Kefta Meatball Tagine

Kefta Meatball Tagine is a easy Moroccan recipe that serves 4. 350 calories per serving. Recipe by Oum Arwa on YouTube.

Prep: 25 min | Cook: 1 hr 4 min | Total: 1 hr 44 min

Cost: $12.75 total, $3.19 per serving

Ingredients

  • 500 g Ground meat (beef or lamb) (Choose meat with a little fat for extra tenderness)
  • 1 unité Onion (Finely sliced)
  • 3 unités Garlic cloves (Minced)
  • 2 unités Tomatoes (Grated or chopped)
  • 30 g Fresh parsley (Chopped)
  • 30 g Fresh cilantro (Chopped)
  • 1 c. à café Sweet paprika
  • 1 pincée Turmeric
  • 1 pincée Ground cumin
  • 1 pincée Ground coriander seeds
  • 2 c. à soupe Olive oil
  • 1 unité Green bell pepper (Deseeded and cut into strips)
  • 1 unité Red bell pepper (Deseeded and cut into strips)
  • 1 unité Yellow bell pepper (Deseeded and cut into strips)
  • 8 unités Pitted green olives (Whole or sliced)
  • 2 c. à soupe Preserved pepper (or confit pepper) (Optional, for more depth)
  • 200 ml Water (To adjust the sauce consistency)
  • au goût Salt
  • au goût Black pepper

Instructions

  1. Prepare the base sauce

    Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in the tagine over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and minced garlic, sauté for 5‑10 minutes until translucent.

    Time: PT10M

  2. Add the tomatoes and spices

    Stir in the grated tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, paprika, turmeric, cumin and ground coriander seeds. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in 200 ml water, cover and let simmer for 5‑10 minutes.

    Time: PT10M

  3. Prepare the kefta filling

    In a bowl, combine the ground meat with a little finely chopped onion, chopped parsley and cilantro, 1 tsp paprika, a pinch of turmeric, a pinch of cumin, a pinch of ground coriander, salt, pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil. Work the mixture well by hand.

    Time: PT10M

  4. Form the meatballs

    With damp hands, shape meatballs the size of a walnut (about 20 g each) and place them on a plate.

    Time: PT5M

  5. Grill the peppers

    Grill the peppers (green, red, yellow) in the oven at 200 °C or in a pan until the skin blackens, then peel, deseed and cut into strips.

    Time: PT10M

    Temperature: 200°C

  6. Cook the meatballs in the sauce

    Gently place the meatballs into the already hot sauce, cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring lightly at halfway.

    Time: PT30M

  7. Add the peppers and olives

    Add the grilled pepper strips, olives and preserved pepper. Mix gently and continue cooking for 5 minutes so the flavors meld.

    Time: PT5M

  8. Finishing and plating

    Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley for color. Serve the tagine piping hot, accompanied by Moroccan bread and a small green salad.

    Time: PT2M

  9. Cleaning

    Wash the tagine, utensils and cutting board. Wipe the cooking surface.

    Time: PT15M

Nutrition Facts

Calories
350
Protein
20 g
Carbohydrates
15 g
Fat
20 g
Fiber
3 g

Dietary info: Gluten‑free, Dairy‑free, High in protein, low-carb, low-calorie

Last updated: April 7, 2026

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Kefta Meatball Tagine

Recipe by Oum Arwa

A comforting Moroccan tagine of kefta meatballs with peppers, tomatoes, onions and fresh herbs, served with bread and a small green salad.

EasyMoroccanServes 4

Shop all ingredients on Amazon in one click • Printable PDF with shopping checklist

Source Video
17m
Prep
1h 20m
Cook
12m
Cleanup
1h 49m
Total

Cost Breakdown

$12.75
Total cost
$3.19
Per serving

Critical Success Points

  • Form meatballs that hold together well (not over‑worked).
  • Simmer the meatballs long enough for them to absorb the sauce.
  • Grill the peppers to achieve a smoky flavor.

Safety Warnings

  • Handle hot oil carefully to avoid splatters.
  • Cook ground meat through (internal temperature ≥71 °C) to eliminate bacteria.
  • Use gloves or a thick cloth when handling the hot tagine.

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