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This rich and aromatic Moroccan Beef Stew is packed with tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef, dried fruit, and slowly cooked eggplant. Hearty, comforting, and super easy to make, it’s the perfect meal for a chilly night!
Why You’ll Love Moroccan Beef Stew
You’ll love the unique flavor profile of this Moroccan beef stew. It’s filled with warm spices, dried fruits, and mouthwatering beef. The combination of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors makes it completely irresistible. Plus, it’s easy to make. You only need 20 minutes of prep time, and then you leave your stew to simmer slowly for 3 hours before serving. It’s a great recipe to liven up any regular beef stew and try something new. My family loves to enjoy a warm bowl on a rainy day, and I love how easy it is to make!
What is the secret to tender beef stew?
The key to a tender beef stew is to avoid rushing the cooking process. If you cook the meat too quickly, the meat will become tough and chewy. Instead, cook your stew low and slow for about 3 hours, leaving you with tender melt-in-your-mouth beef.
How to Make Moroccan Beef Stew
Start by seasoning the beef with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat using a tajine, large Dutch oven, or Instant Pot. Once heated, add the seasoned meat and sear on each side until golden brown. Remove the meat and set aside.
Next, add the onions and sauté until they soften and become translucent. Return the beef and reserved juices to the pot and mix with the onion. Add the ground cinnamon and cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, saffron, and garlic cloves, and mix again.
Stir in the beef broth and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat to low, then cover, and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Add half of the dried fruit to the pot and simmer for one hour before adding the remaining dried fruit and eggplant. If the sauce is too thick, add 1/2 cup more beef broth. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the meat is very tender.
Before serving, remove the bay leaves and cinnamon sticks and taste for salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped almonds and serve with couscous or fresh bread.
Storage
Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Alternatively, you can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
What to Serve with Moroccan Beef Stew
This recipe pairs well with crackers, garlic bread, couscous, or tomato basil salad.
More Tasty Stew Recipes
- Brunswick Stew Recipe
- Instant Pot Pork Green Chili Stew
- Guinness Beef Stew
- Norwegian Salt Cod Stew (Bacalao)
- Mississippi Pot Roast
If you try making this Moroccan Beef Stew Recipe, please leave me a comment below! I always love to read your thoughts and feedback!
Moroccan Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds stew beef
- salt + pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon saffron, soaked in 3 tablespoons water
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1 cup dried apricots, deseeded and cut in length
- ½ cup dates, chopped
- 1 cup dried plums, deseeded and cut in length
- ¼ cup raisins
- 1 large eggplant, chopped into small cubes
- ½ cup chopped almonds
Instructions
- Season beef with salt and pepper. Using a tajine or large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once heated, add seasoned meat and sauté on each side for approximately 3-4 minutes. Remove meat from tajine and set aside.
- Add the onions to the pot and stir. Sauté until onions just start to soften and turn translucent (approximately 5 minutes). Return beef and any reserved juices to the pot and mix with the onion. Add ground cinnamon, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, saffron, and cloves and mix again.
- Add beef broth to the pot, stir and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for approximately 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Add half the dried fruit to the pot and simmer, covered, for one more hour. Stirring occasionally. Add the remaining dried fruit and eggplant and mix well. If sauce is too thick, add 1/2 cup more beef broth. Cover, and continue to cook for an additional 30 minutes or until meat is very tender.
- Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon sticks and taste for salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped almonds and serve with couscous or fresh bread.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
