Moroccan Stew

This is the kind of pot that perfumes the whole kitchen with warm spice. A vegan vegetable stew built on the classic Moroccan base, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and paprika, bloomed with onion and garlic before the vegetables go in.

Blooming the spices in the aromatics first, even in just water or broth, is what wakes up their flavor and keeps the stew from tasting flat or raw.

Sweet potatoes melt down to thicken the broth naturally, while chickpeas, zucchini, summer squash, and carrots add body and heartiness. A handful of raisins is the signature touch, plumping in the broth and lending the sweet-savory contrast that defines Moroccan cooking.

It’s naturally vegan, oil-free, and packed with vegetables, and it’s even better the next day. Spoon it over fluffy couscous or rice to catch every drop.

Kitchen Tips

• Bloom the spices with the onion and garlic before any liquid goes in; it deepens their flavor enormously.
• Add the sweet potatoes early so they soften and thicken the broth, and the quicker-cooking squash later so it doesn’t turn to mush.
• Add water a little at a time. You want a thick, stewy texture, not soup.
• Stir the raisins in toward the end so they plump without dissolving.

Variations

• Add a pinch of cayenne or a spoonful of harissa for heat to balance the sweetness.
• Drop in a cinnamon stick and a strip of preserved lemon for a more authentic tagine flavor.
• Top with toasted almonds, fresh cilantro, or a dollop of yogurt.