This amazing vegan tagine recipe takes the simple chickpea, adds just the right amount of spice, and turns it into an addictive main dish that is both healthy and filling. I have been making this Moroccan Chickpea Tagine for years and it is one of my clients all time top favorites!
This Moroccan Chickpea Tagine recipe is dear to me! It is a simple dish that has gotten me jobs, been the star at several dinner parties, and is one of the easiest regularly requested recipes that I've ever had to make.
My history with this recipe began early in my career as a personal chef when a client asked me to make dinner at the very last minute for 9 people! I didn't have any time to buy groceries, so I had to get creative. I looked in my cupboard and found several cans of chickpeas. Then I looked in my fridge and found extra carrots. Next, I jumped on the web for inspiration and found a Moroccan Chickpea Tagine recipe.
So I ran with the recipe, changed a few things to make it mine, and it turned out to be a hit!
To my clients I became known as their personal chef who was fantastic at cooking Moroccan food. But little did they know that I had never cooked a Moroccan recipe before in all my life! I was so intrigued I went on to learn more about the cuisine and fell in love with Moroccan food.
This recipe was motivated by a post I found on the Vegetarian Times that I transformed into a plant based version. I then got some more inspiration from a NYTimes recipe and added my own personal touches to make this a client favorite.
History of Moroccan Tagines
Tagines date back to the 18th century and have been a part of Moroccan cuisine for hundreds of years. The word tagine itself can actually refer to one of two things in Moroccan culture.
One meaning of tagine refers to a cooking vessel made of clay or ceramic used in North African cooking. The cooking vessel has a wide bottom, while the top is shaped into a rounded cone. Today tagines are still used as cooking vessels, but also represent works of art with beautiful designs and artisanship.
The second meaning refers to a stew that is cooked in the cooking vessel called a tagine. The stew like dishes called tagines typically include a mixture of both savory and sweet ingredients that are slowed cooked to meld the flavors. There are many variations of plant based tagines.
But don't worry you don't need a fancy tagine to make this recipe. A dutch oven or any other large pot with a lid will work perfectly!
What Ingredients Are Needed?
This Moroccan Chickpea Tagine is super simple and requires no fancy ingredients.
The main ingredients for this recipe are canned chickpeas and carrots.
What gives the tagine its Moroccan flavor profile is the combination of the spices. Turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, black pepper, cayenne, and a dash of nutmeg are used to achieve this depth of flavor. You can omit the cayenne if you don't want any heat or add more cayenne to make it more spicy.
For sweetness this recipe uses agave and raisins. Most tagines call for honey, but agave was used for this plant based version. I don't suggest using maple syrup because it will completely change the recipe. If you don't have agave on hand, sugar can be used as a replacement.
The tomato paste adds a little more depth to the dish along with a touch of umami.
How to Make Chickpea Tagine
This recipe is very easy to make.
You begin by sauteing the onions and garlic in olive oil for 2-3 minutes in a dutch oven or large pot. Next, you add all of the spices and cook for another minute coating the onions and garlic in the spices. This will produce a nice fragrant aroma.
Then all the other ingredients are added to the pot. You bring the mixture to a boil and then lower the temperature to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook at a simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the carrots are done.
If you would like a thicker consistency for your tagine continue to simmer with the top off for a few minutes after the carrots are done, so that more liquid can evaporate. If you would prefer a thinner consistency you can add more water or stock to your tagine.
Once you reach your prefered consistency give it a taste and season with salt as desired.
To serve garnish with chopped fresh parsley and plain vegan yogurt. To make it a complete meal it goes great with rice, quinoa, or most any other grain.
What makes this Moroccan Chickpea Tagine so great?
In 30 minutes you have a meal that tastes like you spent hours cooking!
This recipe is:
- Quick & Easy
- Exotic flavor without the need for exotic ingredients
- Healthy and filling
- Stores well for up to a week in the fridge
- Crowd pleaser
- Can be made in crockpot
Leftovers & How to Store
The recipe makes about 6 one cup servings. Leftovers for this vegan tagine will keep in the fridge for up to 6 days. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
If you choose to freeze the leftovers, allow the tagine to thaw out before reheating. This will better ensure that the vegetables and chickpeas don't turn to mush.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as its many fans!
If you try this recipe please let me know how it turns out by leaving a comment and rating. You can also hashtag #danceswithknives with a photo of your creation on Instagram where you can find me @dances_with_knives.
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Easy Moroccan Chickpea Tagine
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced ( about 1 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbsp)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 14oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 4 medium carrots, sliced medium thickness (about 2 cups)
- ¼ cup raisins
- 1 tablespoon agave
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 ¾ cups water
Garnish
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- ½ cup plain vegan yogurt (optional)
- Season to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onions and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Now add the turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, black pepper, cayenne, nutmeg, and salt to the onions and garlic. Sauté again for another minute until the onions and garlic are coated in the spices.
- Next add the chickpeas, carrots, raisins, agave, tomato paste, and water. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook 20-25 minutes stirring occasionally.
- After 25 minutes the carrots should be cooked. If you would like a thicker consistency continue to simmer with the lid off for a few minutes. If you would like thinner consistency simply add more water or vegetable stock.
- Once you reach your desired consistency taste and season with salt if desired.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and plain vegan yogurt. This dish goes great with rice, couscous, quinoa, and nan.
Anne says
I ate this with couscous. It was delicious. Thanks!
Kim @ DancesWithKnives says
Hi Anne, So glad to hear that you enjoyed it! It's one of my favorites!
Sari says
I went to Morocco a few years ago before going vegan and have been wanting to find a vegan version of a tagine. This was so good. It is now on my list of easy go to recipes.
Kim says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed this recipe.