Description
This hearty and flavorful Butternut Squash & Chickpea Tagine is a comforting vegetarian dish inspired by North African cuisine. Featuring a blend of aromatic spices like cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and mild chili powder, it’s slow-simmered with tender butternut squash, carrots, courgette, and chickpeas in a rich tomato base. Perfect served over fluffy couscous or rice, this tagine is a wholesome, nutritious meal brimming with warmth and depth of flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Spices and Aromatics
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp mild chilli powder
Vegetables and Legumes
- 500g bag 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
To Serve
- Cooked couscous or rice
Instructions
- Heat the oil and caramelize onions: Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped red onion and cook slowly for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and start to caramelize, releasing their sweetness.
- Add garlic, ginger, and spices: Stir in the crushed garlic cloves, grated ginger, ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and mild chili powder. Cook the mixture for an additional 2 minutes to allow the spices to bloom and become fragrant.
- Incorporate vegetables and tomatoes: Add the frozen butternut squash chunks, diced carrots, diced courgette, and both cans of chopped tomatoes to the pan. Stir well to combine all the ingredients evenly.
- Simmer the tagine: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cover the pan with a lid. Allow it to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables are tender and cooked through.
- Add chickpeas and heat through: Stir in the drained chickpeas and continue cooking for a few more minutes until the chickpeas are heated thoroughly and the flavors meld together.
- Serve: Spoon the tagine over cooked couscous or rice, and serve immediately while hot for a comforting and nutritious meal.
Notes
- For extra depth of flavor, you can add a pinch of saffron or preserved lemon if available.
- Adjust the chili powder amount for preferred spice level.
- This tagine can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
- Use vegetable stock instead of water if you want a richer sauce consistency.
- Adding some chopped fresh coriander or parsley as a garnish works beautifully.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 27 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: North African, Moroccan-inspired
Keywords: butternut squash, chickpea, tagine, vegetarian, North African, Moroccan, healthy, stew, easy dinner, couscous, gluten free option
