toppings.

Msemmen is a square-shaped, layered Moroccan pancake, while Baghrir is a soft, spongy pancake with many small holes on the surface. Both are delicious and are often enjoyed with Moroccan mint tea.

Mint Tea

Mint tea is the typical drink in Morocco. Moroccans have tea on most occasions, whether happy or sad. Tea is also a sign of hospitality in Morocco. Whenever you visit someone, they will usually offer you tea.

However, when many foreigners hear “mint tea,” they think it is only made with mint and water. In fact, Moroccan mint tea is made with green tea, which is the essential ingredient, and fresh mint is added for flavor.

Mint is the most common flavor, but there are other herbs that Moroccans may use instead of mint, either for their health benefits or simply because of personal preference, such as wormwood or verbena.

Fun Fact About Tea

Back in the old days, tea was not just a normal drink; it could also be part of the engagement tradition. Morocco was more conservative at that time, so when a man went to ask for a woman’s hand in marriage, the woman would prepare tea for him.

If the tea was sweet, it meant YES. If she served it without sugar, it meant NO.

However, this tradition does not exist anymore.