Moroccan cuisine
Moroccan cuisine blends Arab, Berber, Andalusi, Mediterranean, and African influences.
Moroccan cuisine is the cuisine of Morocco, shaped by interactions and exchanges with many cultures and nations over the centuries. It is usually a mix of Arab, Berber, Andalusi, Mediterranean and African cuisines, with minimal European (French and Spanish) influences. Traditional communal eating habits and ceremonial tea service are central to social gatherings. Like the rest of Maghrebi cuisine, Moroccan cuisine has more in common with Middle Eastern cuisine than with the rest of Africa.
- Origin
- Morocco
- Earliest traces
- 7th century BC
- Staple grains
- Rice and wheat (barley important until mid-20th century)
- Common meats
- Beef, goat, mutton, lamb, chicken, seafood
- Key flavorings
- Preserved lemon, argan oil, smen, olive oil, dried fruits
- Most popular drink
- Moroccan mint tea (atay)
- Notable dish
- Couscous
Lore & Background
According to Moroccan chef and cuisine researcher Hossin Houari, the oldest traces of Moroccan cuisine that can still be observed today go back to the 7th century BC. By that century, coastal Phoenician colonies such as Sala and Kerne became centers of olive oil and wine production. In the Roman period, factories for garum, a fermented fish sauce, operated in Cotta and Lixus, and Baetican olive oil amphorae were distributed in Mauretania Tingitana. Couscoussiers dating back to the 12th century were found in the ruins of Igiliz in the Sous valley of Morocco. According to food writer Charles Perry, couscous originated among the Berbers of Algeria and Morocco between the end of the 11th-century Zirid dynasty and the rise of the 13th-century Almohad Caliphate.
Reader's Guide
Moroccan cuisine is significant for its long history of cultural exchange, with influences from Arab, Berber, Andalusi, Mediterranean, and African traditions, and minimal European impact. Its staple grains are rice and wheat, though barley was important until the mid-20th century. Spices such as saffron, cumin, cinnamon, and ginger are used extensively, along with the spice mixture ras el hanout. Common dishes include couscous, tagine, pastilla, tanjia, and rfissa. The cuisine features a wide range of seafood, with Morocco being the world's largest exporter of sardines. Traditional meals often begin with salads, followed by a tagine or couscous, and are eaten with hands using bread. Moroccan mint tea is a daily tradition, and the pouring technique is considered an art form. The cuisine has been brought to a wider audience by TV chef Choumicha and Al-Amīn al-Hajj Mustafa an-Nakīr, chef to former king Hassan II, as well as Fatéma Hal, who opened a Moroccan restaurant in Paris.
Did You Know?
- Couscoussiers dating back to the 12th century were found in the ruins of Igiliz in the Sous valley of Morocco.
- Morocco is the world's largest exporter of sardines.
- The traditional cooking fats are butter and animal fat, though olive oil is now replacing them.
- Beboush, a savory and slightly spicy snail soup, is a traditional delicacy in Moroccan cuisine.
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