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    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Easy Lamb Tagine with Apricots Recipe

    Published: Jan 25, 2025 · Modified: Jan 25, 2025 by Beth Sachs · 17 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    Lamb and apricot tagine pin image.

    Cooked on the hob, this meltingly tender lamb tagine with apricots is the perfect family-friendly meal, ready in just 40 minutes!

    The delicate Moroccan spiced sauce is complemented with fruity plump dried apricots, cooked whole chestnuts, and served with toasted flaked almonds, chopped mint, and feta. You might also like my chicken tagine with apricots.

    Lamb tagine with apricots.

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    Lamb and apricot tagine is the perfect dish for introducing new spices to children. The sauce in which the lamb sits is delicately spiced with ras el hanout, smoked paprika, and mild chilli powder to create a mouthwatering meal.

    Jump to:
    • ✔️ Why should you try it?
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 🍴 Serving suggestions
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🥡 Storage
    • ❓ FAQS
    • 😋Related recipes
    • Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ✔️ Why should you try it?

    1. Easy to make tagine.
    2. Delicately spiced but not spicy.
    3. Freezer friendly.
    4. Uses a ready-made spice mix to save time.
    5. Easy to adapt with other ingredients.

    🥘 Ingredients

    Lamb - cubed lamb shoulder cut into 3cm chunks.

    Olive oil - a light olive oil for frying the lamb and onion mix is best.

    White Onion - or use a red onion.

    Garlic - chopped finely

    Fresh Ginger - peeeld and grated.

    Ras el Hanout - a popular North African spice mix that is available in most large supermarkets. Alternatively have a go at making your own ras el hanout spice mix with the recipe in the FAQs.

    Smoked Paprika - for a smoky flavour.

    Mild Chili Powder - gives the dish a mild heat.

    Tomato Puree - for richness.

    Dried Apricots - you could also use dates.

    Vegetable Stock - made from a stock pot or stock cube.

    Chestnuts - whole vacuum packed chestnuts.

    Honey - helps sweeten the spiced sauce.

    Ground Almonds - acts as a sauce thickener.

    🔪 Instructions

    The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post

    One: Heat the oil in a shallow casserole or tagine and brown the lamb on all sides. Lift out the lamb pieces onto a plate and place the onion, garlic, and ginger in the pan to cook for five minutes, stirring regularly.

    Two: Add the spices and give it a quick stir, before adding the tomato puree, apricots, vegetable stock, and honey.

    Three: Place the lamb back in the pan and simmer on a low heat for 20-25 minutes with the lid on.

    Four: Add in the chestnuts and ground almonds and cook for a further 5 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.

    Step by step photo instructions for making lamb tagine with apricots.

    Five: Serve with couscous, flaked almonds, mint, and feta.

    🍴 Serving suggestions

    Serve the Moroccan lamb tagine with flaked almonds, mint, green olives, lemon zest, and crumbled feta, with a bowl of plain couscous. Plain rice, halloumi couscous salad, roasted Tenderstem broccoli, or roast sweet potato are also tasty sides.

    Leftovers can be reheated and spooned onto flatbreads for a quick lunch with salad, or they can also be used as a tasty filling for sweet potato jackets.

    📖 Variations

    • Use dates instead of dried apricots, or a mixture of both.
    • Substitute the chestnuts with cubed sweet potato (cut into 2cm dice), added at the same time as the stock to allow the sweet potato to cook.
    • If you like your food hot, use hot chili powder and double the quantity to two teaspoons.
    • Add a drained can of chickpeas to stretch the meal out.
    • Place a cinnamon stick into the tagine whilst it cooks for extra flavour.
    • Season with salt and pepper at the end of cooking.
    Lamb tagine with apricots in a red pan.

    🥡 Storage

    The lamb tagine with apricots can be cooked, cooled, and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Alternatively, it can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the freezer for 24 hours and thoroughly reheat in the microwave.

    ❓ FAQS

    What does tagine mean?

    A tagine is a north African stew of spiced meat and vegetables prepared and cooked in a shallow earthenware cooking pot (known as a tagine) with a tall conical lid. So tagine is a dish and also a cooking pot.

    Do you need a tagine to make tagine?

    A tagine is the traditional clay cooking vessel for the dish but you don't need a tagine to make the recipe. You can use another lidded pot (such as a shallow casserole) instead, as long as the lid fits tightly.

    Can I make my own Ras el Hanout spice mix?

    You can make your own ras el hanout spice mix by mixing together;
    1 teaspoon coriander
    1 teaspoon nutmeg
    ½ teaspoon ground ginger
    ½ teaspoon ground allspice
     ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    ½  teaspoon ground white pepper
    ½  teaspoon ground cardamom 
    ½ teaspoon of turmeric
    1⁄2  teaspoon ground clove
    ½ teaspoon salt
    The spice mix can be kept in a tightly sealed pot for future use.

    What can I use instead of ras el hanout?

    Any Moroccan spice mix would work well as many of the ingredients are the same or similar.

    What does ras el hanout taste like?

    Ras el hanout is woody and bitter tasting but also has a sweet edge thanks to the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. It's a strong and fragrant spice mix, but not hot.

    😋Related recipes

    More family-friendly recipes you might like:

    • Slow Cooker Beef Goulash
    • Chicken and Mushroom Stroganoff
    • Keema Matar
    • Pork Bolognese
    • Mild Chicken Curry
    • Slow Cooker Pulled Beef

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    Recipe

    Lamb and apricot tagine
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    5 from 18 votes

    Lamb and Apricot Tagine

    Cooked on the hob, this meltingly tender lamb tagine with apricots is the perfect family-friendly meal and ready in just 40 minutes. The delicate Moroccan spiced sauce is complemented with fruity plump dried apricots, cooked whole chestnuts and served with toasted flaked almonds, chopped mint and feta
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Moroccan
    Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time 40 minutes minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 531kcal
    Author Beth Sachs
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    Equipment

    • Shallow Casserole
    • Chopping Board
    • Knife
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Measuring Jug
    • Wooden Spoon

    Ingredients

    Metric - US Customary
    • 450 g Lamb cubed (use shoulder)
    • 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1 Onion chopped
    • 2 Garlic Cloves peeled and chopped
    • 2 cm Fresh Ginger peeled and chopped
    • 1½ tablespoon Ras el Hanout spice mix or use Moroccan spice mix instead.
    • 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
    • 1 teaspoon Mild Chilli Powder
    • 2 tablespoon Tomato Puree
    • 10 Dried Apricots
    • 500 ml Vegetable Stock
    • 1 teaspoon Honey
    • 100 g Whole Cooked Chestnuts vacuum packed
    • 2 tablespoon Ground almonds

    Instructions

    • Heat the oil in a shallow casserole and brown the lamb on all sides. Lift out the lamb pieces onto a plate and place the onion, garlic, and ginger into the pan to cook for five minutes, stirring regularly (you may need to add a little more oil).
      450 g Lamb, 2 tablespoon Olive Oil, 1 Onion, 2 Garlic Cloves, 2 cm Fresh Ginger
    • Add the ras el hanout, smoked paprika and chili powder and give it a quick stir, before adding the tomato puree, apricots, vegetable stock and honey.
      1½ tablespoon Ras el Hanout spice mix, 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika, 1 teaspoon Mild Chilli Powder, 2 tablespoon Tomato Puree, 10 Dried Apricots, 500 ml Vegetable Stock, 1 teaspoon Honey
    • Place the lamb back in the pan and simmer on a low heat for 20-25 minutes.
    • Add in the chestnuts and ground almonds and cook for a further 5 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
      100 g Whole Cooked Chestnuts, 2 tablespoon Ground almonds
    • Serve with couscous, flaked almonds, chopped mint and feta.

    Notes

    Variations:
    • Use dates instead of dried apricots, or a mixture of both.
    • Substitute the chestnuts with cubed sweet potato (cut into 2cm dice), added at the same time as the stock to allow the sweet potato to cook through.
    • If you like your food hot, use hot chili powder and double the quantity to two teaspoons.
    • Add a drained can of chickpeas to bulk the tagine out and add fiber to the dish.
     
    Storage: The tagine can be cooked, cooled and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Alternatively, it can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the freezer for 24 hours before use and thoroughly reheat in the microwave.
     
    Nutrition: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
    Nutrition Facts
    Lamb and Apricot Tagine
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    531
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    36
    g
    55
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    13
    g
    81
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    82
    mg
    27
    %
    Sodium
     
    574
    mg
    25
    %
    Potassium
     
    723
    mg
    21
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    33
    g
    11
    %
    Fiber
     
    3
    g
    13
    %
    Sugar
     
    15
    g
    17
    %
    Protein
     
    21
    g
    42
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    1313
    IU
    26
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    14
    mg
    17
    %
    Calcium
     
    83
    mg
    8
    %
    Iron
     
    4
    mg
    22
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and tag @effortlessf00d on Instagram or Twitter

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. christy

      January 28, 2021 at 9:24 pm

      5 stars
      I absolutely love this idea! Nothing beats a good saucy lamb dish and this looks like an incredible one!

      Reply
    2. Charla

      January 28, 2021 at 9:30 pm

      5 stars
      I had my first tagine experience for my birthday a few years ago and it was a Moroccan dish very very similar to this. I'm going to try your rendition as I loved the restaurant experience so much.

      Reply
    3. Alison

      January 28, 2021 at 10:08 pm

      5 stars
      There is such a beautiful melding of fresh ingredients in this dish. It's warm and comforting, and everything you're looking for in a hearty winter meal!

      Reply
    4. Devy

      January 28, 2021 at 10:50 pm

      5 stars
      I so love this tagine. It's so delicious. A perfect choice for the cold winter days. Though I skipped the apricots as I'm not keen on having them in my savoury meals :-). But the Tagine came tasty nevertheless.

      Reply
    5. Bintu | Budget Delicious

      January 28, 2021 at 11:18 pm

      5 stars
      This sounds so tender, delicious and flavourful. What a wonderful dish - I love the addition of the apricots!

      Reply
    6. Jamie

      January 28, 2021 at 11:26 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so incredibly delicious and flavorful! I'm a fan of Ras el Hanout so I'm looking forward to making this for dinner!

      Reply
    7. Shadi Hasanzadenemati

      January 28, 2021 at 11:27 pm

      5 stars
      My family is going to love this, thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
    8. Beth

      January 28, 2021 at 11:40 pm

      5 stars
      My mouth is watering! This looks so good and delicious! I could a whole plate of this! So excited to give this a try!

      Reply
    9. Priya Lakshminarayan

      January 29, 2021 at 12:02 am

      5 stars
      That looks so flavorful..my mouth is watering just looking at the pictures,

      Reply
    10. Dannii

      January 29, 2021 at 8:09 am

      5 stars
      Apricots are a must when it comes to tagines. This looks super comforting.

      Reply
    11. Amanda Wren-Grimwood

      January 29, 2021 at 11:08 am

      5 stars
      Lamb tagine is always such a treat and this one looks delicious!

      Reply
    12. Sandhya S

      January 29, 2021 at 12:25 pm

      5 stars
      Such a delicate and comforting dish! Love the addition of apricots in a tangine recipe.

      Reply
    13. Kushigalu

      January 29, 2021 at 12:51 pm

      5 stars
      What a delicious and flavorful family friendly meal. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    14. Jessie

      January 29, 2021 at 10:43 pm

      5 stars
      So many great flavors in this. I am excited to try it. This may be a new family comfort food for us.

      Reply
    15. Lisa | Garlic & Zest

      January 29, 2021 at 11:00 pm

      5 stars
      I love a good lamb dish and this tagine has such bold flavors. The spices are fantastic. My entire family loved it.

      Reply
    16. Andrea Metlika

      January 30, 2021 at 12:14 am

      5 stars
      This lamb tagine is bursting with so much flavor! I can't wait to taste it!

      Reply
    17. Tara

      January 30, 2021 at 1:39 am

      5 stars
      This lamb sounds absolutely amazing paired with the apricots and feta! Definitely perfect for serving alongside couscous. I love the minimal prep too.

      Reply
    5 from 18 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Beth!

    Mum of three (and two crazy dogs), living in Cornwall, UK. I love creating easy, delicious and fuss-free recipes, perfect for busy families, just like my own.

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