One of my friends, who is the manager of a riad in Marrakech, once told me that “a good Moroccan breakfast table will make a person happier than a 5-star room in a luxury hotel.”
He has been working in the tourism industry for more than a decade, so he knows what he is talking about.
And, honestly, I couldn’t agree more.
A typical Moroccan breakfast is full of colorful and delicious dishes that can brighten anyone’s day.
There are as many breakfasts as there are families in Morocco. In fact, no Moroccan breakfast table resembles another.
The essence, however, stays the same.
Typical Moroccan breakfasts are composed of drinks, pastries, dips, spreads, and nibbles.
Most dishes are from traditional Moroccan cuisine, but Moroccans love to add French inspiration — like croissants and baguettes — or other western delicacies like brownies and muffins.
When I host a Moroccan breakfast brunch at home, I love to include bacon, crispy potatoes, and waffles.
Typically, I don’t make pancakes as there is a good — and delicious — Moroccan alternative, which I will share with you below.
In fact, at the end of this article on traditional Moroccan breakfast foods, I’ll be sharing two delicious recipes for you to try at home.
One is for Moroccan Coconut Cake (kika dial kouk), and the other is for Moroccan Pancakes (baghrir). Enjoy!
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Then, keep reading to learn more about what a typical Moroccan food spread looks like for breakfast.
1. Moroccan Mint Tea
You can’t have a traditional Moroccan breakfast without Moroccan mint tea.
This sweet minty drink is hearty and delicious, yet very easy to make.
Moroccan mint tea is served in a Moroccan tea set, which is composed of an artisanal tray, an artisanal teapot, and small tea glasses. You’ll see these when taking part in a traditional Moroccan tea ceremony.
By the way, that link shares a set from my own online marketplace where I showcase artisan-made goods from Morocco.
Moroccan teapots are specifically designed to be in direct contact with heat sources.
In fact, unlike most tea infusions, making Moroccan tea requires boiling the tea leaves and fresh mint for at least a couple of minutes to concentrate the flavors.
Depending on the occasion, Moroccans love to add aromatics to get richer, more complex flavors along with additional health benefits.
The most used aromatics are orange blossom water, rosebuds, and verbena, which are also known for their relaxing properties.
2. Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
Thanks to its tropical climate, Morocco’s food culture showcases many varieties of sweet, juicy oranges.
When you visit Marrakech, you can’t help but notice the hundreds of juice trucks lined up at Jemaa El Fna Aquare, showcasing piles of vibrant fresh oranges ready to be mixed with other fruits.
Oranges are part of Moroccan gastronomy. They are caramelized and added to tagines, zested to flavor pastries, or added in slices in nutritious salads.
They are also a staple for morning meals, pairing perfectly with typical Moroccan breakfast food and juiced a few minutes before serving for extra freshness.
3-5. Olive Oil, Cheese & Honey
Moroccans love to dip their bread in extra virgin olive oil.
In fact, they love it so much that they press their own olive oil in artisanal stone presses and have gallons of it stocked in their pantry to never run short.
Besides olive oil, a typical breakfast will also include cheese, raw honey, and other spreads like jam and butter.
6-7. Moroccan Pastries (Like Coconut Cake & Pancakes)
Moroccan pastries are made using a variety of ingredients like almonds, coconut, semolina, honey, and orange blossom water.
They play beautifully with textures and flavors to amaze the palate and their flavors complement the flavors of mint tea.
While many traditional Moroccan pastries require some culinary skills or need a few hours of preparation, there are certain pastries that are very accessible and easy to make.
These are the ones I enjoy making when I’m short on time. Despite being simple, they are absolutely delicious.
My favorite go-to Moroccan pastries include a simple coconut cake called halwa dyal kouk, and baghrir, which are Moroccan pancakes. The latter requires a little more knowledge of technique, but is still accessible.
Okay, now that I’ve told you all about what a typical Moroccan breakfast consists of, it’s time to get cooking.
Hopefully, you’ve worked up an appetite, because below I share recipes that I learned from my mother growing up in Morocco.
These typical Moroccan breakfast recipes are easy to make and will add a tasty twist to your next breakfast or brunch!
Moroccan Breakfast Recipes
Moroccan Coconut Cake Recipe
This is one of the easiest cakes you can make.
It’s fluffy and delicious with flavors that marry perfectly with mint tea, orange juice, and coffee.
Ingredients
- 5 medium eggs
- 1.5 cup of granulated sugar
- ¾ cup of cooking oil
- 1.5 cup of fine semolina
- 1.5 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Steps
Preheat the oven to 350F (180°C).
In a large bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, cooking oil, and vanilla extract until you have a homogeneous blend.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined.
Pour the batter in a lightly oiled 8’’ cake pan and bake for 30 minutes or until well done.
Moroccan Pancakes (Beghrir)
Moroccan pancakes are known for their multiple holes, which allow them to be extra fluffy while also soaking up honey and syrups.
Utensils
A non-stick frying pan, preferably one that has never been in contact with grease.
Ingredients
Pancake Batter
- 1.5 cups fine semolina
- ¾ cups white flour
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp instant yeast pinch of salt
- 30 oz water
Steps
Combine all the ingredients for making the pancake in your blender and blend for 2 minutes.
Pour the mixture in a large bowl and cover with a plastic film. Let rise for 45 minutes.
Gently mix the batter with a ladle. Do not overmix.
Heat your frying pan on a medium heat. Don’t grease it.
Once it’s hot, pour one ladle of the batter in the center of your pan and spread it evenly by moving the pan around. As the pancake cooks, you will start seeing little holes on the surface, that’s a good sign!
Once the top of the pancake is cooked and you have many holes on the surface, gently remove it from the pan and place it on a clean cloth to cool down. Do not place hot pancakes one on top of the other or they will stick together.
Repeat until you finish your batter.
Sweet Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup
- 2 drops of vanilla extract (optional)
Steps
This sauce is best when prepared a few minutes before degustation.
Melt the butter and honey in a saucepan on very low heat and mix until well combined.
You can flavor it with a couple of drops of vanilla extract.
That’s it! Serve the pancake with the sauce on the side. Enjoy, preferably hot or warm.
What are your favorite traditional Moroccan breakfast recipes?
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