Serious Moroccan Beef Tagine
A fragrant, spice-laden North African dish with tender beef, apricots, and almonds. Slow-cooked to perfection in a clay pot. This moroccan-inspired beef ready in about 175 minutes pairs beef shoulder, dried apricots, almonds for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 460 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs, cubed beef shoulder
- 1 cup, halved dried apricots
- 1/2 cup, slivered almonds
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large, diced onion
- 4 cloves, minced garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 10 saffron threads
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Equipment for this recipe
Top-rated tools to make this recipe successfully.
Instructions
- Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large tagine or heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and saffron — cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Step 2: Add beef cubes, salt, and pepper. Brown on all sides, then pour in water. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 2.5 hours until beef is tender.
- Step 3: Stir in apricots and almonds — cook for 15 minutes until apricots soften and glaze forms. Adjust seasoning and serve with couscous or crusty bread.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Serious Moroccan Beef Tagine take to make?
Total time is about 175 minutes (25 min prep + 150 min cook). Most home cooks find this fits comfortably into a weeknight; double the batch on Sunday for two dinners.
How do I store leftover Serious Moroccan Beef Tagine?
Cool to room temperature within 2 hours, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes, or microwave at 70% power in 60-second bursts to keep beef shoulder from drying out.
Can I substitute ingredients in Serious Moroccan Beef Tagine?
Yes — most ingredients in this recipe have flexible swaps. For oil, use any neutral high-smoke-point oil (avocado, grapeseed, refined coconut). For aromatics, dried herbs at ⅓ the volume of fresh work in a pinch. The full ingredient list is shoppable on Instacart so you can see substitutes in real time.
How do I scale Serious Moroccan Beef Tagine for a different number of people?
The recipe is written for 6 servings. Multiply each ingredient by (your serving target / 6). Cook time stays roughly the same up to 2x; for 3-4x batches, switch from a skillet to a sheet pan or stockpot so the food isn't crowded — overcrowding steams instead of browns.
What goes well with Serious Moroccan Beef Tagine?
Moroccan beef like this pair well with a simple grain (rice, couscous, or crusty bread), a quick salad with acid (lemon vinaigrette, pickled onions), and a pan sauce or yogurt-based dip. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" to get specific side suggestions.
What others are saying
- ★★★★☆
Good flavors but the sauce was a bit thin. I'd reduce it longer.
- ★★★★☆
Nice recipe! Presentation was beautiful. Flavor was good, not great.
- ★★★☆☆
Decent recipe but nothing special. Might try a different version.
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