This simple and delicious recipe for Moroccan-style vegetable stew is a perfect easy, healthful dinner. It's also a great way to jazz up familiar, everyday, ho-hum vegetables. Feel free to mix up the vegetables you use based on what's on hand or at the market. Serve the stew over couscous, with chopped preserved lemon and/or harissa, a North African hot sauce (a splash of Tabasco works well too).
Ras el hanout is a Moroccan spice mixture. You can find it at Middle Eastern and specialty grocery stores or make it yourself
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to salt
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. ras el hanout
- 1 red chile, chopped or 2 small dried chiles such as chile arbols
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 to 3 cups additional chopped vegetables such as zucchini, sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips
- 1 can (about 1 1/2 cups) cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tomatoes, chopped (optional)
- 1/4 cup minced parsley (optional)
- 1 preserved lemon, chopped (optional)
- Harissa (optional)
Preparation:
- Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large pot or sauté pan. Add the onion and salt and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ras el hanout and chiles and stir to combine and fragrant, about another minute.
- Add the broth, 1 cup water, potatoes, carrots, any other vegetables, and chickpeas. Bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes and/or parsley, if using.
- Add salt to taste.
- Serve hot, over couscous, if you like, garnished with preserved lemon. Serve with hot sauce or harissa.
Makes 4 to 6 servings Moroccan Vegetable Stew.
