Morrocan Lamb Tagine with African Spiced Cous Cous

Lamb Tagine with Cous Cous and Green Beans

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Traditional tagines are slow-simmered in clay pots, and while romantic, not everyone has one on hand. So I've adapted this recipe to allow the tagine to cook in the slow cooker. This method allows the lamb to cook until it has reached a delicious fall-apart tenderness while letting the spices, sweet dried fruits, and tomatoes work their magic over hours.

This dish is perfect for:

• Weekend batch cooking

• Impressing dinner guests with zero stress

• Filling your home with incredible aromas

• Pairing with simple flatbreads, fluffy couscous, and cooling yogurt

  
  

The Flavour Profile

A good tagine walks a beautiful line between savoury and sweet. Warming spices like cinnamon, cumin, and coriander blend with ginger and garlic, while apricots or dates add a subtle richness. A touch of honey enhances the sauce, creating that signature Moroccan depth.

What You’ll Need

• Diced lamb shoulder or leg – rich and perfect for slow cooking, I've used lamb shoulder

• Onions, garlic, ginger – the aromatic base

• Spices – cinnamon, cumin, coriander, turmeric

• Tomatoes and stock – for the luscious sauce

• Dried fruit – apricots or dates

• Chickpeas – optional, but great for stretching the dish

• Honey or maple syrup – just a little

• Fresh herbs and lemon zest – for brightness at the end

  
  

  

  Lamb Tagine Ingredients

  
  

🛒 Morrocan Lamb Tagine Ingredients (Serves 3–4) Prep: 20mins Cook: 6-8 hrs on low heat

• 600g Lamb Shoulder or leg (Diced)

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2–3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 carrot. fine diced

• 1 pepper, fine diced

• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 1/2 tsp turmeric

• 400g tinned tomatoes

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey

• 1 cup of chicken or veg stock

• 1/2 cup dried apricots or dates (optional)

• 1 tin chickpeas

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• A handful of fresh coriander or parsley

  
  

🍳 Method

1. Brown the lamb: Brown the lamb in a hot pan with oil before adding to the slow cooker. This is an optional step but adds a depth of flavour that isn't achieved by slow cooking alone.

2. Add onions, garlic & ginger: Saute then stir in spices and tomato paste and cook for roughly a minute. Transfer to the slow cooker along with the lamb.

3. Add tomatoes & chickpeas: The tagine is being built in the slow cooker as you add the tomatoes, chickpeas, honey, stock and dates. Stir well and cover.

4. Slow cook: Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until the lamb is tender and falls apart and the sauce has reached a rich consistency.

5. Serve: Plate up and finish with freshly chopped parsley or coriander.

   
   

How to Serve It

Keep things simple but satisfying:

• Couscous tossed with olive oil, lemon, and herbs, I used African Spiced Cous Cous recipe here

• Toasted flatbreads to scoop up the sauce

• A dollop of Greek yoghurt or minted yoghurt sauce to cool and balance the spices

  
  

It’s a complete, hearty meal that doesn’t feel heavy—ideal for cozy evenings or casual get-togethers.

Final thoughts

One of the best parts of this tagine? The leftovers are even better the next day. The flavours deepen overnight, making it perfect for lunchboxes or a quick reheat-and-eat dinner later in the week. So whether you're new to Moroccan-inspired cooking or already hooked on its fragrant flair, this slow cooker lamb tagine is a recipe to return to again and again.

Let it bubble away in the background while you go about your day—and come back to something truly special.