Crockpot Vegetable and Chickpea Tagine
Butternut squash, carrot, chickpeas, ras el hanout and dried apricot cook 6 hours on LOW into a sweet-spiced, meat-free tagine.
Crockpot Vegetable and Chickpea Tagine
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes6
hoursButternut squash, carrot, chickpeas, ras el hanout and dried apricot cook 6 hours on LOW into a sweet-spiced, meat-free tagine.
Ingredients
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, cut into chunks
1 large onion, sliced
2 cans (15 oz) chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup dried apricots, halved
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp ras el hanout
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp kosher salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Fresh cilantro and toasted almonds, for serving
Directions
- Put the onion, carrots and squash in the slow cooker.
- Add the chickpeas, apricots and garlic.
- Sprinkle the ras el hanout and cinnamon over the top.
- Pour in the tomatoes and broth and stir.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, until the squash is tender.
- Season with the salt.
- Stir in the lemon juice.
- Taste and adjust the spice.
- Serve over couscous or rice with cilantro and almonds.
Notes
- Tagine tastes better the next day. It keeps 5 days in the refrigerator and freezes for 3 months.
Why the apricots and the lemon
Dried apricots melt into the sauce and add a gentle sweetness against the ras el hanout. The lemon juice at the end cuts through the sweet spice and keeps the pot bright.
Cutting the squash and carrots into chunks of similar size keeps them from going to mush.
Vegetable and Chickpea Tagine: swaps
Sweet potato can replace butternut squash. Raisins work in place of apricots. If you have no ras el hanout, use a mix of cumin, coriander and a little cinnamon. Do not leave out the acid, or the dish tastes flat.
Taste the spice at the end and adjust.
Serving and next-day flavor
Couscous or rice soaks up the sauce, and toasted almonds add crunch. A spoon of plain yogurt helps if the heat is strong. Like most stews, this one tastes better the next day.
One mistake to skip
Stirring too hard near the end. Soft squash breaks down quickly, and you lose the chunks that make a tagine look right. Fold gently, and adjust the spice at the end rather than the start. Add the lemon juice only when you are ready to serve.
Crockpot Vegetable and Chickpea Tagine at a glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 6 hours
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 13, led by butternut squash, carrots, onion, (15 oz) chickpeas
Tips for Crockpot Vegetable and Chickpea Tagine
Tagine tastes better the next day. It keeps 5 days in the refrigerator and freezes for 3 months.
Crockpot Vegetable and Chickpea Tagine FAQ
How long does Crockpot Vegetable and Chickpea Tagine take?
Crockpot Vegetable and Chickpea Tagine takes 6 hours of cooking after 20 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot Vegetable and Chickpea Tagine serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot Vegetable and Chickpea Tagine?
13 ingredients, led by butternut squash, carrots, onion, (15 oz) chickpeas. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
Part of: 10 Healthy Crockpot Recipes: Dinners With Portions Stated
