Moroccan Vegetable Tagine (طاجين الخضار المغربي) — Mixed Root Vegetable Tagine with Chickpeas

• 220 gyellow onion, finely chopped
• 12 ggarlic, minced
• 30 mlextra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tspground cumin
• 2 tspground coriander
• 2 tspsweet paprika
• 1 tspground ginger
• 0.5 tspground turmeric
• 0.25 tspground cinnamon
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt (about 9 g)
• 30 gtomato paste
• 720 mlvegetable stock
• 300 gcarrots, peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks
• 250 gparsnips, peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks
• 350 gsweet potato, peeled and cut into 3 cm chunks
• 250 gzucchini, cut into 3 cm chunks
• 180 gred bell pepper, cut into 3 cm pieces
• 400 gcanned chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 1 (15 oz) can drained)
• 15 gpreserved lemon peel, finely chopped (rinse if very salty)
• 60 ggreen olives, pitted (Moroccan-style cracked olives are ideal)
• 15 gfresh cilantro, chopped
• 15 mlfresh lemon juice
• 10 ghoney (optional but traditional for balance)

Instructions

1. 1

   Warm a tagine base or heavy Dutch oven over medium heat for 2 minutes, then add the olive oil. Stir in the onion with 30 ml water and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden.

2. 2

   Add the minced garlic and cook for 60 seconds, just until fragrant. Add cumin, coriander, paprika, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, and salt, then stir constantly for 30 seconds to bloom the spices without scorching.

3. 3

   Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to deepen its flavor and remove rawness. Pour in the vegetable stock and scrape the bottom well so any browned bits dissolve into the broth.

4. 4

   Add the carrots and parsnips first, then arrange the sweet potato on top so it steams gently and holds its shape. Bring to a steady simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 25 minutes, keeping the simmer gentle so the vegetables don’t break apart.

5. 5

   Add the chickpeas, red bell pepper, and zucchini, nestling them into the sauce so they cook evenly. Cover again and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until the carrots are tender and the broth is lightly thickened.

6. 6

   Stir in the preserved lemon peel, olives, lemon juice, and honey, then simmer uncovered for 5 minutes to concentrate the sauce. Turn off the heat and fold in the chopped cilantro, then rest the tagine for 10 minutes so the flavors meld before serving.