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Chickpea tagine in copper serving pan with spoon.
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5 from 8 votes

Chickpea Tagine Recipe

In this alluring Moroccan chickpea tagine recipe a base of onions and tomatoes is layered with the contrasting flavors and textures of sweet raisins and carrots, nutty chickpeas and salty olives. Aromatic saffron and a homemade ras el hanout spice blend tie together all of these luscious tastes.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course/Stew
Cuisine: African, Moroccan
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 176kcal

Equipment

  • Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan with tight lid

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large red onion (thinly sliced)
  • 6-8 cloves garlic (crushed into a paste)
  • 2 medium carrots (cut into slices or chunks)
  • ½ cup raisins (or chopped dates)
  • 14 oz whole plum tomatoes (canned, with juices. Crush the whole tomatoes with your fingers before adding to the pot)
  • 3 cups cooked chickpeas (approximately two 15 oz cans)
  • 2 tablespoons ras el hanout (add more if needed)
  • ¼ teaspoon saffron (optional. Use the same quantity of turmeric if you don't have saffron)
  • 1 heaping tsp paprika (or cayenne for more heat)
  • ¼ cup cilantro or parsley, or a mix
  • ¼ cup kalamata olives (roughly chopped)
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • Add olive oil to a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions with half a teaspoon salt and saute until the onions are soft and begin to caramelize.
  • Add crushed garlic to the pot and continue to saute for another minute.
  • Stir in the carrots and saute for a couple of minutes, followed by the raisins.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes to the pot and mix well, then stir in the chickpeas.
  • Add ras el hanout, paprika and saffron to the pot and mix well. Stir in the cilantro and/or parsley.
  • Add a cup of water and mix well. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, cover the tagine with a tight lid, lower heat, and let the tagine simmer for 30-45 minutes. Stir occasionally and add more water if needed. The tagine should be thick but if you want more sauce you can add more water or vegetable stock.
  • Finally stir in the olives and mix well. Check salt and add more as needed. Turn off heat.

Notes

Helpful tips and techniques
  • To make the tagine in a slow cooker add the oil followed by all the ingredients to the slow cooker. Mix well, add two cups of water, and cook for three hours on the high setting. Stir a few times during cooking. You can also make the tagine oil-free by skipping the oil.
  • To make an Instant Pot chickpea tagine saute all ingredients on the "saute" setting. Once you've added the water to the tagine, place the lid on the IP and cook on manual pressure for 10 minutes. Let the IP stand 10 minutes, then force-release and stir in the cilantro and olives. Add salt as needed.
  • If you don't have ras el hanout, in a bowl mix ½ teaspoon each of ground cumin, ground cloves, ground allspice, ground black pepper, cinnamon and cayenne with a tablespoon of ground coriander and ¼ teaspoon each of ground fennel or star anise, nutmeg, turmeric, ginger and paprika. Add to the recipe the same time as you would add the ras el hanout.
  • To make this more of a chickpea and vegetable tagine you can add veggies like potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, cauliflower, eggplant and mushrooms. Be sure to adjust the seasoning and add more if using more veggies.
Storage instructions
  • Refrigerate: Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to four days. The stew tastes even better the next day, when the flavors have had time to meld, so this is a great recipe to make ahead.
  • Freeze: Freeze the chickpea tagine in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
  • Reheat: Thaw and reheat in the microwave on the stovetop.

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 447mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2694IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 3mg