Slow Cooker Lamb Tagine Recipe
Moroccan stew made with tender lamb, warm ras el hanout spice mix, and sweet apricots and dates. This slow cooker version of Moroccan lamb stew takes about 30 minutes of prep time, and is finished off low and slow in the slow cooker. A delicious hearty stew perfect for cold days.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 381kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder cut into 1 ½ inch (4 cm) cubes
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 large yellow onion quartered and sliced into ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick slices (2 cups once sliced)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil divided
- 4 medium carrots peeled and cut into 2 inch (5 cm) chunks on a bias
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons ras el hanout seasoning see recipe for DIY blend and substitutions
- 2 cups chicken broth, divided sub for beef broth or Imagine’s Vegetarian No Chicken Broth
- ¼ cup roughly chopped pitted medjool dates about 6 large dates
- ¼ cup quartered dried apricots about 6 apricots
- ⅓ cup slivered almonds toasted
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, as garnish
- 1 tablespoon potato starch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
Ras el hanout recipe
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne or chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
Slow Cooker Directions
- Place the lamb cubes onto a plate. Pat dry with a paper towel to facilitate browning. Sprinkle all sides of lamb with salt and pepper.2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Heat ½ tablespoon of the oil in a large pan over medium high heat for about 1 minute until hot. Add lamb and cook on all sides for 7-10 minutes total until browned. If needed, cook in two batches so the lamb is not too crowded in the pan.
- Transfer seared lamb to a 7-quart slow cooker pot.
- To the now-empty skillet, add ½ tablespoon olive oil and chopped onion. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat until softened. Stir occasionally.1 large yellow onion
- Mix in carrots, garlic, and ras el hanout, and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.4 medium carrots, 3 garlic cloves, 1 ½ tablespoons ras el hanout seasoning
- Add 1 cup of broth to the pan, and deglaze by scrape the bottom of the pan to release any flavorful bits from cooking the meat and onions. Pour everything from the pan into the slow cooker pot.2 cups chicken broth, divided
- Pour the remaining 1 cup broth over the meat-vegetable mixture (in the slow cooker pot), and stir to combine.
- Cook for 5-6 hours on the low setting until the meat is very soft.
- Uncover the pot and mix in the dates, apricots and potato starch slurry. Turn the heat to High and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes until sauce thickens and is brown in color.¼ cup roughly chopped pitted medjool dates, ¼ cup quartered dried apricots, 1 tablespoon potato starch
- In the meantime, toast the almonds. Start by adding 1 teaspoon oil into a medium fry pan. Turn the heat to medium and add almonds. Toast for 3-4 minutes, mixing often until lightly golden. Transfer to a plate to cool.⅓ cup slivered almonds
- Serve lamb hot over couscous, rice, or quinoa, and top with toasted almonds and a sprinkle of parsley or cilantro.1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Oven Directions
- Position the oven rack on the second or third rung from the bottom. Preheat to 350ºF (175°C).
- Follow the slow cooker directions steps 1 through 7 above. There is no need to brown in a separate skillet; use a 5 or 6-quart oven-safe soup pot or dutch oven.
- Once the lamb and vegetables are browned and the broth and seasonings are added, cover the pot with a lid. Use hot mitts to transfer the pot to the oven. Cook for about 2 hours or until the meat is cooked through and very soft and fork tender. Check the lamb about halfway through cooking, and add a little water if the sauce reduces greatly.
- Remove the pot from the oven, and stir in the dates and apricots. If the liquid has thickened to a brown sauce, then no thickener is needed. If the sauce is thin, add the potato starch and water slurry and stir to combine. Return the pot to the stove uncovered, and simmer on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Serve lamb hot over couscous (or rice or quinoa), and top with garnishes.
DIY Ras El Hanout
- This should yield a bit over 1 ½ tbsp. Mix everything together and then measure the exact 1 ½ tablespoon for the recipe.
Notes
- Ras El Hanout substitutions: Alternatively, use a similar aromatic spice blend like baharat, 7 spice, or garam masala.
- Make ahead: This recipe can be made ahead of time. Allow it to cool down completely before storing in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: To reheat, place the lamb into a pan, cover with foil, and heat at 350°F in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. Also, the lamb can also be heated in a covered pan on a Shabbat hot plate for 1-2 hours.
- Freeze: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Ras el hanout recipe adapted from The Spruce Eats.
Nutrition
Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 2036mg | Potassium: 976mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 10736IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 5mg