Moroccan Chickpea and Vegetable Tagine

Tender chickpeas and seasonal vegetables nestle in a warmly spiced tomato broth, fragrant with cumin, coriander, and cinnamon. The kind of one-pot dish that fills the kitchen with the scent of a Marrakech spice market. Bright lemon and fresh parsley lift every bite. Serve it over quinoa or rice and you've got a bowl that feels like a warm blanket on a cool evening.

By TasteBuds

Recipe details

Yield
4 people
Prep time
20 minutes
Cook time
35 minutes
Total time
45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups quinoa or white rice, rinsed
  • 3 cups water (for cooking quinoa or rice)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or minced
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
  • 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes (with juices)
  • 2 cups vegetable broth (low-sodium)
  • 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ½-inch rounds
  • 2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into ½-inch half-moons
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 large lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

  1. Rinse 1½ cups quinoa (or 1½ cups white rice) under cold water in a fine-mesh strainer until the water runs clear.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa (or rice) with 3 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes for quinoa or 18 minutes for rice, until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender. Remove from heat and let it sit covered while you finish the tagine.
  3. While the quinoa cooks, dice 1 large yellow onion.
  4. Mince 4 cloves garlic.
  5. Grate or mince 1 tbsp fresh ginger.
  6. Measure out 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp ground turmeric, and ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (if using) into a small bowl.
  7. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the diced yellow onion (1 large) and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and turning translucent, about 6 minutes.
  8. While the onion softens, peel and slice 3 medium carrots into ½-inch rounds.
  9. Halve 2 medium zucchini lengthwise, then slice into ½-inch half-moons.
  10. Add the minced garlic (4 cloves) and grated ginger (1 tbsp) to the pot and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  11. Add all the measured spices (2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp coriander, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp turmeric, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper) to the pot and stir for 1 minute to toast them and coat the onion.
  12. Pour in 1 (14 oz / 400 g) can diced tomatoes with juices and 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth. Stir to combine.
  13. Drain and rinse 2 (15 oz / 425 g) cans chickpeas and add them to the pot.
  14. Add the sliced carrots (3 medium) to the pot and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the carrots are nearly tender.
  15. Add the sliced zucchini (2 medium) and stir. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes, until the zucchini is tender but not mushy.
  16. While the tagine finishes, roughly chop ¼ cup (15 g) fresh parsley.
  17. Cut 1 large lemon into wedges.
  18. Stir in 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  19. Fluff the cooked quinoa or rice with a fork. Divide it among four bowls, then ladle the tagine over the top. Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.