North African Recipes

An Egyptian spice blend that is wonderful. The more you eat it the more addictive it becomes. Serve with toasted crusty bread (Turkish bread is great for this), and olive oil. Dip bread into olive oil, then into the hazelnut mixture and enjoy this unique and addictive mix.

This recipe came to be as a way to use the kale that was flourishing in my garden. It could also incorporate all kinds of other vegetables - whatever is in your fridge that needs to be used. Serve over couscous.

I've simplified this recipe for Couscous Mesfouf without losing any of its deliciously complex flavor. Prepare all the mix-ins ahead of time and it takes only minutes to make. Enjoy!

Chicken thighs full of spice and amazing scents to take you right to the Mediterranean. Great with quinoa or brown rice and lots green veggies.

Every Shabbat my mother-in-law makes this fish. I've modified it since the fish she uses in Israel isn't available in the Midwest. When you smell this fish cooking, you know it's Shabbat! Serve this with lots of Challah to soak up the yummy juice!

This Egyptian dessert contains phyllo dough or puff pastry, milk and nuts. Use any kind of nuts that you would like and eat it with a spoon. Legend has it that Om Ali was the first wife of the sultan Ezz El Din Aybek. When the sultan died, his second wife had a dispute with Om Ali, resulting in the second wife's death. To celebrate, Om Ali made this dessert and distributed it among the people of the land.

For a nutritious and wholesome meal, yet not lacking in flavour, look no further. You would probably not find this dish in a Middle Eastern restaurant. It is the type of everyday dish served to the family. White kidney beans are slowly cooked in a tomato based sauce. Serve it over plain white rice.

This simple meatball dish is delicious, rich, and fresh. It was taught to me by my Algerian husband, one of his favorites from home. The tomato sauce can be used for anything and the amounts of flavors can be adjusted. I like a lot of garlic and pepper. I have also found halal hamburger to be much leaner and lighter than regular. You can find it at international food stores and halal butcher shops in bigger cities. Serve this dish with a French baguette.

The smaller the florets the crispier and yummier! To get even crispier florets, add a couple of teaspoons cornmeal to the batter.

This recipe is made with mutton and chicken, but you can easily change the meats for lamb and/or merguez. I make this often and my family loves it!

I tried to duplicate this light, refreshing salad that my Tunisian in-laws make. I put my own 'twist' on this with the addition of lemon zest. Using colorful vegetables makes for a light salad with a beautiful presentation. Garnish with sliced hard-boiled eggs and serve with crusty baguettes.

This is the soup that Moroccans traditionally use to break the fast every night of Ramadan. Season with salt, pepper, mint leaves and cinnamon to taste.

This Egyptian bread is a crispy flatbread that goes great with Mediterranean food!

My daughters and I love growing heirloom purple hull peas, cowpeas, and black-eyed peas in our garden. This delicious Moroccan-style recipe smells so good while cooking and tastes so yummy.

A flavorful beef and lentil stew inspired by the tastes of Morocco. This Moroccan beef recipe is great served over rice.

This perfect meal features all four food groups. It is inspired by the Arabic dish called 'Maqluba,' which translates to 'upside down.' When the meal has finished cooking, you take the pot and flip it upside down onto a large serving platter, and everybody helps themselves.

Moroccan pancakes are served with honey-butter sauce. Best during Ramadan for breaking the fast or pre-dawn, but certainly great anytime.

This is a traditional hearty soup usually eaten in the winter time, but can be eaten any time of the year. My recipe has absolutely NO FAT! Enjoy!

Inspired by the wonderful spices and flavors used in Moroccan cuisine, this wonderful stew is a hearty one-dish meal. We like to double the recipe and freeze one portion for later. You can also save time, by combining all of these Moroccan spices in bulk and having the mixture on hand to use in this stew recipe, as well as others, like lamb burgers, grilled salmon, and meat rubs. We typically serve the stew with warm bread and a salad.

This goes great with hummus on the side!

Sweet and savory stewed chicken with dried fruits and exotic spices. Serve this on top of couscous and top with toasted almonds and fresh cilantro. Children love the familiarity of the 'sweet' spices and dried fruits.

My family and I have been trying to eat healthy, so I started adding veggies to all my soups. This recipe is easy to make, fun, and delicious. You can modify it in many ways; add your own favorite cooking oil, as well as your own greens. Serve with toasted rosemary bread. Yum!

Egyptian rice is a very short grain rice, grown in Egypt. It is not cooked the same way as medium or long grain rice. When cooked, it is supposed to have a fluffy texture, not at all sticky.

In this dish, the Instant Pot® is used to create a dish reminiscent of a slowly braised stew in a traditional clay tagine. It's a sweet-and-savory, highly flavorful combo that will take you back to your Moroccan trip or inspire you to start planning for that Sahara camel-trek. Chicken is cooked until tender with onions, garlic, turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon. Apricots steep in the broth. Serve with rice or couscous and Greek yogurt.