Looking for quick and easy family dinner ideas? With the demand for simple and healthy meal options growing by the day, Moroccan foods have gained a lot of attention lately. Not only are the dishes easy to cook and packed full of nutrition but also because of its delicious blend of spices, sweet-and-savoury flavour profile and beautifully textured dishes. They are mouth-watering and sure to be a hit with friends and family.
However, if this is the first time you have ever thought about cooking Moroccan foods, you may have no idea what to cook. Don’t worry, we have you covered, we will introduce you to some of the famous Moroccan dishes that are easy, healthy meals that can be prepared at home.
1. Traditional Aromatic Couscous
One of the popular dishes that can be found at every home in Morocco is aromatic couscous. Packed with roasted vegetables, chickpeas, almonds, herbs and spices, this popular dish can be cooked with lamb, beef, or chicken to create numerous quick family dinner ideas. Additionally, you can apply the Moroccan cooking paste that can be easily found in many groceries stores to unlock the delicious and authentic taste of Moroccan couscous at home easily. If you are looking for the recipe for the dish please check this aromatic couscous recipe.
2. Moroccan Chicken Tagine
This delicious chicken stew that is both fragrant and rich in flavour should be next on your list of easy Moroccan dinner ideas. Braised with spices, garlic, onion, olive oil, honey, cinnamon, and almonds make this festive-looking dish well suited for large gatherings as well as simple home-cooked meals. Chicken tagine is also a perfect dish alongside the Aromatic Couscous.
3. Moroccan Mechoui for BBQ Party
For your next barbeque get together, Moroccan Mechoui is a must-have on your menu. It consists of slow-roasting a leg of lamb or the whole shoulder until it is tender and can be easily pulled off the bone. That’s delicious on its own but to level up the flavour, rub the meat with the mouth-watering flavours of Ras el hanout.
4. Moroccan-style Seafood
With coastlines on both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, seafood is a speciality of Moroccan-style cooking and one of the best healthy dinner ideas you can cook at home. Sardine is the most common fish used in Moroccan seafood dishes. Don’t forget to add the special fish chermoula to get a better experience of having tasty Moroccan-style seafood that is both simple and nutritious. Additionally, if you are feeling adventurous, you can add some spice by dipping the sardine into the Hot Harissa for some added deliciousness.
5. Moroccan Chickpea Salad
When talking about quick and easy dinner ideas, you can’t go past Moroccan Chickpea Salad. This dish is an elevated version of your common salad packed full of goodness from ingredients like quinoa, carrots, and feta and brought to new and higher places. Applying the Ras el hanout is the perfect way to add a delicious salad into your daily dinner routine.
6. Egyptian Dukkah for the snack time
Moroccan food is a blend of cuisines and cultures from all throughout the world including Middle Eastern. Therefore, it’s not surprising that this authentic Egyptian condiment is indeed a Moroccan staple. Dukkah can be a delight for your snack time when enjoyed with bread and olive oil. Blends of freshly roasted nuts with seeds and selected spices creating the delicious condiment and traditional Middle Eastern side dish.
7. Moroccan Chicken Bastilla
This unique chicken pie can be found on a Moroccan special occasion which makes it an exceptional dish for the family dinner. Traditionally, the main ingredient is using pigeon meat but now it has been modified to suit everyone taste and chicken is often used. With aromatic spices wrapped in perfectly crisp pastry layers, it is a delicacy that best served while it’s hot.
8. Moroccan Kefta
Also known as Moroccan Kebab is usually made by using ground beef or lamb or a mix of both as the main ingredient, that has been seasoned with flavourful traditional spices and herbs. Then, it will be formed onto skewers to make it like a meatloaf on a stick. It is one of the Moroccan dishes that belong to the BBQ category, therefore, you will get that extra smoky flavour on it. Additionally, you can rub Ras el hanout on the meat to get the authentic flavour of Moroccan. Serve warm with chickpea salads, quinoa or flatbread with a generous dollop of yoghurt sauce.
Conclusion
Now you know 8 healthy dinner ideas that are easy to cook at home, where you can prepare it for any special occasion or just the regular dinner night. Moroccan dishes comes in a big portion because they are meant to be shared with the entire family. Thank you for reading and feel free to share the article.
