Plant-Based Moroccan Holiday Menu

Wasn’t it just January? The months do seem to slip by quickly and with Thanksgiving behind us, it’s time to think about our holiday meal (if you’re celebrating, of course). I’m sharing something a little different than what you might typically expect for a holiday meal, my plant-based Moroccan Holiday Menu. I’ve made this on previous holidays and my family loves it. Of course, it’s plant-based and vegan. (To see the links to each recipe scroll down a little further.)

I’m hoping it’ll spark your cooking creativity. It’s good to think out of the box occasionally, don’t you think? Keep reading to see the complete plan, below.

Moroccan cuisine is a mix of different cultures and includes a delicious mix of sweet and savory spices such as cumin, saffron, cardamom, ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon.

It sounds similar to Indian but according to Taste of Home, Moroccan food’s flavors are “mainly influenced by both its European and Mediterranean neighbors, but traditional African, Middle Eastern and even South American flavors make their way into favorite Moroccan dishes, too.”

You may be most familiar with what’s considered the national dish of Morocco,  couscous, which is a very small pasta made from semolina wheat. I’ve also seen larger versions of this pasta, such as this one from Bob’s Red Mill, a whole wheat version.

If you’re gluten-free, it’s easy to swap out another grain for the Chickpea Vegetable Tagine dish.

I find this meal especially fun because I use a ceramic dish called a tagine, which is typically used in Moroccan cooking. It’s also the name of the dish that’s cooked in it which is a slow-cooked stew that includes a variety of vegetables, dried fruits, nuts. Typically it would include meat but it’s easy to keep it plant-based by leaving it out.

Learn more about this popular cuisine in this article.

Plant-Based Moroccan Holiday Menu

APPETIZERS:

• Moroccan Spiced Nog
• Red Pepper Dip with Pita, Crackers and Sliced Vegetables
  
• Olives (remember they are salty so limit the amount you eat or find low-salt versions)

Moroccan meals often start with soup, but for this holiday meal, I like the idea of something cool and refreshing, especially since we’ll have lots of vegetables in the main course.

MAIN COURSE:

• Chickpea Vegetable Tagine with Couscous

SIDE DISHES:

• Arugula, Orange, Fennel Salad
• Moroccan Roasted Carrots  Can be served warm or cold.

DESSERT (choose one or two):

• Baked Pears with Cardamom
• Pumpkin Spiced Chia Pudding
• Carrot Chia Pudding

I hope you find this Moroccan Menu intriguing and perhaps give it a try. Let me know if you celebrate the holidays with unique plant-based dishes as I’d love to see what your family traditions are.

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