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Chickpea tagine with eggplant is a warm Moroccan stew. This vegan recipe balances spicy, savory, and sweet flavors, making each bite unique. Serve it as is or with rice on the side.

Chickpea tagine is a thick, aromatic stew made of spices, harissa paste, eggplant, chickpeas, and dried fruit. The ingredients are then simmered, marring them together in a rich tapestry of sweet, savory, and spice. Each bite is layered with flavors and textures. Then, every few bites, I get a pop of sweetness from a plump golden raisin!

I created this recipe from what I could remember of one of my favorite restaurants, Mataam Fez. It was a Denver institution for 40 years. Dinner there was an entire experience, from richly layered food, sitting on the floor and belly dancing. For me, and many in Denver, it was an introduction to Moroccan cuisine.

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do! Ruth

Chickpea Tagine with Eggplant

Recipe At a Glance

EASE: Intermediate. It takes time, but most cooks can make this recipe
CUISINE: Moroccan
FLAVOR: Complex spice flavors with pops of sweet
COURSE: Dinner
TIME:
DIET: Vegan, Gluten Free

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Main meal filled with North African flavors and pops of sweetness.
Easily customizable with your favorite vegetables.
Easy to make in bulk, meal prep, and enjoy all week.
Make this in an instant pot or slowly simmer it in a slow cooker.

Tagines

What is a tagine?

A tagine is a clay pot easily recognizable by its large cone. Moroccan stews are slowly simmered inside a tagine. The stews are often layered with spices, vegetables, and dried fruits.

Do I need a tagine to make this recipe?

No, you do not need a tagline. In fact, I do not own a tagine. I wish I did, but every time I go to buy one, I think, oh dear, I have so much stuff already, and where can I possibly store this?

Key Ingredients

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is popular in Moroccan cooking. I choose to use dried apricots and golden raisins. They are two of my favorite ingredients, which you will find throughout my blog. Dates and figs are also popular tagine ingredients.

Eggplant

I chose eggplant because of its contrasting texture with chickpeas. If eggplant is not your favorite vegetable, try bell peppers, carrots, or butternut squash. All of them would taste great with this recipe.

Harissa

Harissa paste is a rich, spicy pepper sauce that can be added to almost anything. For this recipe, I am using standard red harissa paste. I do not recommend using green harissa; the flavor would not complement his recipe. If you want to learn more bout harissa, check out my best harissa substitutions. There is a lot of information about his rich and spicy sauce!

Spices

Like Turkey and India, Moroccan food reflects its unique location along spice routes. I used common tagine spices to make this recipe (ground cinnamon, ground coriander, ground ginger, smoked paprika, and turmeric.). If you feel that is too many spices, you can dial them back in quantity. Also, if you omit the spices altogether, add more harissa. It makes everything taste better!

Step by Step Instructions

Prepare the Eggplant

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Cut the eggplant into one-inch cubes.
Toss the eggplant cubes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and pepper.
Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway, until tender.

Sauté the Onions and Garlic

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook until softened about 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Bloom the Spices

Add the cinnamon, coriander, ginger, smoked paprika, and turmeric. Stir for 30 seconds, just long enough to toast the spices.

Combine the Ingredients

Stir in the harissa paste, chopped apricots, and golden raisins. Add the diced tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to a slow simmer.
Stir in the roasted eggplant and chickpeas. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.

Serve and Garnish

Ladle the tagine into bowls. Give a small squeeze of lemon on top. Add salt and pepper as desired. Serve as is or with rice or couscous on the side and garnished with pistachios, almonds, and/or parsley on top.

Chickpea tagine served in a bowl with rice and nann bread.

Personalize This Recipe

Personalize your chickpea tagine by substituting your favorite vegetables and dried fruits. Ideas include butternut squash, sweet potato, kale, spinach, zucchini, bell peppers, cauliflower, figs, and/or dates. As long as you like the flavor, you cannot go wrong.
Add one cup of coconut cream to make this recipe creamy!
Keep the spices simple by using ras el hanout, a popular Middle Eastern spice blend, instead of the spice mix listed in the recipe.

Diet Modifications

Whole food plant-based: Toss the eggplant and saute the onions in vegetable broth instead of olive oil to make this recipe WFPB.
Gluten-free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free. However, as pictured, it has rice. If you would like a grain, try using quinoa or sorghum.

Perfect Pairings

Arab Rice – is the perfect accompaniment.
Kale Crunch Salad – start off with a simple salad.
Turkish Flat Bread – is a homemade bread that you can whip up in less then two hours!
Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini and Harissa – can be served as an appetizer or a side dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

A tagine is a clay pot with a large cone used to slowly simmer stews in Morocco. These stews are filled with spices, vegetables, and dried fruits. Over time, the stews cooked in a tagine have become interchangeable with the pot itself

Tagines and curries are similar in that they are both richly layered with multiple spices. However, the spices used are often different. Tagines use harissa and ras el hanout, whereas curries often use up to ten spices, including cumin, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala.

Rice, couscous, flatbread, and a light vegetable salad are popular choices to serve alongside a tagine.

Allow the tagine to cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days or in the freezer for up to three months. Reheat in an appropriate-sized pot over low heat. Add a splash of water or vegetable broth as needed.

If you tried this vegan chickpea tagine recipe or any other recipe on my blog leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below.