As in other Moroccan cities, you will find Pastilla, meat Tagine with vegetables, lamb Mechoui (roasted lamb) and Harira (traditional soup)... But the gastronomy of Ouarzazate also brings its own specialties such as Tchicha, wheat soup or Harira made of semolina. But its most refined and richest dish remains the pigeon and walnut Chorba (soup) which dates back to the time of Pacha Thami El Glaoui. Another more popular dish, Aghroum Toudount, a bread stuffed with onions and fat, spices, parsley and coriander. Finally, Idernane, a pancake prepared with semolina, eggs and yeast, is served with butter and honey.
Here are some famous dishes that you will find in the province:
Couscous with 7 vegetables: The origin of the couscous is said to go back to antiquity at the time of Massinissa. Declined in various forms, the couscous with seven vegetables (turnip, carrot, pumpkin, zucchini, onions, tomatoes and green cabbage) is the most known in Morocco. Prepared by the Berbers to celebrate Yennayer, the Berber new year, this dish also symbolizes meeting and the reunion. Traditionally served every Friday, it is also the dish of the festivities of marriage, circumcision, death, offerings… that you will find everywhere in the restaurants of the region.
Chicken tagine with lemon: A great classic of Moroccan cuisine, chicken tagine with preserved lemons and olives is served very often in the south of the Kingdom. This simple family dish is both economical and delicious. It is prepared at least once a week in every household.
Lamb tagine with quince and honey: A traditional Moroccan dish that is very popular in Ouarzazate, this tagine perfectly combines sweet and salty flavors. During the quince season from September to November, the lamb tagine with quince is served in the guest houses and restaurants of the city.
The Berber Tchicha: barley semolina based soup, the Berber Tchicha is cooked with tomatoes, onions and spiced with olive oil and wild mint. It is eaten in the High Atlas mountains, especially in winter when it is very cold, and is offered to women who have just given birth for its nutritional and energetic value.
Chorba with pigeons and nuts: The history of this luxury dish goes back to the time of Pacha Thami El Glaoui, lord of the Atlas. Legend has it that the table of this dynasty had to be furnished with a dish that was out of the ordinary every day. The Chorba with pigeons and nuts is a very refined and extremely rich dish.
BADDAZ : Rhythmed by the sun, which ripens the ingredients, Baddaz, the Berber couscous, is a variant of the Moroccan couscous with a thousand turns, which is distinguished both by its ingredients, and by its singular preparation. Its base, composed of corn semolina (Asengar) is carefully rolled by hand, then steamed in a couscoussier, three times, before being flavored with ‘smen’ (rancid butter). This typical dish of Ouarzazate cannot be enjoyed without the strips of salted mutton, dried in the sun “the guedid” and / or “Kordas”, these pieces of mutton belly stuffed with strips of heart, liver and lungs steamed and then dried in the sun … two components with a pronounced taste, which revive the timid flavors of cornmeal. The alfalfa and sun-dried turnips are the finishing touch to this dish.
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