Kefta Mkaouara is a traditional Moroccan dish that has been made under the stars on desert open fires for centuries. The great news is that it can also be made in your own home over a stove, which is what I’ve been doing lately after we experienced this tasty dish for lunch one day at Scarabo Stone camp in the Agafy desert. Now you can make it too, with ease. I’ve perfected a recipe {below} that I think you and yours will absolutely love!

One of the great things about this dish is that the meatballs and complex smoky, spicy sauce can be made in advance and refrigerated or frozen. I double the meatball recipe and keep the extras in the freezer so I can take them out a few hours before dinner and cook them up to serve along with some cous cous and steamed spinach. I’ve stored the tomato sauce in the refrigerator for a couple of days, but haven’t tried freezing it yet.

“Tagine” is the name for both the meal and the conical lidded container in which it’s cooked. The clay cooker keeps the meal flavorful and moist because the moisture from the food is recirculated back into the food. You don’t need a tagine to make this dish, you could use a lidded deep skillet as well, but they are beautiful and there’s a great selection to choose from on Amazon, click on TAGINE to peruse. I keep mine on display in my kitchen and love looking at them.

Please note that the meatball recipe below is for about 40 meatballs, but the sauce recipe is for about 20 meatballs. I’m sorry if this is confusing, but it’s also kind of a gift because you’ll be so happy to have an extra batch of these meatballs in the freezer for a quick and easy future meal without having to get your hands messy!

Kefta Mkaouara Recipe

makes about 40 1-inch meatballs, which will serve about 8

I usually freeze 1/2 so I can serve this great meal again without getting my hands messy! If you don’t want that many {the sauce recipe below is for 20 meatballs, serving 4 people} you can just halve the ingredients.

Meatballs

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground meat {I did 1 pound ground turkey and 1 pound lean ground beef}
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley, cilantro, mint or any combination of these greens
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

• Combine the ground meat with the onion, egg, herbs and spices. Use your hands to knead the mixture for a minute or two until the seasoning is evenly distributed.
• Take small portions of the mixture and shape them into petite meatballs. I made mine about 1 inch in diameter. 

If you want to freeze some or all of them put them on a tray or plate that will fit into your freezer. Allow them to freeze for about 90 minutes. Then use a spatula to lift the meatballs off the plate {you may need to let them sit out for a couple minutes before they break free from the plate} place them in freezer bags.

They’ll be good for 2~3 months. Take them out 2 hours before you want to cook them, make your sauce, plop them in the bubbling smoky, spicy goodness and enjoy!

Garnish Options

• 1/2 cup green pitted olives.
• 1/4 cup preserved kumquats {with some of the flavored olive oil}
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, cilantro, and/ or mint

In Morocco they often crack eggs into the sauce to poach along side the meatballs, I’ve not done this yet but it sounds delicious!!

Tomato Sauce

The sauce can be prepared a day or two in advance and refrigerated. These proportions are for cooking 20 meatballs, double the recipe if you want to enough to serve 40 meatballs {which is the yield of the recipe above}

Ingredients

• 3 cups good quality chopped canned tomatoes {I love the Pomi 26.46 ounce tetra box}
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• one medium onion, finely chopped
• one tablespoon dried parsley
• 4 chipotle peppers with adobe sauce to taste {coarsely chopped}
• 6 cloves garlic, pressed
• 3 teaspoons cumin
• 1 T salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley STEMS {they are just as flavorful as the leaves, use the leaves for the meatballs and garnish}
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro STEMS {see above}

Preparation

In a skillet or the base of a medium to large tagine over medium-low heat add olive oil. When the oil is hot add the onion and sauté for several minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for one minute. Next, add the tomatoes, herbs, chilis and spices and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer then cover and cook for about 20 minutes until a sauce forms. Add water or chicken broth if it is too thick or chunky.

Add the meatballs. Cover and continue simmering for another 10 – 15 minutes. After 5 minutes use a spoon to roll the meatballs over in the sauce. Add the green olives if using. Continue cooking until the meatballs are just cooked through. Remove the Bay leaf. Spoon some chopped preserved kumquats over the top and some chopped parsley, cilantro and/or mint and serve it in the container.

Bon appetite!