Have you ever wondered what it would be like to eat a truly exotic salad? One that is full of flavor and zest, yet still feels light and refreshing? If so, then you need to try one of the delicious Moroccan salads in this article!
Moroccan salads are rarely boring or bland, as they are typically made with a variety of fresh vegetables, herbs, and spices. This combination results in salads that are packed with flavor, yet still, feel light and refreshing.
Moroccans don’t make raw salads, Their salads are usually cooked or roasted. It’s really rare to find a Moroccan salad that is not cooked in some way but the raw salads you are going to find in Morocco are mostly the ones made with fruits.
So, let’s jump in and explore some of the most popular and delicious Moroccan salads.
11 delicious Moroccan salads
Tomato, and onion salad
The Moroccan tomato and onion salad is probably the only Moroccan raw salad that is made with vegetables.
This salad is literally the salad that you will find on almost every Moroccan table. Very simple to make just peel a few tomatoes, chop them into small cubes, shop a little bit of onions into it and that’s it.
Other versions of this salad may include cucumber, parsley, and roasted or fresh hot peppers
Eggplant salad (Zaalouk)
One of my favorite Moroccan salads is the Zaalouk. This salad is a great way to consume eggplants.
The Moroccan Zaalouk is made with roasted eggplants, tomatoes, garlic, and a variety of spices. All these ingredients are then cooked together until they form a thick and creamy paste.
You can enjoy cold as well as warm but it tastes the best when served cold with Moroccan black olives and bread (Khobz).
Carrot salad
I had some leftover carrots in my fridge, and I was looking for a way to finish them. And I remembered this super easy and delicious Moroccan carrot salad recipe.
The Moroccan carrot salad is made of sauteed carrots in a light dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cumin, and Zaatar.
The carrots in this recipe are chopped and then boiled until soft but not mushy.
This salad can be served cold or warm and I usually like to add a little bit of chopped parsley or cilantro for extra flavor.
Taktouka salad
Even though it requires a bit of work to make, the zesty Moroccan Taktouka salad is totally worth it.
Taktouka salad is kind of a puree of tomato and pepper. It is made of roasted peppers, chopped tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and olive oil. The secret of this salad is the texture, it should be smooth and creamy.
The peppers should be roasted skinned and finely chopped, then chopped tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and spices are added.
When all the ingredients are cooked and well blended, start crushing it with a wooden spoon until you get a zesty and creamy texture. Serve cold or hot with Moroccan bread.
Potato, carrot, and eggs salad
This simple salad is made by boiling all the ingredients ( potatoes, carrots, eggs) and chopping them into small pieces.
Mixed in a salad bowl or plate, the dressing for this salad is a simple mixture of olive oil, salt, and pepper. You can also add cilantro or parsley as well.
I have seen the same recipe made with rice instead of eggs but I personally prefer the egg version.
Beetroot salad
Not my favorite salad but I know a lot of people who love beet salads.
The Moroccan beet salad is made of boiled and peeled beets that are chopped into small pieces. The dressing that goes well with the Moroccan beetroot salad is a simple vinaigrette of olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper.
You can also add some chopped fresh mint leaves or cilantro to this salad.
Green bean salad
If you lay your hands on some fresh and tender green beans, this is the salad to make.
The Moroccan green bean salad is made of boiled green beans. Usually, baby green beans are used for this salad but if you can’t find them, regular green beans will do just fine.
When boiled, green beans should be soft and ready to serve with some added salt pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Yummy!
Zucchini salad
Similar to the Moroccan carrot salad, the Moroccan zucchini salad is made of boiled and chopped zucchini. Be careful not to overboil the zucchini, they can easily get mushy and turn your salad into a puree.
When the zucchinis are boiled, you have two options, to saute them in olive oil and spices like the carrot salad or to simply drizzle some olive oil, sprinkle salt, and pepper and serve.
The choice is yours both are absolutely delish. The only difference is the texture, sauteed zucchini will have a bit of a crunch and flavor to them while the other one will be lighter.
Moroccan pasta salad
Moroccans certainly found a way to put their own signature on pasta.
The Moroccan pasta salad is made of cooked paste (usually the Fusilli or Farfalle type) that is mixed with a variety of chopped vegetables like carrots, black olives, and sweet corn.
Tuna and boiled eggs are also common ingredients in this salad.
Mixed salad (salad platter)
If you are invited to a Moroccan home, or to a celebration like a Moroccan wedding or party, you will most likely find a salad board on the table.
A salad board is basically a platter of all different types of Moroccan salads. It often includes all the previously mentioned salads in small portions.
This way, everyone can try a bit of everything and decide which salad they like the best to try a little bit of everything and enjoy the variety of flavors.
Orange and cinnamon salad
The Moroccan orange salad is commonly served in hotels and Moroccan riads as an appetizer.
It is made of fresh oranges that are peeled and cut into thin circles. The salad is topped with a sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon powder.
How do you serve Moroccan salads?
Moroccan salads are usually served cold (sometimes warm) with main dishes like tagines and couscous. A few Moroccan salads can be served with one main dish. But on a normal day (no celebration), one salad only is prepared.
When serving salads are commonly distributed on small plates and put around the table with the main dish. Not before. However, during celebrations salads and appetizers are served before the main course to keep visitors entertained.
While is it customary to eat salads with bread (like any other Moroccan dish), it’s not necessary so feel free to skip the bread and use a fork.
Can you use frozen vegetables to make Moroccan salads?
Pretty much like all the food in Morocco, the salads are ALWAYS made with fresh produce that’s why they taste so good. However, I understand that not everyone has access to fresh vegetables.
If you can’t find fresh vegetables or if they are out of season, you can use good quality frozen vegetables to make the salads. But keep in mind that using frozen vegetables won’t give you the same results as using fresh vegetables.
What spices are commonly used in Moroccan salads?
The most commonly used spices in Moroccan salads are pepper, salt, and cumin. However, other spices like Zaatar, chili flakes, and fresh garlic are also used.
There are many other Moroccan spices that can be used in Moroccan food like Ras el Hanout, turmeric, and ginger. But they are not commonly used in salads.
I hope you enjoyed this post and found some inspiration to try out some new Moroccan salads. Let me know in the comments below which one is your favorite.
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