Beef tagine is a tantalizing labor of love that takes hours to slowly cook and simmer. But it's well worth the time needed to cook up this Moroccan delicacy because all that time cooking ensures that this beef tagine is mouthwateringly tender and bursting with juicy goodness!
The smells, tastes, and flavors of Morocco might be difficult to replicate at home, but with a tagine potand a few spices, you can recreate authentic North African recipes in your own kitchen.
1 small squash (deseeded and chopped into small chunks)
1 tbsp of ground cumin
1 tbsp of ground cinnamon
1 tbsp of paprika
1 tbsp of ground ginger
1 tbsp of ras el hanout spices
2 tbsp of almond flakes
3 and 1/2 ounces of prunes
Fresh cilantro
Olive oil
3 and 1/2 cups of vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Start this most delicious of Moroccan beef recipes by preparing the Moroccan spice mixture. In a small bowl, pour out your tablespoons worth of ras el hanout, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and paprika. Season very generously with salt and pepper, and then give everything a good mix.
In a separate, larger mixing bowl, use the spices to marinade your stewing beef. Gently cover all the pieces of beef with an even coating of spices, then cover the entire bowl and leave it in the fridge to cool down.*
When you're happy with the beef spice mix, it's time to start cooking, so heat up a good drizzle of oil in the bottom of a tagine pot on the stovetop.
When the oil is hot, fry your beef for 5 min at medium heat.
Add in your chopped up onion and cilantro, and then fry together with the beef for a further 5 min.
Next, add your can of chickpeas and your can of tomatoes, before pouring over your vegetable stock.
Stir everything together and bring your beef tagine broth to the boil.
Put the lid on your beef tagine pot and be patient as you let everything slowly cook for 1.5 hours.
After 1.5 hours of stewing, add in your chopped up chunks of squash and your prunes. Top up the beef tagine with more vegetable stock.
With the lid on the tagine pot again, let everything slowly simmer for another 1.5 hours. **
When your Moroccan beef tagine is ready, sprinkle over more cilantro, alongside your almond flakes, then serve up your feast the family!
Recipe Note
*The idea of the marinade is to infuse the spices into the stewing beef to give it much more flavor. The longer you can leave the beef to marinate, the more flavor you're going to have. If you can, try to prepare the spices and the beef the night before and leave it in the fridge for 24 hours.
**You need to keep a watchful eye over the simmering beef tagine and add more stock, or a splash of water if it's looking too dry. If it's too watery, leave the lid off the tagine pot or simmer for longer.
Beef tagine recipes FAQ
What can I serve with Moroccan beef stew?
Beef tagine can be served up with a wonderful range of accompaniments and side dishes, but if you're really looking for authenticity, then the only thing you should be serving up the dish with at dinner time is couscous!
This delicious North African staple is readily available in shops and really easy to cook up at home. Boil the couscous then flavor it at the end with some Moroccan spices or just a dash of salt and pepper.
How long should I let my stewing beef marinate for?
If you have the time beforehand to prepare your beef and spices well in advance, your dish will be much more delicious. Aim for 24 hours, if you can.
We understand this isn't always possible, but at least let the spices mix into the beef for an hour if you forgot the night before!
Can I make beef tagine ahead of time?
Yes! Definitely!
In fact, the earlier you start preparing and leaving the beef to mix with the spices, and the longer you keep the beef tagine simmering for in your tagine pot, the more delicious it's going to be.
You can make the whole stew in advance and warm it up later on too!
Can I freeze beef tagine?
One thing we don't really recommend is freezing your beef tagine, but if you need to, it's certainly possible. Make sure you let the beef tagine cool down first, then place it in ziplock bags or resealable containers that are suitable for freezing.
When it's time to defrost, let it thaw naturally on the side to keep in as much flavor as you can, rather than defrosting in the microwave.
Beef Tagine Takeaways
Bring the delicious tastes and spices of North Africa to your home kitchen, with our delicious Moroccan beef tagine recipe! Why not bookmark this recipe for later, so you can cook up a Moroccan feast for the whole family?
