Description
A warm and comforting Butternut Squash & Chickpea Tagine packed with aromatic spices, tender vegetables, and hearty chickpeas. This vegetarian dish is slowly simmered to meld the flavors, served best with fluffy couscous or rice for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Legumes
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 500g frozen butternut squash chunks
- 2 carrots, cut into small dice
- 1 courgette, cut into small dice
- 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained
Spices & Flavorings
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp mild chilli powder
Other
- 1 tbsp oil
- cooked couscous or rice, to serve
Instructions
- Cook the onion: Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped red onion and slowly cook for about 10 minutes until the onion starts to caramelise, developing a sweet and rich flavor.
- Add spices and aromatics: Stir in the crushed garlic, grated ginger, ground cumin, ground coriander, cinnamon, and mild chilli powder. Cook this mixture for an additional 2 minutes to toast the spices and release their fragrant oils.
- Add vegetables and simmer: Add the frozen butternut squash chunks, diced carrots, diced courgette, and the chopped tomatoes from the cans. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a simmer. Put the lid on the pan and let it cook gently for about 15 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender and flavors have melded beautifully.
- Incorporate chickpeas and heat through: Stir in the drained chickpeas and continue to cook for a few minutes until they’re heated through and fully combined with the tagine base.
- Serve: Serve the warm butternut squash and chickpea tagine over cooked couscous or rice to soak up all the delicious juices.
Notes
- You can substitute fresh butternut squash if preferred; just cut into chunks and adjust cooking time accordingly.
- For vegan and gluten-free options, ensure the couscous is replaced with rice or quinoa.
- If you like a spicier dish, increase the mild chilli powder or add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- This tagine keeps well and often tastes better the next day after the flavors have further developed.
- Use a heavy-based pan or casserole dish to evenly distribute heat and prevent burning.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Moroccan
Keywords: butternut squash, chickpea tagine, Moroccan recipe, vegetarian tagine, slow simmer, cozy meal
