Chickpea and Sweet Potato Tagine

Name: Chickpea and Sweet Potato Tagine
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1½ cups (210 g) yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 large onion); 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 1½ tablespoons (9 g) ras el hanout; ½ teaspoon (1.3 g) ground cinnamon; 1 pinch (0.1 g) saffron threads, lightly crushed between fingertips (optional); 1½ pounds (680 g) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes (about 4 cups); 2 cans (15 oz / 425 g each) (850 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups drained); 1 can (14.5 oz / 411 g) (411 g) canned crushed tomatoes; 1½ cups (360 ml) vegetable broth; ⅓ cup (50 g) raisins; 1 teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ¼ teaspoon (0.6 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon, freshly squeezed juice, from about ½ lemon; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, plus extra for serving; ¼ cup (25 g) sliced almonds, toasted in a dry skillet until golden (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A fragrant Moroccan-style stew of tender sweet potato and creamy chickpeas simmered in a tomato sauce scented with ras el hanout, cinnamon and saffron, with sweet raisins and a bright finish of lemon and herbs. Made in one pot on the stovetop in about an hour.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 5 min
Makes: About 6 cups (4 generous servings)

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Ingredients

4 servings

3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1½ cups (210 g) yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 large onion)
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1½ tablespoons (9 g) ras el hanout
½ teaspoon (1.3 g) ground cinnamon
1 pinch (0.1 g) saffron threads, lightly crushed between fingertips (optional)
1½ pounds (680 g) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes (about 4 cups)
2 cans (15 oz / 425 g each) (850 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups drained)
1 can (14.5 oz / 411 g) (411 g) canned crushed tomatoes
1½ cups (360 ml) vegetable broth
⅓ cup (50 g) raisins
1 teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon (0.6 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon, freshly squeezed juice, from about ½ lemon
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, plus extra for serving
¼ cup (25 g) sliced almonds, toasted in a dry skillet until golden (optional)

Equipment (5)

Large heavy-bottomed lidded pot (5-6 quart / 4.7-5.7 L), or a tagine pot with a heat diffuser
Small skillet for toasting almonds
Cutting board and chef's knife
Wooden spoon
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas well so the sauce tastes clean, not tinny.
Cut the sweet potatoes into even 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes so they cook at the same rate.
Ras el hanout varies in saltiness and heat by brand; taste it and adjust the salt at the end.
Serve with couscous, rice or flatbread; cook it while the tagine simmers. This recipe is made entirely on the stovetop, so no oven is needed.

1
Soften the onion
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat for 1 minute until it shimmers.
- Add the chopped onion and ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook, stirring often, for 6–8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent and just starting to turn pale golden at the edges.
Tip: If the onion browns quickly, lower the heat; dark onion tastes bitter in the finished sauce.
2
Bloom the spices
- Stir in the garlic, ginger, ras el hanout, cinnamon, black pepper and saffron, if using.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 45–60 seconds.
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Ready when: The mixture smells intensely fragrant and looks like a thick paste coating the onion.
Tip: Add a splash of broth if the spices start to stick or scorch.
3
Add tomatoes and broth
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth.
- Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to lift any browned bits.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil.
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Ready when: Liquid is bubbling around the edges and the bottom of the pot is clean.
4
Add vegetables and fruit
- Stir in the sweet potato cubes, chickpeas, raisins and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt.
- The liquid will not fully cover everything, which is fine; the sweet potatoes will steam on top and release moisture.
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Ready when: The pot is returning to a bubble around the edges.
Tip: Cut the sweet potatoes evenly so no pieces turn mushy while others stay hard.
5
Simmer covered
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with the lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Stir gently once or twice, moving the sweet potatoes from the top to the bottom.
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Ready when: Sweet potato pieces are nearly tender when pierced with a fork, with a little resistance in the center.
Tip: Keep the simmer gentle, with only small bubbles, to avoid breaking up the sweet potatoes.
6
Thicken the sauce
- Remove the lid and continue simmering for 8–10 minutes, stirring gently now and then, until the sauce reduces to a thick, spoon-coating stew.
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Ready when: Sweet potatoes are fully fork-tender and a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a trail that fills in slowly.
Tip: If it gets too thick, stir in 2–3 tablespoons of water.
7
Finish and season
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the lemon juice and chopped cilantro.
- Taste and add more salt, pepper or lemon juice if needed.
- Let the tagine rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: The stew tastes balanced: warm and spiced, a little sweet, and bright from the lemon.
Tip: Season at the end; the raisins and ras el hanout change how salty it tastes.
8
Toast almonds and serve
- If using almonds, toast them in a dry small skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, shaking often.
- Spoon the tagine over couscous or rice, then top with the almonds and extra cilantro.
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Ready when: Almonds are golden and smell nutty.
Tip: Move the almonds to a plate right away, as they keep browning in the hot pan.

Good to know

Tips

Make sure the spices cook briefly in oil before adding liquid; this deepens the flavor.
Don't skip the lemon at the end; acidity balances the sweetness of the potato and raisins.
For a thicker stew, lightly mash a few chickpeas against the side of the pot in step 6.
Add harissa or a pinch of cayenne at the table for heat.

Make ahead

The tagine tastes even better the next day. Cook through step 6, cool, and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently, then add the lemon juice and cilantro just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months, though sweet potatoes will be slightly softer. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pot over medium-low heat with a splash of water or broth until steaming hot.

Substitutions

ras el hanout → 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric and ½ teaspoon ground ginger. Approximates the warm, floral blend; add a pinch of cayenne for heat.
raisins → chopped dried apricots or dates. Use the same weight; chop to raisin size.
sweet potatoes → butternut squash. Cut the same size; it may cook 3–5 minutes faster.
canned chickpeas → 3 cups cooked dried chickpeas. Cooked from scratch, use the same amount; cooking liquid can replace some of the broth.