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Moroccan · Maghrebi

Kefta tagine with eggs

Non-vegetarian

طاجين الكفتة · tajine kefta

Small herby, cumin-spiced beef meatballs poached in a garlicky tomato sauce, with eggs cracked in at the end to set softly. A quick Moroccan favourite eaten straight from the pan with bread.

Kefta tagine with eggs is a Moroccan main course from Morocco, ready in about 50 minutes and made with ground beef, tomato and egg. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
30 min
Total
50 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
475

Ingredients

4 servings

For the kefta

For the sauce

To finish

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Mix the beef with the grated onion (opens in a new tab), herbs, cumin (opens in a new tab), paprika (opens in a new tab), salt and pepper (opens in a new tab). Knead briefly, then roll into cherry-sized balls.

    • 15 min
    Hands kneading dough on a floured surface
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    In a wide pan or tagine, warm the oil and fry the garlic (opens in a new tab) for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes (opens in a new tab), spices, salt and water and simmer until slightly thickened.

    A sauce simmering in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Nanda Mends on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Add the meatballs in one layer, cover and simmer, turning once, until cooked through and the sauce is thick.

    • 15 min
    • medium-low heat

    Food safety: Meatballs should be cooked through with no pink in the middle (71 °C).

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Make four wells and crack in the eggs (opens in a new tab). Cover and cook until the whites are set and the yolks still soft.

    • 5 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Cook the yolks firm for young children, pregnant people or anyone vulnerable.

  5. Step 5

    Scatter with cilantro (opens in a new tab) and serve from the pan with bread.

      Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
      How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

    About this dish

    Origin
    Morocco · Well documentedMore food from Morocco
    Dish
    Lunch · Dinner · Main courses · Stews & braises
    Cooking method
    Simmered, Poached
    Taste
    savoury, garlicky, aromatic / warmly spiced, spicy (chilli heat)
    Diet
    Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein
    All labelsNon-vegetarian · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
    Without the optional extras: Whole-food focused, Paleo-style, No gluten ingredientsWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
    Good for
    One-pan · Everyday · Child-friendly
    Cook more with
    Ground beef · Tomato · Egg · Onion · Parsley · Coriander leaves
    Techniques
    Simmering · Poaching · Kneading

    Allergens

    • Contains: Eggsfrom egg
    • Contains, can be adapted: Wheatfrom crusty bread / baguette
    • Contains, can be adapted: Glutenfrom crusty bread / baguette
    • May contain: Sesamefrom crusty bread / baguette

    Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

    Nutrition

    475 kcal per serving

    Calculated

    1 serving ≈ 386 g · recipe makes 4

    Where the energy comes from

    • Protein 27%
    • Carbohydrate 8%
    • Fat 65%
    Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
    NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
    Energy475 kcal123 kcal
    Protein31.7 g8.2 g
    Carbohydrate9.9 g2.6 g
    Net carbohydrate7.1 g1.8 g
    Sugars4.9 g1.3 g
    Added sugars0 g0 g
    Fibre2.8 g0.7 g
    Fat34.3 g8.9 g
    Saturated fat10.2 g2.6 g
    Trans fat1.1 g0.3 g
    Cholesterol271 mg70 mg
    Sodium1042 mg270 mg
    Salt equivalent2.6 g0.7 g
    Vitamins & minerals per serving
    Potassium
    899 mg
    Calcium
    90 mg
    Iron
    5 mg
    Magnesium
    55 mg
    Vitamin A (RAE)
    198 µg
    Vitamin C
    27 mg
    Vitamin D
    1.1 µg
    Vitamin B12
    3.2 µg
    Folate (DFE)
    62 µg

    How these numbers were made

    • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
    • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
    • Optional ingredients are not included: coriander leaves, crusty bread / baguette.
    • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
    • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

    Good to know

    Tips

    • Wet your hands while rolling the kefta so the mixture doesn't stick.

    Common mistakes

    • Making the meatballs too big — small kefta cook quickly and stay tender in the sauce.

    Serve with

    • Serve with khobz and a Moroccan carrot salad.

    Storage

    • Best fresh; meatballs and sauce (without eggs) keep 3 days refrigerated.

    Reheating

    • Reheat the sauce and meatballs, then add fresh eggs.

    Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

    Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

    Recipe DNA

    How this dish is built

    Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

    What the dish is built around

    Main ingredient

    Used in steps 4, 5

    Reviews & corrections

    Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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