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Moroccan · Maghrebi

Lamb tagine with apricots

Non-vegetarian

Lamb shoulder braised slowly with onions, ginger, saffron and cinnamon until falling apart, then finished with honey-glazed dried apricots and toasted almonds. A sweet-savoury Moroccan classic for special meals.

Lamb tagine with apricots is a Moroccan main course from Morocco, ready in about 2 hours 35 minutes and made with lamb shoulder and dried apricots. It serves 6 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
2 h 15 min
Total
2 h 35 min
Serves
6
Level
Intermediate
Calories
637

Ingredients

6 servings

For the apricots

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    In a heavy pot or tagine, mix the lamb with the oil, onion (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab), ginger, turmeric (opens in a new tab), cinnamon (opens in a new tab) stick, saffron (opens in a new tab), salt and pepper (opens in a new tab). Cook over medium heat, turning, until the onion softens and the meat colours lightly.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Add the cilantro (opens in a new tab) bundle and water, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook gently until the lamb is very tender. Stir now and then and add a little water if needed.

    • 110 min
    • low heat

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, simmer the apricots in a small pan with water just to cover, the honey (opens in a new tab) and ground cinnamon (opens in a new tab) until plump and syrupy.

  4. Step 4

    Remove the cilantro (opens in a new tab) bundle. Uncover the lamb and reduce the sauce until it is thick and coats the meat.

    • 15 min
    • medium heat
    A sauce simmering in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Nanda Mends on Pexels

  5. Step 5

    Spoon the apricots and their syrup over the lamb and scatter with almonds (opens in a new tab) and sesame seeds (opens in a new tab).

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

About this dish

Origin
Morocco · Well documentedSweet tagines with dried fruit (prunes, apricots, raisins) are a long-established part of Moroccan festive cooking.More food from Morocco
Dish
Dinner · Lunch · Main courses · Stews & braises
Cooking method
Braised, Slow-cooked
Taste
sweet & savoury, aromatic / warmly spiced, rich
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein
Without the optional extras: No nut ingredientsWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration · Make-ahead · One-pot · Freezer-friendly
Cook more with
Lamb shoulder · Dried apricots · Onion · Garlic · Ground ginger · Turmeric
Techniques
Simmering · Braising · Reduction

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Tree nutsfrom almonds
  • Contains, can be adapted: Sesamefrom sesame seeds
  • Contains: Sulphitesfrom dried apricots

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

637 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 358 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 18%
  • Carbohydrate 20%
  • Fat 62%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy637 kcal178 kcal
Protein28.8 g8 g
Carbohydrate32.3 g9 g
Net carbohydrate28.6 g8 g
Sugars25.2 g7 g
Added sugars5.7 g1.6 g
Fibre3.7 g1 g
Fat45.1 g12.6 g
Saturated fat17.4 g4.9 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol100 mg28 mg
Sodium698 mg195 mg
Salt equivalent1.7 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
916 mg
Calcium
68 mg
Iron
3.1 mg
Magnesium
48 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
92 µg
Vitamin C
4 mg
Vitamin D
0.3 µg
Vitamin B12
3.1 µg
Folate (DFE)
—

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: saffron, almonds, sesame seeds.
  • “—” 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

  • Grating the onion lets it melt into a silky sauce, as in many Moroccan tagines.

Common mistakes

  • Adding the honeyed fruit too early — it can catch and burn on the bottom of the pot.

Serve with

  • Serve with crusty Moroccan bread (khobz) or plain couscous.

Food safety

  • Simmer stewing beef, goat or lamb until fork-tender; cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently, covered, with a splash of water.

Variations

  • With prunes: Use pitted prunes instead of apricots — the more traditional pairing in many Moroccan homes.

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

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 step 1

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