This Vegan Tagine with Chickpeas is the perfect one-pot wholesome dinner.
Bold Moroccan spices, a healthy blend of vegetables, chickpeas, and dried fruit transform into a luscious and indulgent stew. Plus, it’s easy to make, packed with anti-inflammatory goodness, and will leave you with plenty of leftovers for freezer meals.
Table of contents:
1. What is a tagine?
2. Why this recipe works
3. Ingredient notes
4. Step-by-step instructions
5. Tips for making this recipe
6. Variations
7. Frequently Asked Questions
8. Recipe card with notes
What is a tagine?
A tagine or tajine is a wide-based clay cooking pot with a cone-shaped lid. Its iconic shape traps steam and moisture in the tall, conical-shaped lid, which drips back down onto the meat or vegetable stew. This method, popular in Morocco and throughout North Africa, creates tender and deeply flavorful stews.
This meal itself, which is named after the cooking pot, is a type of aromatic stew that blends sweet and savory flavors and features soft chunks of vegetables and/or meat, sometimes legumes, redolent with spices, and lightly perfumed with dried fruit.
The cone-shaped tagine pot is ideal for making tagine recipes, but a Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid works very well too.
Why this recipe works
Rich and cozy but nutrient-rich and anti-inflammatory.
Chickpea tagine is a cozy yet nutrient-dense stew, just like my Vegan Gambian Peanut Stew. It’s made with a thoughtful blend of anti-inflammatory ingredients (vegetables, legumes, and spices) and is cooked low and slow.
The finished result is a wholesome and deeply comforting meal with a velvety, rich consistency. It’s also allergen-friendly! Vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free!
Loads of warm spiced flavor.
Any good tagine is heavily scented with aromatic spices, and this one is no different. Sweet-adjacent spices like cinnamon and ginger bring out the subtle sweetness of butternut squash and contrast with the earthy chickpeas and more warming spices, like cumin and turmeric.
The star, however, is the ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice blend that infuses a complex sweet warmth and pungency into every bite.
To finish, dollops of a 2-minute vegan yogurt sauce are added on top of each serving. The cooling nature balances the warmth of the spices and helps this vegan stew taste even more indulgent.
An easy big batch meal.
This is a one-pot recipe that’s easy and straightforward to make and leaves you with enough for 6 people. Once it’s in the oven, you can leave it alone for 40 minutes.
Spend that time doing whatever else needs getting done in your busy life, or focus on preparing the sides, like couscous, rice, freekeh, or homemade flatbread.
I’ve included a few time-saving tips in the Tips section to help you prep the vegetables and aromatics days ahead of time, helping you get this meal on the table faster.
Enjoy the batch for big family dinners or keep the leftovers in the fridge or freezer for later. The flavors only get better over time, making this a fantastic meal prep option.
Ingredient notes
Chickpeas
Plain ol’ canned chickpeas will do just fine and add great plant protein and fiber to every bite. They cook down beautifully in the moist covered pan to eventually become luscious and plump.
Tip: For an extra flavorful tagine, cook the beans from scratch. Use ½ pound or 230g of dried chickpeas. Cook them ahead of time using your Instant Pot or on the stove.
Butternut squash
For plenty of fiber, vitamins and minerals, and a subtle earthy sweetness that balances the acidity of the tomatoes and compliments the sweetness of the dates. When cooked down, it gives the stew a delicate and velvety body.
Ras el hanout
Think of this as the heart and soul of tagines. Ras el hanout translates to “head of shop” in Arabic and is a staple spice blend in Moroccan cooking.
There are countless variations of this complex, earthy, and pungent yet slightly sweet and floral spice blend. A store-bought mix works well for me and gets plenty of use in more dishes, like roasted vegetables, soups and stews, and salad. For more uses for ras el hanout, check out this post from NY Shuk.
Where to buy: Well-stocked grocery stores like Whole Foods, spice shops, Middle Eastern markets, or online. I use NY Shuk ras el hanout, but you can also order it on Amazon or other smaller specialty spice shops like Spicewalla.
Substitute: If you can’t find store-bought ras el hanout, make it yourself! This recipe from a Moroccan food writer uses common spices and is quick and easy to put together.
Cinnamon stick
We tested this recipe with just ground cinnamon and then a combination of ground cinnamon and a whole cinnamon stick, and the latter version had a noticeably better aroma and flavor. Just one cinnamon stick is all you need!
Ground spices
In addition to the ras el hanout, this recipe uses spices commonly found in North African cuisine, like cinnamon, cumin, coriander, turmeric, bay leaves, and black pepper. They’re important for a balance of flavor and add even more anti-inflammatory antioxidants.
Onion and red bell pepper
These two aromatics lend a savory sweet base to this tagine. Red bell pepper in particular adds a bright and fresh subtle sweetness, and of course, more good-for-you antioxidants and vitamins.
Tomatoes
Just a small can of crushed tomatoes. For even more flavor, use half of a 28-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes and crush them with your hands.
Medjool dates. Dried fruit is a staple in tagine recipes, adding the necessary sweet element and a chewy texture. Medjool dates work amazingly well here, adding a bite of caramel-like sweetness and chewiness (plus anti-inflammatory phytonutrients).
Substitute: For a sweetness that’s a bit more tart, use ½ to ¾ cup golden raisins or 6 to 10 finely chopped dried apricots.
Step-by-step instructions
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven, braising pan, or the base of a tagine pan (use a heat diffuser to prevent the pot from cracking). Once hot, add the onions and cook until they’re golden brown.
Add the garlic, bell pepper, and cinnamon stick. Cook for a few more minutes.
Sprinkle the ras el hanout and other ground spices over top and stir well. Toast for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring almost constantly, to help bring out their hidden flavors.
Deglaze the pot with a splash of broth, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan.
Add the remaining broth, as well as the diced squash, chickpeas, salt, tomatoes, bay leaves, and dates.
Bring it up to a boil, then turn off the heat. Add a generous glug of olive oil and stir to combine.
Place the lid on top and bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or until the squash is tender and the mixture is thick and stew-like.
While you wait, make the yogurt sauce and cook any sides, like couscous or toast pita or lavash bread.
Take the pot out of the oven and allow to cool. Once it’s ready, spoon the stew into bowls topped with yogurt sauce, chopped parsley or cilantro, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy!
Tips for making this recipe
No tagine pot? No worries.
A Dutch oven or braising pan with a tight-fitting lid will work just as well. If your pot doesn’t have a lid, cover it very tightly with foil before baking.
Prep in advance if you want.
You can start preparing this chickpea tagine ahead of time if you want to save some time on the night of cooking.
The yogurt sauce stores nicely in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, and the veggies can be chopped and stored in separate containers in the fridge for a few days as well. Mix the spices together and keep them in a sealed bag or jar on the kitchen counter.
With all of this prep out of the way, you’ll only need to be in the kitchen for about 15 minutes!
Dice the squash finely.
A rough chop or regular dice just won’t do. The squash needs a fine dice; otherwise, it won’t soften in the allotted 40-minute bake time. Check out the photo below to see how small to cut the squash.
Easiest way to finely dice squash: Cut butternut squash in half, crosswise and use the top skinny neck portion of the squash. Peel it first. Now, stand the squash up on a cutting board, and use a large, sharp knife to cut the squash into slabs from top to bottom. From here, it’s easy to finely dice the slabs.
Quickest way to prep squash: Peel the squash and roughly chop (it helps if the pieces are about the same size). Add to your food processor. Pulse several times until the squash is in small pieces. They won’t be all evenly sized but it gets the job done.
Variations
The beauty of a tagine, like other vegan stews, is that the flavors are fun and easy to customize. These ideas will help you get started:
- For more sweetness: Go heavy on the dates (6 Medjool dates). Or use golden raisins or apricots instead of dates for a tart sweetness. A pinch of saffron added along with the broth can also infuse a complex floral note.
- For less sweetness: Use only 2 to 3 dates.
- Swap the squash: For any winter squash, or even sweet potatoes (just go easy on the dates, as sweet potatoes will add more sweetness).
- Add more veggies: If you have leftover cauliflower in the fridge, add a few handfuls along with the squash. Or, add a couple carrots along with the red bell pepper.
- Swap the chickpeas. While I think chickpeas work best here, if you have some white beans that need using up instead, use those instead.
- The garnish: Finish with scallions instead of parsley or cilantro.
Frequently Asked Questions
The leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days. They also freeze well! I recommend freezing it in single-serve portions using Souper Cubes (affiliate link) for quick defrosting in the fridge.
Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat to loosen the consistency. If it’s still too thick, add a splash of water or vegetable broth until you get your desired texture.
You can spoon the tagine over a bed of couscous (pearl couscous would be my preference) or any grain, such as farro, wheat berries, barley, freekeh, or rice.
Or, even better, serve it alongside warm flatbread, like pita or lavash, and scoop up every last bite. If you have extra time, serve with my Homemade Vegan Naan for an epic pairing!
And while the yogurt sauce is optional, I like to serve it on the side for the perfect cooling element.
I haven’t tested it, but the slow cooker method should work just as well. Complete steps 1 to 3 on the stove, then finish the rest in a crockpot. Cook on High for 3 to 4 hours or Low for 6 to 7 hours.
I haven’t tested that either, but this recipe is inspired by the Instant Pot version of Butternut Squash Chickpea Tagine from my cookbook, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook, so be sure to check that recipe out!
If you love this Vegan Tagine with Chickpeas, please be sure to leave a rating and review below! It’s always much appreciated :) And tag me on Instagram – I love seeing your feedback!
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Vegan Tagine with Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional) (see Note 1)
- 2 cups (480 mL) vegetable broth
- 3 cups peeled and finely diced butternut squash (400g) (see Note 2)
- 2 (15-ounce/425g) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
- 1 (14.5-ounce/410g) can crushed tomatoes
- 3 to 6 large Medjool dates, chopped (see Note 3)
- 1 medium lemon, zested + 1 tablespoon juice
- 1 big handful of flat-leaf parsley (or cilantro) leaves and tender stems, chopped
Spice Mix
- 1 tablespoon ras el hanout (see Note 4)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, ½ tsp for some good heat)
- A generous crack of black pepper
- A pinch of ground cloves
Yogurt Sauce for serving (optional)
- 5 ounces (140g) plain vegan yogurt
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, more to taste depending on your yogurt brand
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375º/190ºCF. Arrange an oven rack to fit a Dutch oven (or tagine pan, if you have one) or braising pan.
- Stir together the spices for the Spice Mix.
- Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onions and season with a pinch of salt. Cook until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes, adding a splash of water as needed to deglaze the pan and prevent the onions from burning. Add the bell pepper, garlic, and cinnamon stick, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the Spice Mix and stir vigorously for 1 minute. If it starts to dry out, add a splash of water.
- Pour in some of the broth to deglaze the pot and scrape up any browned bits. Add the remaining broth, squash, chickpeas, bay leaves, salt, tomatoes, and dates. Stir, and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, and drizzle with a nice glug of olive oil, and stir again to combine. Place the lid on the pan and ensure it’s fitted tightly.a. NOTE: If you don’t have a lid for your pan, cover tightly with foil.
- Transfer to the oven and bake, covered, for 40 minutes, or until squash is tender and the mixture is thick and stew-like.
- Meanwhile, make the yogurt sauce (or make 1-2 days ahead of time and refrigerate). In a bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, salt to taste, and coriander. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- For the best flavor, cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in half of the zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste, adding more lemon zest or juice as desired.
- Serve in bowls topped with yogurt sauce, chopped parsley or cilantro, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Notes
- If not using a cinnamon stick, increase the ground cinnamon to 1 teaspoon in the Spice Mix.
- It’s important to finely dice the squash so it cooks through in the time allotted. The easiest method: cut butternut squash in half, crosswise and use the top skinny neck portion of the squash. Peel it first. Now, stand the squash up on a cutting board, and use a large, sharp knife to cut the squash into slabs from top to bottom. From here, it’s easy to finely dice the slabs. For a faster method, use your food processor (instructions are in the Tips section).
- I’ve included a range in the number of dates so you can tailor the tagine to your desired sweetness. For a bite of sweet in every spoon, use 6 Medjool dates.
- Ras el hanout is the heart of a tagine! A store-bought version works just fine (I love the blend from NY Shuk), and you can find it at well-stocked grocery stores like Whole Foods, spice shops, Middle Eastern markets, or online. If you can’t find it, there’s a simple homemade recipe for ras el hanout in the Ingredient Notes section.
Recipe: Nisha Vora / Rainbow Plant Life | Photography: Megan Morello
This was absolutely delicious and easy to make! It tasted so nourishing. For the topping, I just did fresh lemon zest with cilantro and curly parsley! I also added some feta since we don’t eat vegan! :) Super yummy!!
Hi Emma, thanks for the lovely review! :) Happy to hear you loved the tagine.
I’m not vegan so I did add cubed beef stew meat to this and kept it in the oven for about an hour. Absolutely delicious. Will definitely be making again.
Good to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Leana!
Great depth of flavor and super easy to make
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Pat!
Absolutely delicious!! I just bought an enameled Dutch oven just so I could make this dish again! I accidentally made it in my cast iron Dutch oven. Oops!
Hi Rita, we’re delighted you’re such a fan of the recipe :)
Made this recipe…used cilantro. Delicious!!! Will be making again. Thank you for the recipe.
Hi Lisa, thank you so much for your kind review!
Super easy and delish
Hi Erin, thank you so much for your kind review!
What happens if you have a
tagine to cook it in. Is the recipe the same
Hi Elayne, yes! You can read more about the couple things that might change in the step by step instructions section. Enjoy!
This was good. I made it fully on the stovetop and served it with couscous. Next time I’ll use one can of chickpeas and double the veggies but keep everything else the same because I like my tagines veggie heavy.
Thanks for sharing, A!
Such an amazing tagine recipe! Out of curiosity, can this be made ahead of time to freeze?
Thanks for the kind words, NJ!
As for the freezing question, this answer can be found in the FAQ:
“The leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days. They also freeze well! I recommend freezing it in single-serve portions using Souper Cubes for quick defrosting in the fridge.
Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat to loosen the consistency. If it’s still too thick, add a splash of water or vegetable broth until you get your desired texture.”
This recipe is such a delight! Super versatile, so flavourful and the most effort that’s involved is prepping the ingredients and measuring out the spices. I didn’t have the ras el hanout mix so made my own as per the recipe you linked, didn’t have all of the ingredients it suggested so just omitted them (rather than attempting to find a substitution) and the dish still turned out incredibly flavourful. I added a pinch of saffron, used dried apricots instead of dates (because they weren’t great for eating fresh anymore but certainly great for cooking!) and added cauliflower in with the pumpkin. I served this with cous cous and it was such a hit! Thank you for a beautiful recipe that will definitely be on repeat in the cooler months.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Mikhaila! It makes us happy to know you enjoyed the tagine.
I just made this recipe for my family and it is delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe
Came here to say that I tried the instant pot version of this vegan tagine from Nisha’s vegan instant pot cookbook and it absolutely blew my taste buds away! SO GOOD!
We’re over the moon to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Sandy. Thanks for your kind words!
I first made this recipe about a year ago and since then it’s been on my regular rotation. My husband and I absolutely love everything about this tagine right down to the homemade ras el hanout and the yogurt sauce on top! It’s absolutely worth making!!!
Hi Diane, Thank you so much for such a fantastic review! Appreciate you taking the time!
HOLY SMOKES!
This is incredibly delightful! So much flavor and just so comforting. You can taste how nutritious it is, just warms you to your bones. Excellent recipe!
Your positive feedback is the best reward for our hard work. Thank you, Sarah!
Great dish. Easy to make and wow, the flavours of Marrocco realy shine. Yummie!
My son is gonna make this for his friends (all students) who are not vegetarian or vegan. He predicts they are gonna love it.
Hi Janine, Thank you so much for such a fantastic review! Appreciate you taking the time!
Made this today in the slow pot. I used sweet potato instead of the squash.
Absolutely delicious, and plenty leftover for another day.
Definitely a repeater.
Your positive feedback is the best reward for our hard work. Thank you, Jackie!
Thank you so much for this divine vegan stew recipe…sooo flavourful and just out of this world!! Big “high 10” from the family. Thank you Nisha.
PS- I feel like a professional chef everytime I cook a dish from your recipes. 😉🙌
It’s so great to hear you’re such a fan of the tagine, Grace! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
I love your recipes and this looks so delicious, however, I don’t have a pot that can go in the oven. Is there anyway I can do this meal on the stove pot and have similar results?
The suggestions for this was use foil tightly on oven proof dish
Hi Kathy, sorry for our late reply! We’ve never tested this on the stovetop so we can’t say this will yield the same results, but I think you can have similar results. Follow the same instructions up until it goes into the oven. Instead, with the lid on, simmer over medium-low heat for about 30-50 minutes. I’d check after 20 minutes by tasting a spoonful and checking the squashes doneness. Then, check every 10 minutes. You may need to add more liquid, or you may need to simmer with the lid off at the end to thicken the soup and reduce the liquid. Best of luck and I hope you have great results, it’s a lovely recipe!
I came across your site by accident and decided to give this recipe a go. Well, I am so pleased I did. The flavours in this meal were incredible. My husband mopped up every last bit of gravy with the flat bread. I certainly recommend others trying this dish. They won’t be disappointed. I am eager now to try more of your appetising healthy recipes. Thank you.
Welcome to the site, Bobbie! We’re over the moon to hear you enjoyed the recipe :) Thanks for your kind words!
Wow, this recipe is absolutely DELICIOUS! My colleague recently spoke about your meal plan service to our team during an informal meeting because she was raving about how great it was so I subscribed to your newsletter to learn more and this is the first recipe I made of yours and I am HOOKED.
I’ve always wanted to eat healthier but didn’t know how to make vegetarian/vegan meals taste good, which in turn, did not appeal to my household at all. However, I’ll be able to incorporate these vegetarian/vegan meals in the household now because they are SO tasty! Thank you Nisha for your amazing and delicious recipes. 🙏 I’m a fan!
Unbelievable! Well done again, Nisha!