Authentic Moroccan Side Dishes Recipes – Moroccanzest (2024)

Authentic Moroccan Side Dishes Recipes

I grew up in Morocco having Moroccan side dishes at almost every meal. Most of the time, one side dish is usually enough, but at family gatherings and celebrations, the more side dishes the better.

If you’ve ever been to Morocco, you know how predominant Moroccan side dishes are in Moroccan cuisine. They are an important component of any Moroccan menu. In fact, they are as important and necessary as the main dish. In Morocco, we usually serve them in little colorful plates that encircle the main dish.

The table should look colorful and appetizing, as Moroccans express their love through food.

Moroccan side dishes are VERY delicious and compete with the popular Moroccan tagines and stews. When you are at a Moroccan table, you will find yourself reaching to the side dishes as often as you are reaching to the main dish.

And the good thing is, Moroccan side dishes are really easy to make! Not so sure? Just try these recipes below and you will be amazed. They are the easiest and tastiest Moroccan side dishes to make. You will get tons of compliments, I promise.

To save time, you can find all these recipes in my recipe cards’ collection, which are optimized for printing and laminating.

The Best Moroccan Side Dishes to Try

These side dishes go with Moroccan lamb tagines, beef tagines, chicken tagines, or any vegetable tagine. You can also serve them as a main dish if made in a large-sized serving.

Here is the list of my favorite and most requested Moroccan side dishes recipes. They are easy to make and every bite will taste like being on vacation in Morocco.

Moroccan Carrot Salad

This is one of my favorite Moroccan side dishes to make. It takes less than 30 minutes total and it’s full of flavors and vitamins. I make it all the time when I am having guests and I always get tons of compliments.

The aromatics combined with the carrots give a delicious fresh citrusy flavor. This carrot salad is great hot, tepid, or cold. Serve it with fresh bread or as an appetizer.

Here is my mother’s carrot salad recipe.

Moroccan Marinated Olives

Moroccan marinated olives are a blessing. Every Moroccan kitchen has jars and jars of homemade marinated olives ready to use. We use them as a side dish, as appetizers or to decorate tagine dishes.

Making them is as easy as mixing your olives with spices and aromatics and filling your jars. They make a thoughtful gift too. A must.

Here is my mother’s marinated olives recipe.

Moroccan Pepper Salad

There are different ways to make Moroccan pepper salad. The traditional way starts by roasting the peppers and tomatoes on a grill or in the oven to add a delicious roast flavor.

This pepper salad is delicious cold or tepid. Eat it with fresh bread or as a tapas, or add it to your sandwiches and salads. It tastes amazing.

Here is my mother’s Moroccan pepper salad recipe.

Moroccan Orange Salad

This is a sweet alternative to Moroccan side dishes which you can also serve as a dessert.

Here is my mother’s orange salad recipe.

This orange salad is probably the easiest dessert you can make. The secret ingredient is orange blossom water which makes every ingredient stand out. This orange salad recipe requires a few ingredients and you can make it in less than 5 minutes.

If you want to explore Moroccan cuisine to its fullest, here are the Moroccan cookbooks that I always recommend to my friends.