thekittchen

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Privacy Statement
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Appetizer
    • Side Dish
    • Dessert
    • Cocktails
  • Travel
    • Packing Lists
  • Home
  • Life
  • Videos
  • Shop
  • Press
    • Press Page
    • Services
    • Speaking Engagements
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Privacy Statement
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Appetizer
    • Side Dish
    • Dessert
    • Cocktails
  • Travel
    • Packing Lists
  • Home
  • Life
  • Videos
  • Shop
  • Press
    • Press Page
    • Services
    • Speaking Engagements
×
Home » dinner

Moroccan Cooking Class in Marrakesh

Published: May 4, 2017 · Modified: Dec 11, 2024 by Kit · This post may contain affiliate links · 14 Comments

Sharing is caring!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Kelly is the best vacation planner (maybe one day we will start a business). Her friend recommended a cooking class in Marrakech so she signed us up. At first I wondered if I would regret spending a full day learning to cook and not relaxing at our insanely glamorous suite at the Mandarin Oriental, but the cooking class was a highlight of our trip. Our Moroccan Cooking Class was taught by a local chef and he integrated information about Moroccan culture.

The class is taught at small cooking school with its own garden just about 20 minutes outside of Marrakesh. Part of the class was a tour of the gardens where we got to pick the food for our meal.

Cooking is tied to gender roles in Morocco. Chef Youssef explained that only men prepare Morocco’s traditional mint tea, and that there are tea masters tasked with this job. Hassim, who was the sweetest man, is a tea master and together Hassan and Chef Youssef explained how the tea is made. It's a unique process that involves boiling the tea as it steeps.

Moroccans like to sweeten their tea and Chef Youssef told us that sugar is the traditional gift that you give when you visit someone’s home. In Morocco the sugar comes in giant chunks shaped like a mountain to echo the shape of Morocco’s Atlas Mountains.

While men make the tea, women prepare the bread. A local woman gave us a bread making demonstration. The bread is cooked in a hearth, and we got to taste it while it was still warm. While we were on the Marrakesh food tour we learned that women make the pancakes too. The desert camp employs women to prepare bread and pancakes – so even in the middle of the desert, the traditional gender roles are at play.

We learned how to prepare three different salads, three different tagines, and cous cous during the class. We cooked a feast!

While the tagines cooked Hassan took us for a talk through the town. He placed Berber style hats on our heads, and he changed into a stylish suit jacket for the occasion. We all loved Hassan so much. I just wanted to bring him home with us.

He cheerfully led up on a walk through the small village and children greeted us by saying “Bonjour” (yes, I felt like I was in a Moroccan version of Beauty and the Beast walking through a tiny village with people saying “Bonjour” all the time).

If you like to cook and are heading to Morocco – we all loved this class. The class lasted for most of a day, but we learned so much about Moroccan cuisine and culture, and the staff at the school was fabulous.

One of the many recipes we learned was for Berber Style Vegetable Tajine. We picked almost all of the vegetables from the garden ourself. I made a quick little video that shows how we made the tajine - we started with the sauce and then added the veggies.

Vegetables Tajine

Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

  • 2 medium Tomatoes diced
  • 2 medium Onions peeled and quartered
  • 4 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 2 teaspoon Sweet Paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • a generous Pinch of fresh Parsley
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
  • 1 cup Water
  • 2 medium Potatoes peeled and quartered
  • 1 large Carrot peeled, halved crosswise, and quartered
  • 1 large Zucchini halved crosswise and quartered
  • 2 small White Turnips peeled and quartered
  • a handful of Peas

Instructions

  • Start by placing the tomatoes, onions, olive oil, sweet paprika, turmeric, ginger, parsley, salt, and pepper, in a clay tajine. Add ½ cup water and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for about 10 minutes while covered.
  • Place the vegetables in the tajine on top of the sauce. Arrange them in layers in the shape of a mountain. Top with another ½ cup of water. Cover and let cook for about about 40 minutes while covered. Occasionally spoon some of the liquid from the sauce over the vegetables.

If you don't have a tajine I think you could use a dutch oven on the stove instead.

You can learn more about the cooking school here.

More dinner

  • The Best Chicken Chili
  • Make Ahead Mediterranean Salad
  • Brisket Enchiladas 13
    32 Favorite Freezer Meals
  • Easy Recipes for Beginners

Comments

  1. Sandra Garth says

    May 09, 2017 at 5:30 pm

    This would be a dream come true! Marrakesh is at the top of my list of places to visit and your gorgeous pictures have me even more intrigued. Thanks for sharing this.
    Reply
    • thekittchen says

      May 09, 2017 at 6:04 pm

      Thanks Sandra. Marrakesh was so amazing - hope you get to go!
      Reply
  2. Karren Haller says

    May 12, 2017 at 1:02 pm

    What an great experience to go to Morocco and to cook, everything looks delicious! Oh and the donkey is "so cute"!!! Thank you for sharing on #OMHGFF this week! Have a great weekend!
    Reply
    • thekittchen says

      May 15, 2017 at 6:55 pm

      Haha! Loved that little donkey!
      Reply
  3. Indah Nuria Savitri says

    May 15, 2017 at 2:28 am

    so colorful..so yummy! I have visited Morocco before and enjoyed it so much. The food is incredible!
    Reply
    • thekittchen says

      May 15, 2017 at 6:54 pm

      The food really was incredible - so glad that I learned how to make some of it!
      Reply
  4. Vanlun says

    May 15, 2017 at 9:09 am

    What a great experience and the meal looks delicious. Thank you for sharing at Dishing it and Digging it link party.
    Reply
    • thekittchen says

      May 15, 2017 at 6:54 pm

      Thank you! I love going to cooking classes in other countries!
      Reply
  5. Miz Helen says

    May 16, 2017 at 6:41 pm

    I really have enjoy this post, it is amazing! Hope you are having a fantastic week and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. We will look forward to seeing you again real soon! Miz Helen
    Reply
    • thekittchen says

      May 18, 2017 at 8:42 pm

      Thank you very much Helen. Hope you have a great week too!
      Reply
  6. DearCreatives.com says

    May 17, 2017 at 5:27 pm

    How fun! I love Moroccan food but, have never tried cooking it at home. Thanks for sharing at the Inspiration Spotlight party. Pinned & sharing.
    Reply
    • thekittchen says

      May 18, 2017 at 8:42 pm

      It is easier to cook than I thought it would be!
      Reply
  7. Gluten Free A-Z Blog says

    May 28, 2017 at 10:32 am

    This was an exciting post! Thank you for sharing your adventure into an interesting culture and their cooking customs. I like Moroccan food but have no idea how to cook it. Being a vegetarian, I might try making the vegetable tajine. Loved your photos!
    Reply
    • thekittchen says

      May 30, 2017 at 1:18 pm

      Thanks so much! Moroccan food is surprising easy to prepare - and the vegetarian cuisine is incredible. Happy cooking!
      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




kit graham headshot 2018 300x300

Welcome!

Welcome! The Kittchen is all about my two biggest loves: food and Travel! Here you can discover delicious and practical everyday recipes, plus travel destinations which will feed your wanderlust. Thanks for stopping by!

More about me

Recipes

  • Buffalo Chicken Dip | Classic buffalo chicken dip served in an edible bread bowl.
    Best Game Day Recipes
  • Andrew's 40th Birthday Dinner
  • Easy Healthy Creamy Chicken Soup with Pureed Butternut Squash
  • Soup Swap

Travel

  • Kennebunkport Travel Guide | Things to Do in Kennebunkport
  • Nantucket Itinerary for Kids
  • Milwaukee Itinerary for Kids
  • 200 Things to do in Maine
    200+ Things to do in Maine | What to Do in Maine

Home

  • Upgrading Doors on a Budget
  • Cottage-Core Inspired Entryway Design
  • Chicago Balcony Design Reveal
  • Big Plans for Our Back Balcony

Footer

↑ back to top
thekittchen
About
First Time Here?
Contact
Press

Copyright © 2025 The Kittchen. Disclosure and Privacy Policy

  • 1