Easy Vegetable Tagine Recipe

This recipe is perfect to throw together quickly and leave to do its thing while you do yours. Vegetables soak up all of the delicious flavours from the spices, and it is perfect served with rice, couscous or flatbreads. I’ve used courgettes and peppers here, but feel free to swap in your favourite veggies. And if like me you’re growing your own courgettes (zucchini) this summer, this recipe is an easy way to use large quantities. Make a large batch and freeze portions for use another day. I can say from experience that this recipe is definitely one that tastes just as good if not better when reheated!

So without any further ado, here’s the recipe. I hope you love it as much as I do!

Easy Vegetable Tagine Recipe
Serves 4, cooking time 1 hour plus preparation

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. rapeseed oil
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick (approx. 7cm)
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp each of ground cumin, ground turmeric and ground ginger
1 pinch of saffron strands
3 garlic cloves
1 red chilli
1 large red onion
2 red peppers
4 small (or 2-3 large) courgettes (zucchini)
1 tin of chickpeas (drained)
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 vegetable stock pot or cube
1 tsp quince jelly or apricot jam
2 tsp cornflower
salt and pepper to season

Method
Finely slice the onion and chilli, and chop the pepper and courgettes into 2cm chunks.
Heat the oil in a casserole pan over a medium heat and add the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Cook for a few seconds until you can smell the spices.
Add the sliced onions, chilli, and the garlic, using a garlic crusher.
Allow to cook for a few minutes, stirring regularly. If the onions start to turn brown, turn down the heat and add a splash of water.
Now add the pepper, courgette, spices, saffron and chickpeas.
Mix well to coat everything in the spices, then add the chopped tomatoes, stock pot or cube, jelly or jam and season well with salt and pepper.
Rinse out the empty chopped tomato tin with a splash of water and pour into the casserole pan.
Stir, cover with a lid and bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check regularly to make sure the gravy doesn’t dry up, and add a splash of water if needed.
Before serving, thicken the gravy using the cornflower. In a bowl, mix it with 1 tbsp. cold water to make a thin paste, then add to the casserole pan and stir in well.
Serve over rice, couscous or with flatbreads.