Tag Archives: Ras el Hanout

Easy Moroccan Lamb Stew

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Comforting, fall-apart tender braised lamb with loads of veggies, chickpeas and warm Moroccan flavors (served with couscous if desired). Perfect for a cool-weather Sunday supper. In fact, as we made this meal on a Sunday, we were under a Winter weather warning with up to anywhere from 12 to 18 inches of snow predicted. (A similar scenario as when we made a beef stew several weekends ago.) We ended up with over 21 inches!

I digress… Lamb stew has that rich heartiness with deep and well-developed flavors. Here we provide three options. A quick cook in a pressure cooker; a long-slow cook in a crockpot; or as we did it, in a braising pot in the oven. Times will vary depending upon your chosen cooking method.

Using dried apricots, or other dried fruits like figs or raisins gives a mild, very subtle sweetness to help round out the flavors in the dish without being at all overpowering. If using whole apricots sounds a bit too adventurous, chop them up into small bits using a sharp knife. Chopping the apricot will help it better dissolve in the sauce and give the flavor it needs without being too obvious.

This Moroccan lamb stew uses a blend of different spices and flavor-makers such as cinnamon, allspice, bay leaves, and Moroccan Ras el Hanout — a decidedly North African/Moroccan spice blend that includes notes of turmeric, cloves, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg and more. It has a deep aroma and layers of warm, deep flavor that adds to dishes, especially in something like lamb stew.

Crockpot Instructions: If you prefer, after step #5 is completed, transfer the lamb stew to a large slow cooker insert. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours, then stir in chickpeas and cook another 1 to 2 hours (total of up to 8 hours.) Or cook on high for 4 to 5 hours in total.

Pressure-Cooker Instructions: Instead of using a Dutch oven or other oven-safe cooking pot, follow the steps below to sauté and braise using your pressure cooker. Then, add in all the ingredients except for the chickpeas to the pot and lock the lid in place. Cook for 30 minutes on high pressure. When the timer is up, allow the pressure to safely release for about 10 minutes before using quick-release according to the manufacturer’s directions. Add in the chickpeas, bring up to pressure, and cook for another 5 minutes. Allow the pressure to release again for 5 minutes, then release remaining pressure using quick release.

Easy Moroccan Lamb Stew

  • Servings: 6-7
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 3 carrots cubed
  • 6 Yukon gold potatoes (or any small potatoes), peeled, cubed
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • 2 1/2 lbs. boneless leg of lamb, fat trimmed, cut into cubes
  • 3 large cloves garlic roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup dried apricots, quartered
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 dried bay leaf, OR 2 fresh
  • 1 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
  • 1 1/2 tsp. ras el hanout
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 6 canned whole tomatoes preferably plum tomatoes, halved
  • 2 1/2 cups beef broth
  • 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Directions

  1.  Preheat oven to 325° degrees.
  2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Season half the lamb with salt and brown the seasoned lamb on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Remove the lamb to a bowl or quarter sheet pan. Salt and pepper the remaining lamb, and brown on all sides, another 10 minutes total. Remove to bowl or sheet pan when done.
  3. Reduce heat to medium and add more oil if needed. In the heated oil, sauté the onions, carrots, and potatoes for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, season the vegetables with salt and pepper, and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.
  4. Return the lamb to the pot. Add the dried apricots, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and spices and stir to coat.
  5. Add the plum tomatoes with their juices and broth and bring everything to a boil.
  6. Cover the pot and place in the pre-heated oven for 2 hours (check partway through to add water or broth if needed—we needed to add an additional cup of liquid).
  7. Stir in the chickpeas, cover and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
  8. Remove from the oven, discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaf, and serve.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Loosely adapted from a recipe by Suzy Karadsheh, with influences from Molly Stevens

Moroccan-Inspired Beef Stew with Ras El Hanout

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As we were contemplating our upcoming weekly menus, a huge Winter storm was forecast for the weekend across a large swath of the United States, so a comforting beef stew seemed like a cozy way to hunker down and whittle away the afternoon.

Moroccan-Inspired Beef Stew with Ras el Hanout is a rich and aromatic dish known for its deep, layered flavors. The key technique that elevates this stew is browning the beef chunks on all sides over high heat before braising. This step is crucial: as the beef browns, it undergoes the Maillard reaction, which creates a beautifully caramelized crust. This crust forms a complex, savory flavor base that is both deeply satisfying and slightly sweet from the caramelization.

When the browned beef is then braised in the broth, these savory, caramelized notes infuse the liquid, enriching it with a robust depth. The broth becomes much more than just a cooking medium: it carries the essence of the meat, boosting the stew’s overall savoriness. Yum!

This rich, meaty depth perfectly complements the fragrant and warm spices of ras el hanout—a traditional Moroccan spice blend that can include cinnamon, cumin, coriander, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, and sometimes floral or peppery undertones. The spices bring brightness, warmth, and a subtle complexity that balances the meat’s richness. Together, the caramelized beef flavor and the aromatic spices create a harmonious stew that feels both comforting and exotic, with every spoonful offering layers of taste and enticing aromas.

Instead of cooking the stew entirely on the stovetop, we braised it in a 300°F oven for two hours before adding the greens and chickpeas. (Adding a piece of parchment paper under the lid helps prevent the loss of liquid.) Then it went back into the oven, covered for another 20 minutes. To complete the meal, serve with a side salad.

NOTE: The stew can be cooled down and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

About that storm… It was definitely a day to stay indoors…

Moroccan-Inspired Beef Stew with Ras El Hanout

  • Servings: 6-8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 lbs. boneless beef chuck or other stewing beef, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1- to 1 1/2–inch chunks
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 medium yellow onions, diced 
  • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 tsp. homemade or store-bought ras el hanout
  • 2 cups homemade beef stock, or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1 small bunch cilantro, tied with kitchen string into a bundle, plus chopped cilantro for serving (optional)
  • 8 oz. sturdy greens, such as collard, lacitino kale, or Swiss chard, thick central stems removed (which, for chard, can be chopped up and thrown in the pot), leaves cut crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips
  • 1 15.5-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • Cooked couscous, bread, or rice, for serving

Directions

  1. Pat beef dry with paper towels and season all over with salt. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of beef and cook, turning occasionally (wait until beef releases easily from the bottom of the pot with a gentle lift), until well browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes; transfer to a large plate. Repeat with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil and remaining beef.
  2. In now-empty Dutch oven or pot, reduce heat to medium and add remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, and ras el hanout and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Return seared meat to pot and add stock or broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and honey and stir to combine.
  3. Add cilantro bundle, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then cover pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer, adjusting heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer, until beef is fork-tender, 2 to 2 3/4 hours; stir every 30 minutes or so to prevent sauce from sticking to bottom of pot. OR, after adding the cilantro bundle, braise in a 300°F oven for 2 hours and not have to worry about sticking and stirring.
  4. Stir in collard greens and chickpeas. There should be enough liquid to partially cover the ingredients; if necessary, add a little more stock or water. Cover pot and simmer until collard greens are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
  5. Off heat, discard cilantro bundle and season to taste with salt, if needed. Using a ladle or wide spoon, skim any excess fat from top of stew. Sprinkle individual portions with chopped cilantro, if desired, and serve with bread or cooked couscous or rice.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Nargisse Benkabbou for Serious Eats