Description
Moroccan Meatballs (Kefta Mkaoura) are tender spiced beef or lamb meatballs simmered in a richly seasoned tomato sauce, topped with poached eggs and briny olives—an iconic North African dish served best over fluffy couscous.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef or lamb (80/20)
- 1 medium yellow onion, grated
- 3 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp Moroccan spice blend
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes or passata
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp Moroccan spice blend
- ⅛ tsp ground cayenne
- 3 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 12 marinated olives
- 4 eggs
- Moroccan couscous, for serving
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine ground meat, grated onion, parsley, cilantro, Moroccan spice blend, and red pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly and form into meatballs.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté until softened.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, Moroccan spice blend, and cayenne. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Carefully add the meatballs into the sauce. Cover and cook for 20–25 minutes until fully cooked.
- Crack eggs into the sauce and poach until they reach your preferred doneness.
- Stir in remaining chopped parsley and cilantro just before serving.
- Serve the meatballs and sauce over Moroccan couscous, garnished with marinated olives.
Notes
- You can use either ground beef or lamb—or a combination of both—for rich flavor.
- Adjust cayenne and red pepper flakes to control the heat level.
- This dish can also be made in a tagine for a more authentic preparation.
- To keep the eggs intact, crack them into a small bowl before gently sliding into the sauce.
- Leftovers keep well and taste even better the next day.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate (with couscous and 1 egg)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 710mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 23g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 33g
- Cholesterol: 215mg