Moroccan lamb tagine with apricots is lamb shoulder braised slowly with ginger, saffron and cinnamon until it falls apart, then finished with honey-glazed apricots and toasted almonds. It’s sweet and savory at the same time. You don’t need a clay tagine to make it. A heavy Dutch oven does the same job.
The 30-second answer
Toss 2½ lb lamb shoulder chunks with ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric and saffron. Brown them in batches, soften 2 grated onions, then add 2 cups stock and half the apricots. Cover and braise on low heat (or at 325°F / 160°C) for 1½ to 2 hours. Add the rest of the apricots and 1–2 tbsp honey, then simmer uncovered for 20–30 minutes until the sauce turns glossy. Finish with toasted almonds, sesame seeds and cilantro. Serve with couscous or bread.
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What’s the best cut of lamb for tagine?
Boneless lamb shoulder. It has enough fat and connective tissue to stay juicy through two hours of braising. Leg of lamb is leaner and tends to go dry and stringy by the time it’s tender. Save the leg for roasting.
Shoulder (best)
Marbled and full of collagen. It melts into soft, spoonable chunks and gives the sauce body. Cut it into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces and leave most of the fat on.
Leg (works, with care)
Leaner, so it’s easy to overcook. Cut the braise down to about 1¼ hours and check often. Our roast leg of lamb is a better use of this cut.
Bone-in shoulder chops or neck pieces are great too, and very traditional in Morocco. The bones add gelatin, so the sauce sets up richer. Shanks work as well, but they need a longer cook. See the shank version below.
Do you need a tagine pot to make lamb tagine?
No. A heavy Dutch oven with a tight lid gives almost the same result. “Tagine” is the name of the dish and of the pot. The cone-shaped lid catches steam and drips it back onto the food, as the history of the tajine explains. That’s why a tagine needs so little liquid.
A Dutch oven loses a bit more moisture, so this recipe uses slightly more stock than a clay-pot version would. It also lets you brown the lamb properly, which a clay tagine can’t do well.
Cooking in a real clay tagine? Keep these rules in mind:
- Use a heat diffuser on gas or electric burners. Direct flame can crack the base.
- Keep the heat low the whole time. Never go above medium.
- Brown the lamb in a skillet first, then move it into the tagine.
- Don’t put a cold tagine into a hot oven, or pour cold liquid into a hot one.
Ingredients for lamb tagine with apricots (serves 6)
Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Apricots
Lamb and spice rub
- 2½ lb (1.1 kg) boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) chunks
- 1½ tsp ground ginger
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1½ tsp fine salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
Braise
- 2 large yellow onions, coarsely grated
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, grated
- A big pinch of saffron threads (about ¼ tsp), crumbled into 2 tbsp warm water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium chicken stock or water
- A small bunch each of cilantro and parsley, tied with string
- 1 cup (about 170 g) dried apricots, divided (half roughly chopped, half left whole)
- 1–2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp orange blossom water (optional)
To finish
- ½ cup (70 g) blanched almonds, toasted in a dry pan
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- Chopped fresh cilantro
Short on spices? Swap the ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and turmeric for 2 tbsp of ras el hanout. The name means “head of the shop,” or the best blend the spice seller has. Every blend is different, so taste yours first. Some are hot, and some are heavy on rose or clove.
Which apricots? Plump, orange Turkish apricots are the easiest to find and hold their shape well. The darker, sun-dried Californian kind is more tart. Both work. If yours are hard and leathery, soak them in hot water for 15 minutes first.
How to make Moroccan lamb tagine with apricots
1. Season the lamb (10 min, or overnight)
- Pat the lamb dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss it with all the ground spices, the salt and 1 tbsp of the oil until every piece is coated.
- Cook right away, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. An overnight rest seasons the meat all the way through.
2. Brown in batches (12 min)
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add about a third of the lamb in a single layer, with space between the pieces. Brown for 2–3 minutes per side. Move it to a plate and repeat with the rest, adding the last tablespoon of oil as needed.
- Don’t worry if the spices darken on the bottom of the pot. Don’t let them burn black, though. Turn the heat down a little if they’re getting close.
3. Build the base (10 min)
- Turn the heat to medium. Add the grated onions and a pinch of salt. Cook 7–8 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, until soft and golden.
- Add the garlic and fresh ginger and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Return the lamb and its juices to the pot. Add the saffron and its soaking water, the cinnamon stick, the herb bundle, the stock and the chopped half of the apricots.
4. Braise low and slow (1½–2 hr)
- Bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly and turn the heat to low. Or move the pot to a 325°F (160°C) oven.
- Cook 1½ to 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Add a splash of water if the liquid drops below halfway up the meat.
- It’s ready for the next step when a piece of lamb breaks apart with a fork.
5. Glaze and finish (20–30 min)
- Remove the herb bundle and cinnamon stick. Stir in the whole apricots and 1 tbsp honey.
- Simmer uncovered for 20–30 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Taste. Add more honey if it needs it, more salt if it tastes flat, and the orange blossom water, if using.
- Scatter over the toasted almonds, sesame seeds and cilantro. Serve hot.
Watch it done (video)
Rick Stein learns a lamb tagine at a Moroccan cookery school. Watch how little liquid goes into the clay pot.
When should you add the apricots to a lamb tagine?
In two stages. Add half the apricots, chopped, at the start of the braise. Add the other half, whole, for the last 20–30 minutes. Most recipes put them all in at once, at the start or at the end. Each way has a problem.
- All at the start: after two hours, the apricots collapse into mush. The sauce gets sweet, but you lose the pieces of fruit.
- All at the end: the fruit stays whole, but the sauce never picks up that fruity depth. It tastes like lamb stew with apricots on top.
The early apricots dissolve and thicken the sauce, much like the grated onion does. They also balance the spices with a gentle sweetness. The late ones soak up the honey and stay soft, glossy and whole. You get flavor in the sauce and fruit on the fork.
The same idea works with prunes or dates. Traditional Moroccan cooking often pairs lamb with prunes, and many cooks mix apricots and prunes in one pot. Dates are much sweeter, so cut the honey back if you use them.
Can you make lamb tagine with lamb shanks?
Yes, and it’s the showpiece version. Use 4 lamb shanks (about 1 lb / 450 g each) in place of the shoulder. Rub them with the same spices, brown them well on all sides, and follow the recipe with two changes:
- Use a wide pot so the shanks fit in one layer, and add enough stock to come halfway up them.
- Braise 2½ to 3 hours, turning the shanks once an hour, until the meat pulls away from the bone.
Serve one shank per person on a mound of couscous, with the apricots and sauce spooned over. For a wine-braised, non-Moroccan take, try our braised lamb shanks.
Essence Cuisine makes a sweet-and-savory lamb shank tagine from start to finish.
Can you make lamb tagine in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes, both work well. Brown the lamb and cook the onions on the stove first, either way. Skipping that step leaves the tagine pale and flat.
- Slow cooker: cut the stock to 1¼ cups (300 ml), since nothing evaporates. Cook on low 7–8 hours or high 4–5 hours. Add the whole apricots and honey for the last 30 minutes with the lid off, or ladle the sauce into a pan and reduce it on the stove.
- Instant Pot: brown on Sauté, then add 1½ cups (360 ml) stock and the chopped apricots. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Switch back to Sauté, add the whole apricots and honey, and reduce for 10 minutes.
Want a faster weeknight version? Our Moroccan chicken tagine uses the same spices and is ready in about an hour.
What do you serve with lamb tagine?
Couscous is the classic. It soaks up the honeyed sauce. In Morocco, though, tagine is often eaten with bread, used to scoop up the meat by hand.
- Fluffy couscous with a knob of butter, or mixed with herbs and lemon zest
- Khobz (round Moroccan bread) or any crusty loaf
- Moroccan carrot salad with cumin and lemon, to cut the sweetness
- Cucumber and tomato salad with mint
- Rice or quinoa, if couscous isn’t your thing
Cooking a Moroccan-style spread? Our grilled beef kofta makes a good second dish.
Common lamb tagine mistakes
What goes wrong, and the fix
- Tough, chewy lamb: it wasn’t cooked long enough. Shoulder can’t be rushed. Give it another 20–30 minutes and test again.
- Watery sauce: the lid stayed on the whole time. The last 20–30 minutes must be uncovered, so the sauce can reduce.
- Too sweet: too much honey, or all the fruit went in at the start. Add a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt to bring it back.
- Grey, bland meat: the pot was crowded, so the lamb steamed. Brown it in three batches.
- Bitter taste: the spices burned while browning. Keep the heat at medium-high, not high, and scrape the pot when you add the onions.
- Greasy surface: shoulder releases a lot of fat. Skim it off with a spoon before glazing, or chill the tagine overnight and lift off the fat.
Can you make lamb tagine ahead or freeze it?
Yes, and it tastes better the next day. The spices settle, and the sauce gets deeper overnight.
- Fridge: cool, cover and keep for up to 3 days. Add the almonds and herbs only when you serve.
- Freezer: freeze without the garnish for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat: warm gently in a covered pot over low heat with a splash of water, until it reaches 165°F (74°C) in the center.
Questions people ask about lamb tagine with apricots
What does lamb tagine with apricots taste like?
Sweet and savory, with warm spices rather than heat. The lamb is rich and tender, the apricots add a honeyed tang, and ginger, cinnamon and saffron give it a gentle perfume. It’s not spicy unless your ras el hanout contains chili.
How long does lamb tagine take to cook?
About 2 to 2½ hours for shoulder chunks: 1½–2 hours covered, then 20–30 minutes uncovered. Lamb shanks take 2½–3 hours. A slow cooker needs 7–8 hours on low. An Instant Pot cuts it to about 1 hour, including the pressure release.
Should lamb tagine have tomatoes?
Not this one. Sweet tagines with apricots, prunes or honey usually skip tomatoes, so the fruit and saffron can come through. Savory lamb tagines with vegetables or olives often include them. Add a spoonful of tomato paste if you’d like a redder, tangier sauce.
Can I use fresh apricots?
Yes, in summer. Halve and pit 8–10 ripe apricots and add them only for the last 15 minutes. They’re softer and more tart than dried, so they’ll need about a tablespoon more honey.
Can I add chickpeas?
Yes. Stir in one drained 15-oz (400 g) can with the whole apricots. It stretches the tagine to 8 servings and soaks up the sauce well.
Is lamb tagine halal?
It can be, and it contains no pork or alcohol. Use lamb from a halal butcher and check that your stock is halal-certified, or use water.
Did You Try Our Recipe ?
Scrumptious
My husband (who is extremely picky) loved the liver & onions so much!! I didn’t have any beef broth or Sherry so I used about a tbl of Worcestershire and 1/4 c of white wine …..it was scrumptious
Response from MeatRecipesBox
Oh wow, I’m so happy to hear that!! 😍 I love that you made it work with what you had on hand — Worcestershire and white wine sound like a delicious twist. So glad your husband enjoyed it, especially being picky! Thank you for sharing your version, it makes me smile knowing it turned out scrumptious!
This was amazing
This recipe turned out really amazing! It’s juicy and spiced deliciously. I definitely would use less of the spicy pepper next time, but it really was delicious and I don’t think I’ll make chicken legs any other way from now on.!
Response from MeatRecipesBox
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review. I’m really glad to hear the recipe turned out juicy and full of flavor for you. That’s exactly what I was hoping for when putting it together. Good call on the spicy pepper as well. Adjusting the heat level to your own taste is always the best approach, and using a little less next time should make it just right for you. I really appreciate you trying the recipe and sharing your experience. It’s great to know it worked so well for you.
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