Meatball Tagine is Moroccan comfort food at it’s best. We spent a month in Marrakech and tried out quite a few tagine dishes.

Tagine or Tajine dishes get their names for the pottery dish with a cone-shaped lid in which they are slow cooked to perfection.

In this dish, meatballs are slow cooked in a tomato broth. Eggs are added at the end and can either be cooked through or the yolk can be left slightly runny.

The sauce can be sopped up with traditional Moroccan Khobz or other crusty bread. As you might have guessed, that’s my favorite way to enjoy this dish.

If you don’t happen to have a tagine, a dutch oven or heavy skillet will do just fine. And, if you do have a tagine, make sure not to put it directly on the heat of the stove – use a diffuser so you don’t crack the clay dish.

Looking for an alternative brunch recipe? This may just be your answer.

Don’t forget to pin or bookmark the recipe for later!

Follow the Turkish Meatball mix recipe although the shape, size and cooking instructions are included in the recipe below. You can make them a day ahead of time and keep them covered in the refrigerator.

Here are some additional recipes and stories from Marrakech, Morocco that you might enjoy:

Essaouira Morocco – A Seaside Day Trip from Marrakech

Traditional Moroccan Bread – Khobz

Traditional Moroccan Food Tour

Marrakech Cooking Class – La Maison Arabe

Moroccan Kefta Meatball Tagine with Tomato and Egg

Moroccan Meatballs in a tomato sauce seasoned with cinnamon, paprika and cumin and topped with poached eggs.

Ingredients

1/2 Pound Turkish Meatball Mix
3-4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 LB Tomatoes, Seeded, Peeled and Chopped (or 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes)
1/2 Onion, finely diced
3 Cloves Garlic, Finely Diced
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Sweet Paprika
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1/8 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
4 Eggs
3 Tablespoon Chopped Cilantro or Parsley
Olives, optional
Harissa, Moroccan Hot Pepper Sauce Optional

Instructions

Form meatballs into 3/4 inch to 1 inch balls.
Add the meatballs to a pan over medium heat coated with olive oil. Brown on all sides (approximately 5 - 7 minutes). Set aside.
Add the onions to the pan coated with olive oil and saute for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 2 - 3 minutes until the onions are translucent.
Add the tomatoes, dry spices and meatballs to the pan. The meatballs should be fully covered - if not add some additional water or stock to the dish. . Bring it to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover. Continue cooking for 30 minutes.
Carefully crack the eggs into the pan. Cover and cook until the whites are set and the yolks are cooked to your desired level of doneness. Alternately, you can mix the eggs to break the yolks prior to adding them to the dish if you like your yolks fully cooked.
Garnish with Olives and Chopped Parsley or Cilantro and serve with crusty bread and harissa (Moroccan hot sauce) on the side.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 442

Visit our food/finds recipe sections to see our collection of recipes from our travels – along with a description of cooking classes and food tours from around the world.