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Our Morocco Food Guide will take you on a culinary journey through this fascinating and delicious country.
Here you will find Morocco food favourites, some traditional foods from Morocco, and even dishes that are equally popular in other countries across the Middle East and North Africa too.
Let’s go! 25 Most Popular Foods from Morocco
Table of Contents
Couscous is one of the core staple foods of Morocco. It is made from semolina grains and steamed to create light, fluffy grains. You will generally see couscous as a base for stews, tagines, or mixed with vegetables, meat, and spices.
Did you know that couscous is so tasty; they had to name it twice! Our Morocco food guide couldn’t exist without this famous grain.
Tagine is a traditional Moroccan dish that is named after the conical-shaped clay pot in which it is cooked.
The pot itself is also called a tagine. The tagine dish typically consists of slow-cooked meat, such as lamb, chicken, or beef, along with a combination of vegetables, spices, and sometimes fruits.
Tagine dishes can vary greatly depending on the region and the cook’s preferences.
Some popular variations include lamb tagine with prunes and almonds (my personal favourite on this Morocco food list), chicken tagine with preserved lemons and olives, and vegetable tagine with chickpeas.
The resulting dish is usually rich and flavourful, with a combination of savoury and sweet notes.
Tagines are commonly served with couscous or a basket of freshly baked Moroccan khobz (bread).
A hearty soup that is often enjoyed during Ramadan to break the fast.
It contains a tomato-based broth with lentils, chickpeas, meat (such as lamb or beef), and a mixture of herbs and spices like ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and coriander.
Bread, known as khobz in Arabic is a staple food that accompanies almost every meal in Morocco. It is typically a round, flat bread made from wheat flour.
Khobz is baked in traditional ovens or communal bakeries, resulting in a crusty exterior and a soft and chewy interior.
It is often torn into pieces and used to scoop up dishes or as a sandwich base.
If you get the chance to travel in Morocco, you’ll notice that when you order a meal in a small restaurant, eatery or food market, they’ll drop a basket of bread on the table, whether you have requested it or not.
Refrain from assuming that the bread is complimentary – it usually is not, and in some places, it’s an effortless way to mark up the price of your meal, should you decide to eat it.
Note: If you’re eating in Jemaa el-Fnaa, the busy food markets in Marrakech, ask what the price of the bread is before you dig in! These eateries are known to severely over-charge tourists for bread.
Better yet, book a place on this popular Food Tour of Marrakech and let your local food-loving guide lead the way.
Makouda are Moroccan potato fritters, and these tasty snacks are popular street foods of Morocco.
Mashed potatoes are combined with herbs, spices, and sometimes cheese or meat, shaped into patties, and then deep-fried until crispy.
Makouda often comes with a side of spicy harissa sauce. Yum!
Zaalouk is a mouthwatering eggplant salad made by roasting or frying eggplants and then mashing them with tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, cumin, paprika, and various herbs.
It is often served as a side dish or dip with bread. I could eat foods from Morocco such as this every day!
Zaalouk reminds me of the most delicious foods from my travels in Iran.
Mechoui is a slow-roasted lamb dish, traditionally cooked in a pit dug in the ground.
First, the lamb is marinated with cumin, coriander, garlic, and paprika, then slowly roasted until it becomes tender and succulent.
I have to admit that after eating many slow-cooked lamb dishes all over the world, Morocco is up there with the best of them.
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Briouats are savoury pastries made with thin layers of phyllo dough filled with various ingredients, such as spiced minced meat (usually chicken, lamb, or beef), cheese, or vegetables.
The filled dough is folded into triangular or cylindrical shapes and then deep-fried until golden and crispy.
These are the best snacks for taking on a long bus trip, car journey or even beginning your 3 Day Desert Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga.
Pastilla is a beautifully sweet, and savoury pie made with layers of thin, flaky pastry filled with spiced meat (usually chicken), almonds, eggs, and a hint of cinnamon and sugar.
This dish is traditionally served as a starter or main course during festive occasions in Morocco.
Tip: Aim to buy a piece of pastilla in the morning when it’s freshly baked and hot from the oven.
A hearty and comforting dish of eggs poached in a rich tomato sauce spiced with cumin, paprika, and chilli peppers.
Popular throughout the Middle East, and Northern Africa, Shakshuka translates to “mixture” and is said to have originated in Yemen or Tunisia. And, I can tell you from experience that Shakshuka in Tunisia is fantastic!
Enjoying this dish in the capital city, Tunis was one of my top 5 things to do in Tunisia.
Eaten with crusty bread, this is one of my favourite dishes to cook from anywhere in the world. It even features in my blog, 7 cheap and easy meals for travellers to prepare in any country around the world.
The ingredients are usually quite accessible in most countries, and the dish is relatively easy to cook.
Rfissa is a popular dish in Morocco that is typically prepared for special occasions.
It consists of shredded msemen (Moroccan pancake), chicken, lentils, and a flavourful broth made with fragrant spices such as fenugreek, cinnamon, ginger, and saffron.
Rfissa is a rich and comforting meal and it’s also one of Algeria’s most popular dishes. The best Rfissa I’ve eaten was in a small restaurant in the beautiful capital city of Algeria, Algiers.
RELATED POST – Travel in Algeria – 13 Essential Things To Know Before You Go
Seffa is a sweet and savoury Moroccan dish made with steamed vermicelli noodles.
The noodles are flavoured with butter, cinnamon, and sugar and then topped with raisins, almonds, and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
This tasty food in Morocco is served as a dessert or a side dish.
Kefta Tagine is a delectable dish made with ground meat (usually beef or lamb) formed into meatballs or small patties seasoned with common Moroccan spices like cumin, paprika, and parsley.
The kefta is cooked in a tomato-based sauce with onions and various vegetables. It is often garnished with eggs and served with bread or couscous.
Harcha is Moroccan semolina flatbread cooked on a grill or pan. It is made from a mixture of semolina, butter, sugar, and milk, which is shaped into discs and cooked until golden brown.
Harcha is often enjoyed for breakfast or as a tea-time snack and can be served with honey, jam, or cheese.
Msemen is one of the most popular foods from Morocco that is treasured by all. Msemen is essentially a square-shaped pancake made from a dough of semolina flour, refined flour, and oil. It is cooked on a grill or pan until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Msemen is commonly eaten for breakfast or as a snack, often accompanied by honey, cheese, or jam.
Chermoula is a fragrant marinade or sauce made from a harmonious blend of herbs, spices, garlic, and lemon juice. Chermoula enhances the flavours of fish, meat, or vegetables and can even be used as a dipping sauce or spread.
Whenever I’m in one place for a few months or so, I prepare chermoula often to put on just about everything I cook; it’s such a versatile and zesty sauce.
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A popular Moroccan street food, these deep-fried donuts are light and fluffy, often enjoyed with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Tip: Request a fresh donut straight from the fryer, as they’re so much better when they’re fresh! These donuts are one of the most popular street foods in Tunisia too.
Mrouzia is a festive dish often served during religious holidays like Eid al-Adha.
It is a sweet and savoury lamb or beef stew cooked with a blend of spices, including cinnamon, ginger, saffron, and honey.
The meat is slow-cooked until tender and served with almonds and sesame seeds. This mouthwatering food in Morocco is incredibly rich, every mouthful is packed with so much flavour.
Baghrir is a type of Moroccan pancake or crepe.
It is made from a batter of semolina, refined flour, and yeast, resulting in a spongy texture with small holes on the surface.
Baghrir is usually eaten with melted butter and honey or topped with amlou (a spread made from toasted almonds, honey, and argan oil).
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Given Morocco’s coastal location, seafood plays a significant role in its cuisine. Sardines Chermoula is a popular dish consisting of fresh sardines marinated in chermoula.
The marinated sardines are grilled or pan-fried until crispy and served with bread—the ultimate snack or meal alongside the coastal cities such as Essaouira, Agadir or Safi in Morocco.
Tanjia is a traditional Moroccan dish that originates from the city of Marrakech. It is a slow-cooked meat dish prepared in a clay pot of the same name, known as a “tanjia.”
Tanjia is traditionally associated with the city’s public bathhouses, where men would drop off their prepared tanjia pots to be slow-cooked in the bathhouse’s communal oven while they enjoyed the steam bath.
The dish consists of simple ingredients, usually lamb or beef, and a blend of spices. The meat is marinated with garlic, cumin, ginger, saffron, paprika, and preserved lemons. Additional flavourings may include olive oil, smen (a fermented butter), or vegetable oil.
After marinating the meat, it is placed in the tanjia pot along with the marinade and any desired additions like onions, herbs, or spices.
The pot is then tightly sealed with a layer of paper or cloth, followed by a layer of clay to create an airtight seal. This method helps retain moisture and infuse the flavours into the meat during slow cooking.
Makroud is a delicious and indulgent sweet made with a date filling wrapped in a layer of semolina dough.
The dough is scented with orange blossom water and deep-fried until golden brown.
After frying, the pastries are typically dipped in honey or syrup and garnished with sesame seeds. Makroud is popular breakfast food in Morocco.
You may have guessed already from our list of the best foods from Morocco; they make some of the best biscuits and sweets we’ve ever tasted.
Ghriba cookies are a beloved Moroccan treat made with ground almonds, sugar, eggs, and a hint of orange blossom water.
Ghriba cookies come in various flavours, such as sesame, coconut, or pistachio, and they have a crumbly texture with a slightly chewy centre.
These biscuits are just perfect to pair alongside some fresh mint tea or strong coffee.
Meskouta is a popular Moroccan cake enjoyed as a dessert or sweet treat. It is a moist and citrus cake known for its simplicity and delicious flavour.
The main ingredients used in Meskouta are basic pantry staples such as all-purpose flour, sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, baking powder, and a combination of citrus fruits. The zest and juice of oranges and lemons give this cake a bright and refreshing taste.
Meskouta can be served plain with a dusting of powdered sugar on top or glazed made from powdered sugar and citrus juice for added sweetness.
Bisara is a thick and hearty soup or dip made primarily from dried split fava beans, known as “ful medames” or “bessara” in Arabic.
Bisara is often enjoyed as a nutritious, filling, and comforting breakfast or light meal.
You will find this dish eaten in many other countries too. Bisara is one of the most popular foods in Egypt, one of the many much-loved dishes in Lebanon, and among the foods in Syria that I enjoyed very much.
RELATED POST – Food of Libya – 10 Most Popular Foods
Now that you’ve got a list of all the foods from Morocco that you must taste, it’s worth taking note of the beverages you should try too.
Three of the most popular drinks from Morocco:
I hope you enjoyed this Morocco Food Guide. Are your favourite foods from Morocco featured in our list? What Moroccan dish would you like to see here? Let us know in the comments below.
Travel Tips for Northern Africa
After you’ve had the best time exploring Morocco, perhaps you may consider visiting some nearby countries.
Check out our detailed 14 Days Itinerary for Tunisia and 10 Best Tips for Independent travellers in Tunisia.
We’ve got some helpful and detailed posts from our travels around Algeria, one of the least visited countries in Africa.
Finally, if you can manage to secure a visa for Libya, this is an incredible place. It has the best Roman Ruins we’ve ever seen and the spectacular site of Leptis Magna left us speechless.
We’ve travelled to every country in Africa, this is such a large and diverse continent. Do you know how many countries in Africa there are? 54 or 55?
Our detailed AFRICA Food Map is a must-read if you’re visiting any country on the continent. And, if you’re wishing to visit the 10 best food countries in Africa, this food guide is just for you.
Head to our AFRICA DESTINATION Page to read all about this thrilling continent.
And for those of you daring enough to take on an overland journey through West Africa, read these 17 Things to know before travelling in West Africa, a must-read before you leave.
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