The Best Moroccan Spice Blend Recipe

The Best Moroccan Spice Blend Recipe

Each time I host a gathering or a Moroccan-themed party and cook traditional Moroccan tagines, my guests ask me if I have a secret and authentic Moroccan spice blend recipe they can use to cook Moroccan tagines. Well, guess what? I do have that Moroccan seasoning recipe and my friends loved it so much that I decided to share it here with you.

I learned to make that Moroccan spice mix in my teen years when I was studying in France and had no choice but to learn how to cook my favorite Moroccan dishes. This Moroccan spice blend is a fragrant, easy-to-make spice mix, handy when you don’t have time or want to make sure you always have all the spices required to successfully season a traditional Moroccan tagine. It is also the perfect spice mix to season any of your chicken-based dishes.

Spices are Moroccan cuisine’s essential. In fact. Moroccan cuisine doesn’t use a lot of fancy ingredients, its philosophy is even the opposite. It brings the best out of simple ingredients by using the right aromatics and spice mixes.

One of Morocco’s most loved dishes is the tagine, a dish made with meat (red meat, poultry, or fish) and vegetable leftovers. When looking at the ingredients of the tagine, they seem basic and uninteresting. But the use of spices and aromatics makes the biggest difference and completely transforms this dish. While cooking, the meat and vegetables are infused with a combination of spices and aromatics creating one of the most comforting – and healthy – dishes you can have.

One of the secrets to making a great Moroccan spice mix is to use good quality spices – I call them fresh spices. The first time I left Morocco and started cooking, I couldn’t figure out why my dishes were not as fragrant and hearty as the ones my mother made. After A LOT of experimentation, it hit me. I was using frozen, processed ingredients and I grabbed my spices from random deli shops. Moroccan cuisine on the other hand thrives on fresh ingredients and fresh spices.

Many Moroccan women grind their spices themselves. It takes extra effort but Oh the result is so worth it! So with this in mind, I now make sure I get good quality spices from my local supermarket. Good quality spices are those that are 100% natural, that have a strong scent, and that have been ground less than a couple of months ago.

Moroccan Spice Blend Recipe

This Moroccan spice blend is based on a savant spice mix. Moroccans know what spice combinations are best to bring the best out of each ingredient. Chicken loves ginger, for example, and chickpeas thrive on cumin!

The authentic Moroccan spice mix I will share with you combines all the spices used for making traditional Moroccan chicken tagines. It is super easy to make and uses simple spices that you probably already have in your kitchen. If you don’t, you will find them at any local market, just make sure they are of good quality, otherwise, you will need to use more quantities to get the same result.

I prefer to not add salt to this Moroccan spice blend. Adding salt separately when cooking avoids oversalting and ruining your dish.

I also prefer to use fresh garlic as it gives a better taste and better health benefits, but if you prefer, you can add garlic powder to this spice mix as I will share with you below.

This Moroccan spice blend can be used as a spice mix to cook the traditional Moroccan chicken tagine. You can also add it to any of your chicken-based recipes. You will love it I promise! Just add one to two tablespoons to your tagines and chicken dishes, and magic will happen!