Authentic Moroccan Recipes: Kefta Tagine

Last Updated on 21st July 2025 by Jessie

Kefta tagine is a simple, but flavour-packed Moroccan dish consisting of spiced meatballs cooked in a rich tomato sauce. When the kefta is almost cooked through, eggs are added and poached in the simmering, spiced sauce. The steaming hot dish is best served immediately, with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and ample amounts of fresh khobz.

Kefta tagine is a protein-heavy dish, making it the perfect post-surf refuel during a sojourn on Morocco’s surf coast. For those playing along at home, feel free to opt out of the eggs. Instead, you can serve it with a freshly chopped Moroccan salad, for a super tasty, nutrient-rich dinner.

This kefta tagine recipe bears a striking resemblance to the Berber omelette recipe I previously shared. That’s one of the best things about living in a country where the cuisine is so distinctly its own. The flavours merge – a different protein source here, a few alternate spices there – but the dishes largely share the same foundational ingredients.

So, with a quick trip to the local souk, you’ve got a whole repertoire of tasty Moroccan dishes up your sleeve. There’s no need for bland diets when travelling Morocco on a budget.

Moroccan Kefta Tagine Recipe

Alongside a Moroccan salad and fresh bread, this recipe should serve 4. For a ravenous bunch coming in from a day in the surf, you’d probably want to oumph it up a bit.

Ingredients

For the kefta:

• 500g lamb, beef or turkey mince (or a mixture)
• 1 small onion; finely chopped
• Handful of fresh parsley; chopped
• Handful of fresh coriander; chopped
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp tumeric
• Salt and pepper

For the tomato sauce:

• 1 small red onion; chopped
• 2 cloves garlic; chopped
• Small green capsicum; chopped
• Small red capsicum; chopped
• 1/2 tsp tumeric
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 6 tomatoes; grated
• 4 eggs
• Swig of olive oil
• Small bunch of coriander and parsley; to serve
• Lemon; to serve

Method

1. Combine your preferred mince with the onion, herbs, spices and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Use your hands to portion the mixture into small, round balls (bigger than a marble, smaller than a golf ball).
2. Heat a tagine (or frypan) on the stove with a little olive oil. Add the onion and let it soften for a moment before adding the garlic and a pinch of salt. Fry for 5-10 minutes, or until it begins to brown.
3. Add the capsicum, sauté for another minute. Then go in with the spices and another pinch of salt and pepper. Fry for 2 minutes, until aromatic, then add the grated tomatoes. Cover with a lid, simmer on a low heat, and let it do it’s thing for 10-15 minutes.
4. Add the kefta to the mixture, spooning a little bit of sauce over each. Return the lid, and allow it to simmer for another 10-15 minutes, or until the kefta is just cooked through.
5. If you’re going for the whole shebang, use a spoon to make 4 shallow wells in the sauce, and crack in the eggs. Cover with the lid and cook for a few more minutes.
6. Et voilá. Sprinkle over the fresh herbs, add a squeeze of lemon, and serve immediately with fresh bread.

Note: For those in Morocco, you can buy kefta mince from the butcher with the spices already mixed through. I like to go max-flavour with it and add my own fresh herbs, chopped onion and extra spices.

Besaha.

More recipes to try:

• Berber Omelette
• Beef and Raisin Tagine
• Moroccan Salad
• Moroccan Mint Tea
• Harira Soup with Lamb

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