There’s no one true recipe for Ras el Hanout. Moroccanmerchants once at the center of the world's spice trade simply made the blend from the best spices they had. Ras el Hanout is a pungent, unique blend frequently used in North African cuisine. It’s strong and complex, with a namethat literally translates to“head of the shop” in Arabic. So it sets the expectations high for great flavours! We'll explore Ras el Hanout recipes and tips for using this exotic spice blend!
A potent addition to your pantry, Ras el Hanout is surprisingly versatile too. So what does this spice blend actually contain? What does it taste like? And how can you cook with it even if your kitchen isn’t in Morocco? We’ve got some ideas…
First, A Little Background
Ras el Hanout is traditionally made up of over 30 ingredients, and combinations of this blend can vary from maker to restaurant to family. Some spice merchants were even known to create custom blends for special clients. Super traditional recipes contain things like dried rosebuds and lavender, making it especially fragrant and aromatic.
The contains (get ready for a long list!) all of these ingredients: Cloves, Allspice, Black Pepper, Mace, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Ginger, Turmeric, Rosebuds, Cumin, White Pepper, Coriander, Nutmeg, Saffron, Bay Leaves, and Paprika. And quite simply, it’s stunning.
Ras el Hanout is woody, pungent, and bitter, but it’s also sweet because of the nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. And it’s not spicy like you might think – just warm. Because of its strong flavours, it makes a great marinade or spice rub for meats, and it’s traditionally used in tajines and stews. This aromatic blend needs to be paired with ingredients that can stand up to its intense taste. So what should you make with it?
Chicken and Ras el Hanout
Chicken provides a great canvas to let this spice blend shine. You can go from the super simple grilledchicken dishes to baked chickento more complex (but still not too difficult to make) Moroccan tajines. Chicken actually shows how versatile Ras el Hanout can be.
To get a feel for the flavours of Ras el Hanout, start with this basicGrilled Ras el Hanout Chicken. It’s healthy, it’s easy, and you can use the chicken for all sorts of things! If you’d like even more spice to accompany it, try adding some harissa. Want something a tiny bitmore complex? Try theseRas el Hanout Chicken Kebabs which include feature thisspice blend along with some garlic and lemon juice. (They’re still really simple!) Then step it up with theseMoroccan Chicken Flatbreads by marinating the chicken overnight, skewering it, and grilling it up to serve with a homemade tomato sauce and garlic yogurt on flatbread.
This food in this recipe soundsway more complicated and fancy than it is, butRas el Hanout Chicken Thighs with Baked Feta and Shaved Saladis actually just chicken baked in the ovenand accompanied by great spices and quality ingredients toensure you end up with fully developed flavours. (And dark meat is always more tender and moist!) Not a fan of these particular accoutrements? Try this Ras el Hanout Baked Chicken recipe with red onions, sweet potatoes, and carrots – you could actuallyadd any vegetables you like!
Combine modern Western bar snacks with traditional North Africanflavors by makingthese Moroccan Chicken Wings with Sesame-Bok Choy Slaw. Or try these spiced and breadcrumbed chicken strips with this recipe forMoroccan Chicken Goujons with an Herby Yogurt Dip. They’relike a baby step toward exoticflavours that even kids will love.
So you want to make a tajine, but don’t have one of thosecustomary clay dishes? Try it in the slow cooker to get juicy, tendermeat (every time!) with all the right flavours. ThisSlow Cooker Moroccan Chicken recipe is super forgiving, and it allowsyou to experiment with the spices you put in, althoughRas el Hanout is obviously a good replacement for the long list of spices they’ve included. It goes great with the traditional ingredients likelemons, raisins, and olives.
You can try your hand a few other tajine recipes by usinga heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven. ThisChicken and Chickpea Tagine with Apricots and Harissa Sauceby Bobby Flay uses chicken thighs. And this slightly simpler Chicken Taginerecipe by BBC uses chicken breasts if you prefer white meat.
Lamb and Ras el Hanout
Perhaps the most traditional of combinations, lamb is consistently used in Morocco alongside Ras el Hanout in tajines and stews. And it’s simple to do at home, especially in the slow cooker! This Crockpot Lamb Tajine is even easier when you’ve got thespice blend already made, and it yields melt-in-your-mouth meatwith Moroccan flavours (and a real kick if you add the chilies and red pepper flakes). For a sweeter flavour profile,try this Slow Cooker Lamb Ras el Hanout which includes honey and thyme. Serve either of these over couscous or rice – mint leaves, pomegranate seeds, androasted pine nuts are all fabfor sprucing up those side dishes.
Want to go more traditional? Try this recipe for Lamb, Squash, and Apricot Tagine. Or if you want to mix it up a little, try this funLamb Tagine with dried cherries, almonds, and sweet potatoes. Serve them up with plain yogurt and cous cous!
If you’re really more of a master of the grill and have some leg of lamb ready, use Ras el Hanout as a rub, add a little garlic, and char some cherry tomatoes with thisRas el Hanout-Grilled Lambrecipe.
Braising might sound difficult, but it’s actually another way to make sure you keep all the moisture in your meats while packing in flavours over time. TryDhruv Baker’s Braised Shoulder of Lamb with Ras el Hanout– he uses acombination of honey, garlic, and thyme and cooksthe meat for several hours, resulting in fall-off-the-bone lamb. This MasterChefrecommends a fancy couscous with raisins, almonds, and coriander, but even plain rice or couscous would still be delicious!
Would you rather make something a little more soupy? Try this Moroccan Lamb Stew with Chickpeas and Figs. Feel free to change up the ingredients as you experiment!
What About Beef?
If you’re not a fan of lamb or don’t have any on hand, feel free to use beef with Ras el Hanout. This recipe for “Moroccan Beef Stew”is made in the slow cooker with apricots and onions. You can also substitute beef intofor many of the recipes above, or use Ras el Hanout as a spice rub when grilling or braising it!
Jamie Oliver even makesa sweet, spicy, and fragrant Beef Tagineusing Ras el Hanout that containsbutternut squash, chickpeas, and tomatoes.
And you could use minced beef withRas el Hanout to create koftas! Trythis recipe with either lamb or beef (or a mix) to create meatballs with a North African kick. Or your could throw thosekoftas in a tajine dish to give them an amazing sauce to float around in.
Vegetables, Snacks & Sides
Obviously you don’t need meat to make a tajine or get the great flavours of Ras el Hanout into your Moroccan-inspired meal. There are tons of options for veg-only tajines. Just check out thisrecipe forGarden Vegetable Taginethat contains aubergine, cauliflower, courgettes, sweet potato, and carrots, or thisSeven-Vegetable Taginethat includes pumpkin and cabbage. And this Vegetable Tagine with Almond & Chickpea Couscous includes prunes and red peppers. While these recipes do notall specifically mention Ras el Hanout, the addition of the spice blend will make your tajine even more fragrant, warm, and delicious.
For a more casual, less labour-intensive way to experienceRas el Hanout’s flavours, try it on these simpleRoasted Chickpeas. They make a superhealthy snack! And these easySpiced Chickpea Frittersusing panko and parsley make a great side dish, plus the recipe can be adapted to be gluten-free or vegan.
As a starch, potatoes make a great vessel for absorbing all the great flavours of this spice blend, so try theseRas el Hanout Roasted Potatoeswith garlic and lemon. We have a feeling this recipe would also work great with any roasted root vegetable!
These Healthy Moroccan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Ras el Hanout and “Smoked” Yogurt would make an impressive side (or even meal). They contain the unique combo of Ras el Hanout andmaple syrup… plus the smoked yoghurt is made easy with the addition of smoked paprika.
© Flickr, Marco VerchApricot Couscous with Ras-el-Hanout mushrooms, almonds and cucumber yogurt dip
Tricks and Tips
What else can you do with Ras el Hanout that doesn’t require much effort?
You can mix the spice blend with sour cream or yogurt to create a flavourful dip. Or blend it with softened butter to makea unique topping forfish, meat, or chicken. (Here’s a little inspiration for making compound butters!)
You can even sprinkle a little Ras el Hanout with salt over your popcorn to give an exotic flare to a classic movie snack. Or if you’re feeling really crazy, add some dark chocolate and almonds to thatRas el Hanout Spiced Popcorn.
