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Vegetarian Moroccan Mixed Vegetable Tagine

If you've been under the impression that Moroccan stews must include meat or poultry, think again. A delicious vegetarian tagine with mixed vegetables can be prepared as your main dish. Vegetables cooked in traditional Moroccan tagines have appetizing texture, color, and flavor. If cooking in a tagine, a diffuser is recommended for placing between the tagine and burner. If you don't own a tagine, a skillet may be used instead. Avoid rushing the cooking; you'll want to allow one to two hours for the veggies to slow cook. If using argan oil instead of olive oil, extra care must be given to maintaining a low temperature so as not to ruin the delicate flavor of the oil.

complex14 ingredients12 preparation steps
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Ingredients

  • 1 onion, sliced into rings
  • 2 tomatoes, thickly sliced
  • 4 carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise or sliced
  • 2 or 3 small zucchini, cut in half lengthwise or thickly sliced
  • 1 to 2 large potatoes, peeled and quartered or cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • Pinch of saffron threads, crumbled, optional
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, or argan oil
  • Handful green olives, optional
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, or cilantro, for garnish

Preparation

  1. 1Steps to Make It
  2. 2Gather the ingredients.
  3. 3Wash and slice the onion, tomato, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, and potatoes.
  4. 4Place the carrots, zucchini, and potatoes in a bowl. Add the salt, ginger, pepper, turmeric, and optional saffron threads. Toss to coat the vegetables evenly.
  5. 5Pour half of the oil into the base of a tagine or in a skillet. Add the onion slices and top with the tomato slices.
  6. 6Arrange the vegetables in conical fashion on top the tomatoes. First, add the carrots, then the potatoes, then the zucchini.
  7. 7Add the optional olives, if using. Drizzle the remaining oil over the arranged vegetables.
  8. 8Rinse the spices from the bowl which held the potatoes by swirling one cup of water in the bowl. Add this water to the tagine or skillet and cover.
  9. 9Place over medium-low to medium heat (use a diffuser between a tagine and the burner) and bring to a simmer. It's normal for this to take 15 or 20 minutes if cooking in clay, so stay patient.
  10. 10Once you hear the tagine simmering, adjust the heat to the lowest temperature necessary for maintaining a simmer. Allow the tagine to cook undisturbed for about one to 1.5 hours. Check to see that the vegetables are tender, and reduce any excess liquid if desired.
  11. 11Garnish the tagine with the chopped parsley or cilantro.
  12. 12Serve the tagine warm and enjoy.