Go Back

Moroccan lamb and sweet potato stew

This Moroccan-style lamb and sweet potato stew is a warming, aromatic dish that works equally well as a family meal or a dinner-party centre-piece. Tender pieces of lamb are slowly simmered with sweet potatoes, carrots, chickpeas and a rich tomato sauce flavoured with Ras el Hanout, cumin and smoked paprika. The sweet potatoes balance the earthy spices,while chickpeas add fibre and plant-based protein to make the stew more substantial. I used a particularly fragrant Ras el Hanout spice blend bought in Marrakesh; if you're using a milder commercial blend, you may want to add a little extra to achieve a similar depth of flavour. Serve with rice, couscous or bulgur wheat and a crisp salad, finishing with fresh mint and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 450 g diced lamb
  • 1 onion thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
  • 2 carrots cut into chunks
  • 1 red pepper cut into chunks
  • 2 sweet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 tsp Ras el Hanout or more to taste
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 300 ml passata
  • 1 lamb or chicken stock cube
  • 1 tin chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil for cooking
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Fresh mint leaves and lemon juice to serve

Method
 

  1. Heat a little olive oil in a large casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Add the diced lamb and brown the pieces on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
  2. Add the onion and garlic to the casserole and gently sauté until softened, adding a little more oil if needed.
  3. Add the carrots, red pepper and sweet potatoes.
  4. Stir in the Ras el Hanout, cumin, smoked paprika and tomato purée. Cook for a minute, stirring to coat the vegetables in the spices.
  5. Return the lamb to the casserole and pour in the passata. Add enough water to generously cover the ingredients, then crumble in the stock cube and stir well.
  6. Bring to the boil, then cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 45 minutes, or until the lamb is tender and the sauce has thickened. Add a little more water during cooking if needed.
  7. Stir in the chickpeas for the final 5–10 minutes to heat them through.
  8. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve with chopped fresh mint or parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.