Vegetarian Moroccan Stew Recipe
Once you make this vegetarian Moroccan stew recipe, you will want to add it to your healthy eating plan, especially when you’re looking for a meatless meal.
If you love vegetable stews, you must try this roasted vegetable soup (one of the most popular dishes on this site!) from this list of Daniel Fast soup recipes.
For more vegan meal ideas, check out some of these Daniel Fast breakfast recipes and this list of favorites from Daniel Fast recipes 2022.
Why We Love This Recipe
Having a no meat day once or twice a week is a healthy way to eat for everyone, and when you have recipes that are easy and delicious, you’ll be more likely to try to eat a healthier diet.
This Moroccan chickpea stew is really flavorful and your family will enjoy something different for a change! Be sure to serve it alongside pieces of pita bread. Perhaps even serve this vegan hummus as an appetizer.
🛒 What Goes Into This Moroccan Stew
Key Ingredients
Onion & Garlic, Butternut Squash, Garbanzo Beans, Diced Tomatoes, and Greek Olives.
Scroll down to the recipe card for a full list of ingredients for this hearty chickpea stew.
If you are avoiding sugar, look at the labels on your canned goods. Vegetable broth and tomatoes are notorious for adding sugar.
👩🏻🍳 How to Make this Recipe
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 3-4 quart Dutch oven or soup pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add onion, garlic, cumin, and cinnamon, and season with salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring occasionally until the spices are aromatic and the onions are soft and translucent about 5 minutes. Stir in squash and potatoes, season again with salt and pepper if needed, and cook until they begin to soften, for about 10 minutes.
Add the broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, and saffron, if using.
Bring the soup to a boil over medium heat and then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.
We’re serving this over couscous, which is the national food of Morocco. It pairs perfectly with the stew.
Rinse couscous to remove starch and give it a fluffier texture.
Prepare the couscous while the stew is simmering.
Remove from heat and stir in olives and zest. Serve the stew over the couscous and top with sliced almonds and chopped cilantro.
This stew was a big hit with the whole family, and we loved the leftovers the next day, as well. This will be on our menu throughout the year, even in summer!
📖 Variations
You could go in so many different directions with this aromatic vegan Moroccan stew.
Serve this Moroccan Stew over rice instead of couscous.
Add cumin and ginger to give this dish even more traditional spice.
You could also add more vegetables to this stew, like bell peppers, green lentils, red lentils, or even green beans. Traditionally, Moroccan foods are heavy on carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, eggplant, and zucchini. Lentils would also be a nice addition, and golden raisins would add a natural sweetness.
Frequently Asked Questions
You could. It would be flavorful with chicken, lamb, pork, or fish.
Yes. Set it on low and let it cook for about 4 hours.
Absolutely. I have never had a stew that didn’t go well with a baguette!
💭 Top Tip(s)
If your stew is not thick enough, chickpea flour is the perfect thickening agent. Add in small quantities until you have the thickness you prefer.
Don’t rush this stew. It takes time for the flavors to meld.
A squeeze of lemon will brighten the flavors, too.
More Vegetarian Recipes
For breakfast, we love this easy muffin recipe along with an almond milk smoothie or this tropical coconut oatmeal porridge.
Below are some of our favorite dinner recipes.
Vegetarian Moroccan Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 T olive oil
- 1 med yellow onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tsp ground cumin
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 5 cups butternut squash diced into 1 inch pieces
- 3 cups red potatoes diced into 1 inch pieces
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 3 cups canned chickpeas drained
- 3 cups crushed tomatoes
- Pinch of saffron threads optional, but I used them
- 1 tsp lemon zest I used fresh
- 1 cup sliced black olives
- 6 cups steamed couscous
- Fresh cilantro and toasted almonds for garnish Optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 3-4 quart Dutch oven or soup pot with a tight-fitting lid.
- Add onion, garlic, cumin, and cinnamon, and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook, stirring occasionally until the spices are aromatic and the onions are soft and translucent about 5 minutes.
- Stir in squash and potatoes, season again with salt and pepper if needed, and cook until the vegetables are just starting beginning to soften – about 10 minutes.
- Add the broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, and saffron, if using.
- Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Prepare the couscous while the stew simmers.
- Remove from heat and stir in zest and olives.
- Serve the stew around a mound of couscous.
