Make-Ahead Vegetarian Moroccan Stew

For the love of all that is holy DO NOT DOUBLE THIS RECIPE. I did, thinking it would feed our three person family for three days like that, instead it turned into one of the most absurd kitchen experiences I have ever had, with both my husband and I sous cheffing for hours in the midst of crying babies and toddlers, and ultimately all three of our giant pots so that they couldn't even all fit on the stove simultaneously while it simmered, etc. THIS MAKES A TON OF FOOD AS IS. Unless you are feeding hundred or thousands or hundreds of thousands of people, DO NOT DOUBLE THIS.

This is a healthy staple in our house. We often modify it to include whatever vegetables we have on hand or in the garden. Also, you can make a bulk batch of spice mixture and keep this Moroccan spice mixture on hand for quicker day-of preparation. This spice mixture makes a great addition to Lamb burgers, a fantastic pork roast or salmon rub, and can be added for a wonderful variation to a stir fry. We love these Moroccan flavors!

Delicious, versatile and cheap! do not skimp on the spices, they are the key. I used what I had on hand as far as vegetables goes and substituted 2 cups slices celery, raisins and canallenni beans in place of white potatoes, apricots and chick peas and used chicken broth instead of vegetarian and it still came out great. Very tasty and filling, enough left for another meal.

Followed recipe as is with exception of using spinach instead of kale. Result was very good though seemed to be lacking in some flavor. Flavor was good but a little more subtle than I expected/hoped. I would consider doubling the spice mixture next time I make this (and I will make this again). Oh yeah, if you are not making this for an army, strongly consider adjusting the recipe servings down. We served 4 people and probably have 4/5's of this left over still.

This soup is AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS! As some of the reviewers suggested, I used the veggies I had on hand. I used some unusual veggies I got in a grab box of organic produce. My stew contained purple sweet potatoes, yellow snap beans, celery, raisins, onions, kale, diced tomatoes, and garbanzo beans. I also used chicken broth instead of vegetable broth. Additionally, I had to add a little olive oil with the kale and spices in order to saute them since the pan became dry. This is an excellent and very flexible stew and I highly recommend it!!

Excellent recipe! I had to revise based on some dietary factors and also added a few things....as some other reviews recommended, I reduced the amount of cinnamon. Because my household likes spice, I added a lot more curry powder, cumin, black pepper and also added a bunch of cayenne. I also added more kale (one whole bunch), some celery, 2 zucchini, 2 total cups of lentils - no garbanzo beans, 3 large sweet potatoes (no other potatoes) and added a 32 oz can of crushed tomatoes. I also omitted the apricots, sugar, butter and honey. Yumm--it is so good! As many other reviews mentioned, this makes a large amount of stew so be prepared to eat it for days....or reduce quantities. Overall a really great fall dish.

This was really good and I followed it exactly. It looks like a lot of ingredients but most are staples. It does have a good hint of cinnamon but the blend of sweet and savory with a good amount of vegetables. I love the variety of flavor within the dish and it was very filling. I will definitely make again!

Delicious, the best Kale soup I've ever made. The spices make this a wonderful main dish!

Made this in my slow cooker today. I changed it up a bit. I used 2 cups of lentils, a whole bunch of kale, celery, cilantro, and 2 red bell peppers. I also used about 3 heaping tablespoons of minced garlic, some ceyenne pepper and ancho chili pepper. I left out the potatoes and garbanzo beans. Turned out great!! And oh sooooo healthy!!

This is an easy, delicious stew with all the flavors of Morocco. I honeymooned there--So, it brings me back! If you wanted to add chicken to this recipe, it would work quite nicely!

So amazing. I added a lot more kale though... Two whole bunches of lancinato kale. Gets better the next day too.

I love veggies, lentils and kale and had great hopes from this recipe given the stellar reviews. I even bought dried apricots specially for this. The overall result was rather bleh. The sweet flavors with kale tasted really strange to me. After waiting a day for the promised flavors to meld together, I gave up and added garlic powder to give it some taste. Plus kale and lentils can be hard to digest without an ingredient such as garlic. I should add though that I did modify the recipe as I do for all recipes, and did not add curry powder. I added cayenne pepper and garam masal. I am not making this one again.

So very delicious! My 1 and 3 year olds both enjoyed it. Mixing it with plain yogurt was good, too. I was doing this as a last minute dish and didn't have dried apricots or kale, so I substituted raisins and peas. I'll definitely be trying this again with all the correct ingredients. It's rare for my husband to rave about a recipe...Score!

Delicious, healthy and filling; has a really nice flavour. A lot of prep work, but worth it as it makes a huge batch that will last over several meals. For me, it took at least an hour to simmer until the vegetables were tender enough, so a little longer than expected to prepare. This will be a great tummy-warming dish for a cold fall or winter's day.

Delicious! I used spinach instead of kale (it's what I had), barley instead of garbanzos (same reason) and added yellow squash just because. I also left out the fruit. And why did my red lentils completely disintegrate? Good thing I had the barley in there! This is delicious, and even hubby likes it! We'll be taking it to a potluck and keeping some at home for us, yum!

Made this recipe tonight, it has a lot flavors going on, sweet and salty. I followed the recipe but I added yams, and used purple potatoes instead of white potatoes. I love the smell and taste of the spices. I didn't use the cinnamon because a friend has an cinnamon allergy. But it is really good. Next time I will add more kale, extra spices and corn. Very filling and it made a huge pot, that I will be sharing with my neighbors. My favorite is till the Vegetarian Kale soup, but this one is in the running. Enjoy!

Delicious. This received rave reviews from the family. The spices are the key to this stew, so don't leave any of them out. I substituted raisins for the apricots and I believe most any veggies could be used. First time I made it I used maple syrup instead of honey and always organic green and brown lentils. They stay whole and don't go mushy., It's become my go to dish of deliciousness.

Fantastic!

This was very yummy! I didn't have ground ginger or dried apricots but it still turned out great. It fed our family of 4 and there are enough leftovers for 2 more dinners!

I made this in my crockpot, which is on the small side. I used about 3 cups of water with two bouillon cubes and a packet of dried onion soup (since I was out of onions), about 3 cups of chopped kale, half a butternut squash, about 2 cups of chopped cauliflower and a can of chick peas. No lentils, tomato, carrot, potatoes or apricots. I used all of the spices and honey in the amounts listed in the recipe (except for cloves, since I didn't have them), even though my total volume was a bit smaller. I also added a little cayenne pepper. The flavor in the smaller volume was intense (in a good way)! I cooked it on low for about 7 hours, and then added cooked quinoa (1 cup uncooked in 2 cups of water on the stove for 15 minutes).

I didn't think this would be good, but it turned out very good. Sweet and flavorful. No sweet potatoes on hand, and had to sub in tomato sauce for the tomatoes. Turned out thick because of that - perfect stew thickness. I'd prefer it without lentils.

Wow, this is tasty and easy! Due to what I had on hand, I increased the kale, skipped the honey, carrots, sweet potatoes, and apricots. I also reduced the salt and potatoes, and added about a cup of orzo. I also skipped the bit about the cornstarch. It came out with wonderful flavor and heartiness!

Maybe Moroccan food is just not my thing, but I didn't like this at all…probably because I don't care for sweet entrees.

I made this with only 2 changes. I wanted a vegan dish, so I sauteed the onions in 1/4 cup veggie broth, and I omitted the garbanzo beans (I don't like them). My changes in no way affected the authenticity of the original recipe. This stew is absolutely delicious. Other reviewers said that the prep time was time consuming. I didn't think so. It took me 30 minutes to chop the ingredients, and the stew was done in another 30-40 minutes. This is a keeper!

I made this exactly as the recipe stated, didn't modify anything. First time my family has tried Moroccan, and "no one" in my entire family liked this sweet, odd tasting stew. I will not ever be making anything Moroccan again.

This was great! Even my picky teenagers ate it! Thank you for sharing! *Edit*: This tastes AWESOME after being reheated (leftover), will be making this stew again and again!!!

Made this for our veggie/first course for the Morocco night I prepared for my husband. Served with Ksra bread and we both really liked it. This was my first time making Moroccan and this was tasty, easy and differently delicious!

Followed the recipe to a "t". It was okay but I won't be making it again.

Excellent. I did this pretty much like the recipe, except I didn't add kale, but I added peas. At the end of cooking I added a half cup of Cilantro. This was very good.

very good-- a lot of prep! I'd suggest cutting down on the amount of veggies, maybe leaving out the lentils, if you want enough broth. Be sure to use a huge pot--makes enough for the neighborhood.

I made this recipe exactly the same but with chicken also. Lol

So good! Didn't have exact veggies, but used most of them and subbed a few. The spices and sweeter items really make it. I'll be eating it for a week tho...it makes a ton. Great for lunch to work and good for you too.

This was fine, good, but I didn't fall in love with it. Instead of using potatoes, I used sweet potatoes. Tasted good.

This stew is delicious. After three bowls for supper my 13-year old asked me to please make it again. I made it exactly as instructed and it was very easy and now my house smells so good. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.

This was very good, and got many requests for either the recipe, or to have me make it again. =)

I underestimated the time it would take to prep all the ingredients, but it was well worth it! Delicious! Next time, I will pre-chop the vegetables and combine the spices to make it faster to cook. I made it to deliver to another family and there was enough for my family to have a full dinner, as well. Served with cornbread and salad.

I made a variation of this recipe and it was delicious. I mostly stuck to the recipe for the spice mixture, though I did substitute thyme in place of the turmeric (three of the five letters of "thyme" are in "turmeric"; and turmeric is yellow, and thyme has a "y", so I'd say they're about 3.5 letters overlapped, which is 70%!) As the top reviewer suggested I put in whatever vegetables I had in the house: kale, potatoes, zucchini, carrots, yams, onion, black beans, and a can of tomatoes. All of the flavors melded wonderfully and made a hearty and delicious dish.

If you love stirring a pot of bubbling goodness for hours, this one is for you. You can make it in 30 minutes if you're in a rush, but of course it's better if it simmers for as long as you let it. You may also want to make more vegetable broth if you're like me and love to drink the broth or sponge it up with a baguette.

Halfway through cooking, I added a little extra cumin, Turmerica and Cinnamon which I think really brought out the flavor

The spices were very off-putting. It reminded me of mulled cider, not a good compliment for vegetables. I would re-make this soup again because it is so healthy, but I will use simple salt and pepper instead.

I followed this recipe 100%. It is awesome. Don't change a thing. Great as leftovers as well. I did cook it on low for 3 hours and added potatoes in more towards the end to keep them a bit firm and not mushy, but I love the sweet potatoes mushy. Topped it with cubed avocado once and that's good too. Makes enough for 2 dinners for a family of 4 (2 kids). Complex flavors from the spices make it very tasty and interesting.

Very satisfying and plentiful meal. All of the prep work pays off but it did take me almost twice as long as the recipe stated. I also needed to let the stew cook for 45-60 minutes rather than the 30 minutes in the recipe. I used raisins since I didn't have apricots but that was the only thing I substituted. As other reviews stated this makes a lot of food, more like 12 servings than 6.

This was actually TOO sweet for our tastes. I will make it again without the honey and the dried fruit. It was good served over quinoa.

I've made this twice for potlucks and it went over very well. In addition to the apricots I also added raisins (though not everyone likes it I love it) The spices I added to taste as I love a full flavour punch!

Really good . Used all same ingredients but placed everything except kale , spices and onions in the slow cooker. Added these at the end.

Great combination of spices, produce and legumes. Used chicken broth, but otherwise made no changes. A healthy stew!

I went heavy on the spices as recommended by others, but I really didn't care for the flavor of this soup. If you prefer savory over sweet, this probably isn't the soup for you. On the other hand, if you are looking for something with a very different flavor, give it a try.

This was really, really good. I found I had to cook it 20 minutes longer to get the lentils and carrots soft. I didn't need to thicken it. I also found in the end I needed to add a lot more salt which I often have to when using good organic broth. I thought the spice level was great and you didn't miss the meat at all. This makes a large pot so I think I will freeze some today. I mainly tried this because I needed to use up some kale and potatoes that I had. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Great healthy hardy dish. The spices were great. I even added a lil more to my liking and I added more kale an entire bunch in fact (it shrinks down a lot). Thanks for the recipe.

Amazing recipe. The blend of spices is like nothing I've ever tried - sweet with a great aftertaste. Unfortunately, I underestimated the size of pot I required for the default serving size, so I had to cut out the lentils. I will be making this again next week!

A great dish that makes terrific leftovers! Go heavy on the spices - they're good! I didn't do the last step with the cornstarch since we like more soupy consistency. Used a whole bunch of kale - very forgiving recipe that allows you to add whatever you have on-hand.

This was fantastic. I left out the dried apricots and lentils as I was trying to keep the shopping list short and I'm not crazy about them anyways. Also, I used spinach instead of kale. Other than that, made exactly as is. The spices were perfect for me. Definitely tasted them without being overpowering. This will be nice in the winter when I want comfort food without the cream, cheese and other fattening ingredients.

I loved this! A fantastic and flavorful alternative to a meat dish. I threw some golden raisins in for good measure and they fit right in with the eastern flavors.

This is so delicious - and healthy, too.

The flavors in this stew are delicious and "just right". I actually doubled this recipe and froze half for a large group. This is a forgiving recipe that could easily accommodate other vegetables you have on hand.

Really enjoyed this stew! The taste is different but delicious - it really grew on me. Thank you!

Lot's of chopping and prep = a wonderfully yummy stew. Makes a ton and is filling. Only change made; used raisins instead of apricots and added more Kale (cuz I had it). Took about 45 minutes of simmer time. Great as a vegetarian dish, but would be good with a little shredded chicken or pork and served over rice. Will make again!

This recipe is truly awesome. I added extra spices, as per other reviewers and am glad I did. I went with the ratio of 1.5:1 on the spices, except for the curry which I tripled since I use an awesome brand (Sharwood's) and we love it. Next time I will use hot curry or add hot chili as I needed the heat. Served with a dollop of high quality plain greek yogurt and pita bread. Next time, I will make some basmati to accompany. I had no dried apricots and I did not miss them, though I will add them next time for comparison's sake.

The flavors were unusual (as expected) and not to my taste. Too sweet.

Based on what I had, I substituted cabbage for the kale and added a half-cup of chopped cilantro. I also roughly doubled the salt to suit my taste. Overall, I love love love this savory-sweet recipe and will revisit it often.

This had amazing flavor. I made it exactly as it says (minus the ginger cause we just forgot to get it when we went on our grocery run) and was anticipating leftovers, but when I realized just how much it was going to yield we invited a bunch of friends over for an impromptu dinner. Being that this was my first time making this, I was a little nervous, but everyone raved about it and was asking where I got the recipe from! They also said it tasted exactly like autumn and have thus renamed it "fall stew" hehe. Anyways, I would say this yields closer to 10 servings (maybe even more!) It was awesome over the couscous and went great with the squash braid I served it with. I would recommend this to anyone it was easy, just allow time for the prep work, get some friends and/or family together and have fun!

I followed the recipe as close as I could, only changing golden raisins for the apricots and swapping one sweet potato for one white. Very, very good. Nice mellow flavor and chock full of nutritious veggies. It's Halloween week and the weather is crisp... My husband (a meat lover) declared this a wonderful "Fall" soup. This recipe will be made many times!

This soup was very sweet. It was difficult to eat. We made it exactly as the recipe directed. I would suggest omitting the sugar and the apricots. Halve the cinnamon and give it a teaspoon on curry instead. Add a little cayenne. If I were to make this again, I would probably also do only one sweet potatoes and more regular potatoes. That said, I won't be making it again. Not worth the effort. Plus this recipe makes a LOT of stew, so if you don't like it, you've got a lot of leftovers on your hands.

I followed the recipe as written (without using the optional cornstarch) and loved it. I served it at a gathering of extended family members ranging in age from 5 to 70. I offered warm bread as a side and plain yogurt as an optional topping. Everyone finished their serving (THAT is a rare occurrence!) and many went back for seconds. It makes a huge batch…perfect for a holiday weekend with lots of people who have no interest in being stuck in the kitchen cooking for everyone!

Yum! I used fresh potatoes and kale from our garden, and this was delicious. I followed the recipe exactly but opted not to use the cornstarch. Will make again.

This recipe was a last minute menu addition but it soon became the main attraction at the annual meeting for the FOGFLP in Baltimore. I usually cook vegetarian because of the diverse membership's eating habits. To my surprise everyone loved it. I made(2)changes. 1. I left out the kale only because I forgot to buy it and 2. I used vegetable stock not broth.I doubled the recipe for the crowd and that worked well. This was my 1st time cooking with lentils. Super Easy! I had no left overs. I will make again! V-more

this recipe is now a staple at my house, my husband loves it, every friend I've ever made it for loves it. Delicious!

Made this for the first time today. Really delicious. Agree with one review suggesting less quantity wise. I reduced it to accommodate one person and there was certainly more than enough. Most definitely a recipe I will use again and again.

We loved this. I might simmer it 15 minutes longer next time to get the lentils even softer.

This was fabulous! The only changes I made were I used Hubbard squash instead of sweet potatoes and did not add the dried apricots or the cornstarch as a thickening agent. The spice combination really made the dish! Thanks for sharing--this is a keeper!

Not aure why it says to mix spices in a large bowl. . . . a small one works just fine. Also, finely shredded kale doesn't need to be cooked prior to adding the other ingredients. If anything, it can go in last and only requires about 10 minutes max of cooking time.

Great fall meal! The house smelled wonderful and it tasted delicious!

Really good. No changes needed but if you're looking for a different twist try butternut squash in place of the sweet potatoes

I would have given it 10 stars if I could. I doubled the curry because I really love that flavor, but otherwise I followed the recipe, and WOW!! Amazing flavor and healthy! Love this thank you!!!

Delicious!

Absolutely perfect blend of spices. Be generous with the russet potatoes or white potatoes. Served with warm fresh wheat rolls and butter. May try over quinoa next time.

I followed this recipe to a tee, adding all of the optional ingredients (the water, corn starch and the black pepper) and didn't really like it. I had my mom and step-dad taste it first and they said it was sweet and I asked them if it needed more spice and more salt. My mom said she doesn't know if it's supposed to be a sweet taste or what, because she wasn't use to it. They said more salt at least. Then I taste it and it was just sweet and they were right. This is why I knocked off a star. So after I finished it, I added another 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon of Turmeric, another 1/8 teaspoon of curry, about 3 dashes of cumin (I didn't feel like searching for another measuring spoon), 3 dashes of ginger, and I decided it might need a little more spice, so I added 3 dashes of cayenne pepper. I stired it and they said it taste better. My mom said she liked it and would eat it. She said it was a little thick though., I should have not added the corn starch since the potatoes ended up making it thick after I simmered it for 5 more minutes after adding the corn starch and also I forgot to turn the heat back down when I added the extra seasoning (i just wanted to let it simmer a few more minutes). It's still good though. I added maybe a cup more of vegetable broth, then one more dash of kosher salt. I'm scared that adding more broth will water out the spices. It's kinda thick to me, but good. I might put it over Quinoa to get more protein! I give it 4 stars!

Followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious! Everyone is asking for it again! Thank you

I have made this countless times now. It's a staple in our house. We can it eat again and again and not tire of it. I make a ginormous batch and then split it into freezer bags (BEFORE adding the cornstarch). Then, for dinner in a flash, simply reheat the meal in a pot, add the cornstarch, and serve with hearty bread.

One of the best online recipes I've ever found

Holy moley this is good. I definitely doubled all the spices and replaced the butter with coconut oil. Mine needed more liquid so I added about half a cup of coconut water which added a subtle hint. Beautiful stew. Thank you so much.

I used regular vegetable stock so did not add any salt. I doubled up on the sweet potatoes, used fresh spinach (not a fan of kale), doubled up on garbanzo beans no lentils (not a fan). Kept everything the same...spices Heavenly! Do make this, YUM!

This won a prize at the chili party I made it for, but my husband didn't like the sweetness. To each his own. I loved it!

Best stew ever!

This is a keeper. Even my very picky and generally not adventurous husband liked it.

Delicious and easy to make!

I LOVED this. It's great for vegans. I put cashews in it and I highly recommend adding them in. They brought other flavours in the dish out and added a creamy hit. I also thickened it up a bit with some tomato paste instead of cornstarch (had to put a bit more spice in when I did that so the tomato wouldn't overpower the dish) which made it taste rich. For veg I used most of the same stuff as the recipe calls for but dropped the white potatoes in favour of sweet potatoes (had to drop the honey for the vegan version) and used chickpeas instead of the garbanzo beans. I served it to some non-vegan friends and they loved it. I'm going to make this all the time.

Enjoyed over rice.

We loved this dish made exactly as written except didn't have cloves or white potatoes. Very hearty and quite easy to make ;)

I love this recipe and make it frequently. Even my picky carnivores love it! I usually freeze half for a meal in minutes during a busy week. It goes great with cornbread and definitely fills you up.

Absolutely delicious! I doubled the spices & am glad I did, it came out perfect. I'll make this again, but won't include apricots & will double up on the kale - there was very little for the amount of stew this makes.

Fantastic! Hearty and tasty. I was not excited about this recipe when I started making it, but when we tasted it, everyone loved it. I made it in the slow cooker because I have little time for cooking.

I absolutely loved this recipe and I followed it almost to a T, however I did choose to use dried dates rather than apricots because that's what I had on hand . I had no need for any added thickness or corn starch. I just stewed the veggies and lentils down till they were perfect for thickness. I used all organic products and organic chicken broth. I will definitely make this aromatic and flavorful stew again.

This really is delish! It does make a very big batch, so I downsized. I used a quart of veg broth, one 14 oz can tomatoes, one can garbanzos, less potatoes & carrots, more kale, only half cup red lentils, and no apricots. Even though I reduced the quantity a fair bit, I used the spices in quantities as written, except half the cinnamon & cumin. I also used 1/4 tsp garam masala instead of curry powder.

Loved It! Added 1 tsp more kosher salt and followed it otherwise . Served it over steamed rice and topped with a bit of Greek yogurt. It was worth a second little bowl, Yum.

I added 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and 6 OZ plain yogurt and 1/2 cup golden raisins. Garnished with fresh cilantro and mint ... DA BOMB!

I loved this infusion of flavors, husband did not like it :( I will have to make it just for myself! YEAH

I have to disagree with most reviews here. The spices were tasty, but I felt the kale and lentils muddied it up. I may try it again without them. Didn't have apricots so I used raisins. Just didn't come together for my family's tastes, even after a night in the fridge.

I doubled the recipe in order to use an entire bunch of kale, which is easier to buy-- came out great (and HUGE!). I also used 2/3 of the recommended broth and the rest water to save a little $$ and the taste didn't suffer. Great with parmesan and/or hot sauce. Yum!