9 Tagine Recipes for Slow-Simmered Comfort, From Lamb to Chickpea Stews

These recipes showcase the rich, aromatic flavors of North African cooking.

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Clay Pot Lamb and Butternut Squash Tagine Recipe
Credit: Victor Protasio

Tagine — a slow-cooked North African stew named for the clay pot in which it’s traditionally prepared — is a hearty, warming dish that lends itself beautifully to variation. Often built around ras el hanout, salty-tart preserved lemon, olives, dried fruit, and plenty of herbs and aromatics, it develops layers of complex flavor as it cooks. Our collection of tagine recipes spans a variety of proteins, from tender lamb and vegetable-rich chickpea stews to chicken versions from Andrew Zimmern and Joël Robuchon. Read on for these recipes and more comforting ways to bring the flavors of tagine to your table.

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01 of 09

Lamb and Butternut Squash Tagine with Apricots

Clay Pot Lamb and Butternut Squash Tagine Recipe
Victor Protasio

Break out the clay tagine for this savory-sweet stew of lamb shoulder with dried apricots, Castelvetrano olives, butternut squash, and ras el hanout–spiced honey. The long cook time is worth it for the fall-apart-tender meat.

02 of 09

Saffron Chicken Tagine

Saffron Chicken Tagine
John Kernick

Andrew Zimmern’s deeply flavorful North African chicken stew is designed for a large enameled cast-iron Dutch oven, no earthenware tagine necessary. To make it, he marinates both white and dark meat in an aromatic blend of warm spices with preserved lemon and harissa, then braises the chicken in broth bolstered with the reserved marinade.

03 of 09

Root Vegetable and Cauliflower Tagine with Parsley Yogurt

Root Vegetable and Cauliflower Tagine with Parsley Yogurt

Jessica Sample

Chef and television host Aida Mollenkamp’s vegetarian tagine pairs cauliflower with root vegetables, chickpeas, and a host of spices and aromatics for a tasty Moroccan meal that’s easy to prepare in advance.

04 of 09

Shrimp and Vegetable Tagine with Preserved Lemon

Shrimp-and-Vegetable Tagine with Preserved Lemon
© Petrina Tinslay

Morocco-born San Francisco chef Mourad Lahlou perks up his hearty shrimp stew with thinly sliced preserved lemon rind, infusing the dish with salty-tart, umami-rich flavor. Purchase preserved lemons from a specialty food shop or make your own.

05 of 09

Chicken Tagine with Herbs and Harissa Olives

Chicken Tagine with Herbs and Harissa Olives
© John Kernick

Food writer and Moroccan cooking school founder Tara Stevens starts her chicken tagine by rubbing freshly brewed mint tea over the bird before stewing it with aromatics, herbs, and spices. She concentrates the broth into a sauce while the chicken roasts in the oven, then serves everything together with harissa-coated olives.

06 of 09

Lamb Tagine with Green Olives and Lemon

Lamb Tagine with Green Olives and Lemon
© Kana Okada

2008 F&W Best New Chef Ethan Stowell doesn’t brown the meat before stewing it, simplifying the recipe and giving the lamb a buttery texture. The dish is robustly flavored with ginger, cumin, coriander, olives, and lemon. Serve over couscous to catch the rich broth.

07 of 09

Chicken Tagine with Artichoke Hearts and Peas

Chicken Tagine with Artichoke Hearts and Peas. Photo © Tina Rupp

Tina Rupp

This Moroccan chicken stew from legendary French chef Joël Robuchon leans on a fragrant spice blend of saffron, ginger, coriander, cumin, hot paprika, and turmeric for its depth of flavor. Artichoke hearts and peas impart a taste of spring to the warming broth; the inclusion of frozen veggies means the dish can be made year-round.

08 of 09

Chickpea Tagine

Chickpea Tagine
© Quentin Bacon

Chef Christine Manfield created this aromatic stew of chickpeas, butternut squash, red potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchini after a trip to Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains. It’s finished off with fresh cilantro and served with yogurt and harissa.

09 of 09

Spiced Short Rib Tagine

Spiced Short Rib Tagine
© Fredrika Stjärne

Lior Lev Sercarz braises short ribs with apricots, figs, citrus, aromatics, herbs, and the North African spice blend ras el hanout in a combination of pomegranate juice and chicken stock for complex flavor. They’re served over couscous and tender turnips and radishes glazed with honey and lemon.

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