17 Mouth-Watering Moroccan Food Facts You Probably Didn’t Know
Moroccan food is famous all over the world (for good reason!), but how much do you really know about it?
The history of Moroccan cuisine and Moroccan food culture today are deeply intertwined, and you can learn so much about Morocco just by learning a bit about Moroccan food.
Here are 20 Moroccan food facts to delight your guests with next time you’re hosting a Moroccan dinner party!
17 Mouth-Watering Moroccan Food Facts You Probably Didn’t Know
1. ‘Tagine’ is both a classic Moroccan dish, as well as a cooking vessel
Did you know that the word ‘tagine’ (or tajine) actually refers to the iconic clay pot that is used to slow-cook the dish of the same name?
Tagines have a wide, shallow base and a tall, conical lid which helps steam circulate back down into the dish, keeping the food moist and infusing it with deep, rich flavour as it simmers for hours over a low heat.
2. Couscous is traditionally eaten on Fridays
In Morocco, Friday is couscous day. After Jumu’ah (Friday prayers), families gather around a huge, steaming platter of couscous piled high with tender meat, soft-cooked carrots, zucchini, and chickpeas, all bathed in a fragrant, spiced broth.
This is not just a meal – it’s a ritual. Everyone digs into the same dish, sharing this comforting and familiar meal at the end of every week.
3. Moroccan food is deeply regional
As with many places, dishes vary widely across Morocco.
Coastal cities like Essaouira and Agadir rely heavily on seafood, with date-heavy dishes being popular in the south, and more European-influenced dishes in the north. Lamb and chicken are the most common meats you’ll find in Morocco.
4. Meals are eaten communally
Meals in Morocco are usually eating communally, with food shared from a large central plate that everybody tucks into.
People use their hands (or khobz bread) to scoop up their food.
It is important to remember that, while everybody eats from the same dish, you should always stick to your ‘section’ of the dish (the part right in front of you) rather than just taking the best bits of meat from wherever you fancy.
Meals can also last for hours in Morocco, especially during gatherings – food is as much about connection as it is about nourishment.
5. Eat with your right hand
One of the most important parts of Moroccan food culture (and etiquette) is that you should always eat with your right hand.
The left hand is considered the ‘dirty hand,’ as it is traditionally used for…’hygienic’ purposes.
6. Bread is sacred
Bread is beloved in Morocco, and it is considered disrespectful to throw it away.
If dropped accidentally, it’s customary to kiss it and place it to one side.
Bread is served with pretty much every meal in Morocco, and it’s not unusual to be given a variety of different types of bread for breakfast in Morocco!
7. Mint tea is a social ritual
Known as ‘Moroccan whisky,’ this green tea with fresh mint and sugar is served to guests as a gesture of hospitality, and you will find it everywhere in Morocco – I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been offered mint tea!
The art of tea-making is a point of pride, with the host often pouring multiple rounds to show generosity and skill. It is poured from a height to cause the water to froth at the top.
8. Moroccan food is a blend of cuisines
Moroccan food has been influenced by many different cuisines, including Berber, Arab, Jewish, Andalusian, and even French culinary traditions.
9. Saffron is commonplace
Morocco produces some of the world’s finest saffron, mainly harvested in the Taliouine region.
I always find it amusing when I visit the souks in Morocco that the vendors are telling me how cheap their saffron is, compared to anywhere else in the world.
Saffron is considered the ‘King of Spice,’ and you’ll find it in many Moroccan dishes.
10. Spices are central
It isn’t just saffron that Moroccans use in their cooking.
Moroccan cuisine uses a lot of different spices, but you won’t often find the hot chilli heat in Moroccan food.
Common spices used in Morocco are cinnamon, tumeric, ginger, cumin, paprika, and the unique Ras El Hanout, which is made from salt, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, cayenne, cloves, allspice, and ginger.
11. Harira is a Ramadan staple
Harira is the ultimate Ramadan comfort food in Morocco.
This tomato-based soup with lentils, chickpeas, soft bits of vermicelli, and sometimes meat, is what most Moroccans reach for the moment the sun goes down and it’s time to break the fast.
You’ll often see it served alongside dates, chebakia (honey and sesame pastries), and hard-boiled eggs.
12. There’s a dish for every occasion
Whether it’s a newborn baby, a funeral, a wedding, or something else, food plays a central ceremonial role in Moroccan life.
One such dish is mechoui, which is a whole roasted lamb, traditionally cooked in underground ovens for special occasions like weddings or religious holidays.
13. Street food is thriving
Street food in Morocco is very common, especially in big cities like Marrakech and Fes.
Most tourists walk straight past street vendors, not even noticing them half of the time, but the locals know how good it is!
Popular snacks include briouats (stuffed pastries), maakouda (potato fritters), and grilled sardines (I had some insanely good grilled sardines in Essaouira).
14. Sweet and savoury often go together
Sweet and savoury flavours are often blended together in ways that might seem unusual to the Western palate.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a tagine that doesn’t involve fruit of some description, and many traditional Moroccan dishes are sprinkled with cinnamon (like pastilla, a flaky pie filled with pigeon or chicken, almonds, and cinnamon).
15. Olives are on every table
Morocco is a major exporter of olives and olive oil (I love a bit of olive oil tourism), and as a result, olives are incredibly popular in Morocco.
Usually served before a meal as a nibble, juicy olives are also used in cooking, often featuring in tagines and couscous plates.
16. Argan oil isn’t just for hair
I’ve written before about the many uses of argan oil, but one of the most common ways that argan oil is used in Morocco is with food!
Not only is it used as a cooking oil, but it is also drizzled on bread at breakfast time, and used to make one of my favourite Moroccan foods, amlou, which is a rich nutty spread with almonds and honey.
17. No pork or alcohol
As a Muslim country, Moroccan cuisine strictly adheres to halal dietary laws, and you won’t find pork in any traditional Moroccan dishes.
Moroccans also do not drink alcohol, although many restaurants in Morocco (typically those that cater to foreigners) do serve alcoholic drinks.
Facts About Moroccan Food | Final Thoughts
So, now you’ve reached the end of my Moroccan food facts, how much have you learnt?
Did you already know most of them, or have I surprised you?
Let me know your answer in the comments!
Until next time,
XOXO
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