Slow Cooker Moroccan Lamb Tagine (Printer-friendly)
Tender lamb with apricots and almonds slow-cooked in Moroccan spices for a rich, flavorful dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2.6 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1.5-inch pieces
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 2 medium onions, finely chopped
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, sliced into rounds
05 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
→ Dried Fruits & Nuts
06 - 3/4 cup dried apricots, halved
07 - 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
→ Spices
08 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
09 - 2 teaspoons ground coriander
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1 teaspoon ground ginger
12 - 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
15 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Liquids
17 - 1 2/3 cups low-sodium chicken or beef stock
18 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
19 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Garnish
20 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
21 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
22 - Zest of 1 lemon
# How To Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown lamb pieces in batches until golden on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer browned lamb to the slow cooker.
02 - In the same skillet, add onions and carrots and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
03 - Stir in cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, paprika, turmeric, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with a splash of stock, scraping up browned bits.
05 - Transfer the onion-spice mixture to the slow cooker. Add diced tomatoes, remaining stock, apricots, almonds, and salt. Stir to combine.
06 - Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours until lamb is tender and the sauce has thickened.
07 - Skim excess fat if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot topped with chopped cilantro, parsley, and lemon zest.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Your kitchen will smell like a spice market for hours, and people will genuinely think you spent all day cooking.
- The lamb becomes so impossibly tender that it melts on your tongue, and the sweet apricots against warm spices create this unexpected flavor magic.
- Its a complete meal that feels restaurant-worthy but demands almost no active attention from you.
02 -
- Don't skip browning the lamb—that caramelization is non-negotiable and creates flavor you simply cannot get any other way.
- If your sauce looks thin after cooking, the slow cooker lid trapped steam that needs to escape; just prop it open for the last thirty minutes and watch it concentrate into something glossy and rich.
03 -
- Trim visible fat from the lamb before browning so your sauce stays clean and elegant instead of slick with grease.
- If your slow cooker runs hot, start checking the lamb around five hours instead of waiting the full six, because there's nothing worse than overdone tagine.