Lamb Tagine with Prunes and Almonds
A classic of Moroccan feasts: lamb slowly braised with onion, saffron, ginger and cinnamon until it falls apart, crowned with honey-glazed prunes, fried almonds and toasted sesame.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Season the lamb
In a tagine or heavy casserole, mix the lamb with the oil, onions, garlic, ginger, ground cinnamon, pepper, saffron and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onions soften and the spices smell toasty.
Cook slowly
Add the cinnamon stick, cilantro bundle and water. Cover and cook on low heat for about 1½ hours, until the lamb is very tender. Add a little water if it gets dry.
Cook the prunes
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Thicken the sauce
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Serve
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Season the lamb
In a tagine or heavy casserole, mix the lamb with the oil, onions, garlic, ginger, ground cinnamon, pepper, saffron and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onions soften and the spices smell toasty.
Cook slowly
Add the cinnamon stick, cilantro bundle and water. Cover and cook on low heat for about 1½ hours, until the lamb is very tender. Add a little water if it gets dry.
Cook the prunes
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Thicken the sauce
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
The tagine takes its name from the conical clay pot it's cooked in, whose tall lid returns condensation to the stew so meat braises gently in very little liquid. The combination of meat with dried fruit and honey came from medieval Arab-Andalusian cooking and flourished in the palaces of Fez.
Lamb with prunes is served at weddings and at Eid al-Adha, when families share lamb with neighbours.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It captures Moroccan cooking's signature balance of sweet, savoury and spiced.
💡 Fun Fact
A traditional clay tagine is used directly over charcoal braziers, and many Moroccan households own several — one for each kind of dish.
Fez and Marrakech, Morocco
31.63°N, -7.98°W
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