Tagine de Courge Butternut et Pois Chiches
This tagine is soft, fragrant, and warmly spiced, with tender butternut squash and chickpeas in a silky tomato base. Preserved lemon and fresh herbs lift the dish, giving it the bright, complex finish that makes Moroccan home cooking so comforting and memorable.
Ingredients
Tagine base
- 500 gbutternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2 cm cubes
- 240 gcooked chickpeas, drained
- 150 gonion, finely sliced
- 120 gripe tomato, grated or finely chopped
- 2garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 25 gpreserved lemon, pulp removed, rind finely chopped
- 20 mlolive oil
- 2 tspras el hanout
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1/4 tspground cinnamon
- 1 tspsweet paprika
- 3/4 tspsea salt
- 1/4 tspblack pepper
- 250 mlwater or light vegetable stock
Herb finish
- 15 gfresh coriander, roughly chopped
- 10 gfresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 10 mllemon juice
To serve
- optionalcooked couscous or bread
Instructions
- 1
Prepare all ingredients first: peel and cube the butternut squash, slice the onion, chop the garlic, grate the tomato, finely chop the preserved lemon rind, and roughly chop the herbs. This keeps the cooking smooth and helps the spices toast without burning.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a wide pan, shallow casserole, or tagine base over medium heat. Add the onion with a small pinch of the salt and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
- 3
Add the ras el hanout, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, and black pepper. Stir for 15-20 seconds just until fragrant; do not let the spices darken, or they can taste bitter.
- 4
Add the tomato and preserved lemon rind. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the tomato loses its raw smell and forms a loose sauce.
- 5
Add the butternut squash, chickpeas, remaining salt, and the water or stock. Stir gently to coat everything in the spiced base. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over low to medium-low heat for 18-20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the squash is tender but still holds its shape. Add a splash more water if the pan starts to dry out.
- 6
Uncover and simmer for 2-3 minutes to lightly reduce the sauce if needed. The tagine is ready when the sauce is spoonable and the squash can be pierced easily with a knife without collapsing completely.
- 7
Turn off the heat and stir in the coriander, parsley, and lemon juice. Let the tagine rest for 3 minutes so the flavours settle and the herbs soften into the sauce.
- 8
Serve hot on its own or with cooked couscous or bread for scooping.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For a beginner-friendly shortcut, use pre-peeled squash cubes and canned chickpeas.
- •Preserved lemon is salty, so taste before adding any extra salt at the end.
- •If you want a slightly sweeter tagine, add 1-2 chopped dried apricots when the squash goes in.
- •For a thicker finish, lightly mash a few squash cubes and chickpeas into the sauce before serving.
Background
Tagine refers both to the iconic North African cooking vessel and to the slow-simmered dishes prepared in it. In Morocco, vegetable and legume tagines are everyday staples, and preserved lemon is a hallmark ingredient that brings depth, brightness, and a distinctive savory citrus note.
Love this recipe?
Get personalised AI-curated recipes, meal plans and smart shopping lists — free.
Download Gourmate – Free