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Smart Nutrition with Jessica Penner, RD

Smart Nutrition with Jessica Penner, RD

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Home / Recipes / Moroccan Beef Stew with Lentils (+ instant pot instructions +VIDEO)

Moroccan Beef Stew with Lentils (+ instant pot instructions +VIDEO)

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Moroccan Beef and Lentil Bowl with parsley garnish and rice. A hand holding the side of the bowl
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Not too sweet and not too spicy, this Moroccan Beef Stew with Lentils dish knocks it out of the park! Comfort food with a twist [gluten free].

My cooking schedule usually looks something like this: a new dish everyday. I’ve always enjoyed experimenting with new food combinations in the kitchen but this creative side of me has been amped up since I started blogging. My family will never get bored of eating the same thing. In fact, it’s hard for my husband to get me to make his favourite meals since I’m always trying new things!

I’d say my success rate is about 90%. My creations are pretty awesome. My husband jokes that he doesn’t need to compliment my cooking since I do it all the time…

But I do have some flops. Like the Cheesy Chickpea Roasted Red Pepper Pasta I made the other day. Sigh. It sounded so good in theory. But now that I typed that all out I’m like “what was I thinking?!”

This dish, however, is stellar! I enjoyed it so much I almost feel like I want to make it again this weekend! Almost… then I remember all the other new dishes I want to create…..

Two bowls of Moroccan Beef and Lentils with parsley garnish and rice with spoons in both bowls

Why this Moroccan Beef Stew with Lentils is a smart choice

Something magical happens when a plant source of iron is paired with meat, poultry, or fish: more iron is absorbed! That’s one reason I love to combine pulses (chickpeas, beans, lentils) with some meat.

This meal also boasts two other plant sources of iron: raisins and dried apricots. One serving (1/6 of the recipe) has 6.5 mg of iron! The recommended daily amount for adult males is 8 mg and for females it’s 18 mg.

This meal also contains a modest amount of Vitamin C (25 mg/serving), which is known to increase iron absorption from meals.

moroccan beef stew in a turquoise bowl with wooden spoon in it and apricots on the counter beside. A turqoise moroccan tagine spice holder also sits beside

Meal Planning Hacks

I love making this recipe (and so many others!) in my Instant Pot. It’s such a great tool for cooking freezer meals and making meal prep easier. Meal prep and meal planning go hand in hand. If you feel like you’re constantly overwhelmed with the “what’s for dinner, mom?” question, then I’d love for you to check out my Meal Planning Hacks E-Book! I’ll give you 10 amazing ways to make meal planning easier so that it works for you! Sign up here:

Watch how to make Moroccan Meat Stew with Lentils

Thanks to the Instant Pot, look how easy it is to make this healthy but comforting recipe!

If you give this recipe a go, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or snap a photo and tag it with #smartnutritionrecipes on Instagram!  I’d love to see your creations! Knowing someone has enjoyed one of my recipes always makes my day brighter.  

4.34 from 15 votes

Moroccan Beef and Lentils

Print Recipe
Not too sweet and not too spicy, this Moroccan Beef Stew with Lentils dish knocks it out of the park! Comfort food with a twist [gluten free].
Prep Time:10 mins
Cook Time:15 mins
Total Time:25 mins
8

Ingredients

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 carrots grated
  • 1 tsp ground coriander seed the spice
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ginger
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup dried split red lentils
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 3/4 cup raisins
  • 3/4 cup dried apricots cut into quarters

Instructions

Stove Top Instructions

  • In a large pot, saute the ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until the ground beef is cooked through.
  • Add the carrots, spices, salt, and pepper. Cook 1 more minute.
  • Then add the broth, tomatoes, lentils, and honey. Turn the heat down to low. Simmer until the lentils are cooked.
  • Add the raisins and apricots.
  • Serve over brown rice with a side dish of green beans.

Instant Pot Instructions

  • Saute the ground beef, onion, garlic, spices, salt and pepper over medium heat until the ground beef is cooked through.
  • Then add the carrots, broth, tomatoes, lentils, and honey. Stir to mix.
  • Select Manual and choose 5 minutes.
  • Use your release method of choice.
  • Add the raisins and apricots and stir.
  • Serve over brown rice with a side dish of green beans.

Notes

  • To make the meal vegetarian, omit the ground beef and add an additional cup of lentils and 2 cups of broth. Saute onions in 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Substitute vegetarian broth for the beef broth.
  • To make the meal vegan, also substitute the honey for 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.

Nutrition

Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 498mg | Potassium: 882mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 3061IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 5mg
Cuisine: Moroccan
Keyword: Moroccan Beef Stew
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 262kcal
Author: Jessica Penner, RD
Different angles of bowls with Moroccan Beef Stew with parsley garnish and rice

January 23, 2020 · 51 Comments

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Nat says

    January 8, 2023 at 7:22 pm

    5 stars
    One my favorite recipes my family enjoys regularly- even my picky toddlers!
    Would love to see more dishes like this one

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      January 9, 2023 at 10:09 pm

      Happy to hear your family enjoys it so much!

      Reply
  2. William says

    February 20, 2021 at 12:11 pm

    2 stars
    This recipe (at least with these measurements) is extremely bland and has nothing like the flavours of Morocco.

    There was no zing, tang or spice coming through at all. I’d probably add twice as much honey and it needs something else.

    This dish needs a lot of rescuing.

    Reply
    • Nat says

      January 8, 2023 at 7:19 pm

      No way! My family loves it as it is!
      Everyone has different tastes though 🙂

      Reply
  3. Karen R says

    January 14, 2021 at 6:23 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe was absolutely delicious! I doubled the onions and garlic (you simply cannot have too much garlic in my opinion) as well as also adding Garam Masala and substituting sun dried tomatoes and craisins for the dried fruit at the end. Turned out super flavorful!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      January 16, 2021 at 9:17 pm

      Thanks for sharing your adaptions! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!

      Reply
  4. Jennifer says

    January 3, 2021 at 8:53 pm

    4 stars
    Healthy and delicious! The best combo

    Next time I will try adding a bit of chilli flakes for a little extra kick.

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      January 16, 2021 at 9:22 pm

      Yes, love that combo! Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  5. Emily says

    October 7, 2020 at 6:15 pm

    5 stars
    I made this with meatless grounds and it was delicious! Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      October 13, 2020 at 3:46 pm

      So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  6. Chelaina says

    April 29, 2020 at 12:06 pm

    5 stars
    AMAZING! I love the combination of spices and sweetness. Nice that she added the side suggestion too. My kids LOVE it!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      April 29, 2020 at 8:59 pm

      Wonderful! Always a bonus when the kids like a new dish! Thank you for the review!

      Reply
  7. Shana says

    April 12, 2020 at 2:52 pm

    What would happen if you added the raisins and apricots during the cooking process?

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      April 18, 2020 at 7:53 pm

      They would puff up quite a bit and get soggy, not maintaining their texture or flavour as much. Where I live, dried apricots are kinda pricey, so I like to taste them and really enjoy the flavour burst in this dish!

      Reply
  8. Kelsey says

    April 11, 2020 at 8:57 pm

    Loved this dish! Thanks for all the great recipe ideas and helpful nutrition info.!

    Reply
    • Cheryl Peters says

      April 18, 2020 at 7:54 pm

      So glad you like it!

      Reply
  9. Aya says

    March 30, 2020 at 3:46 pm

    Can you cut this recipe in half using the Instant Pot?

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner, RD says

      April 2, 2020 at 8:51 am

      I think you could but I haven’t tried that myself 🙂

      Reply
  10. Merryn says

    February 10, 2020 at 5:36 am

    5 stars
    Made this dish with pantry/freezer staples as an alternative to shopping for groceries after being away for a week. Used dates rather than raisins. Really enjoyed the flavour contrasts. I contemplated squeezing lemon over after serving, but too lazy to go pick one. May try that on leftovers tomorrow. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      February 12, 2020 at 9:04 pm

      Oooh please let me know how that tastes! Thanks so much for the review and the comment, it’s always great when a delicious recipe works with what you have in the house!

      Reply
  11. Ian says

    May 4, 2019 at 9:32 pm

    Excellent
    I also added dried prunes

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      May 8, 2019 at 9:03 pm

      What a fantastic addition! Love it!

      Reply
  12. B says

    April 15, 2019 at 6:54 am

    I would love some guidance on how to release and for how long!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      April 18, 2019 at 7:43 pm

      Any type of release is fine! I usually do the 10 minute natural release.

      Reply
  13. Wendy says

    March 31, 2019 at 11:57 am

    5 stars
    This was so good. I added some fresh mint and used currants instead of raisins because that’s what I had. I’ll definitely be making it again!!!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      April 3, 2019 at 9:10 pm

      Oh I love the idea of currents and mint! Amazing!

      Reply
  14. Waverly says

    March 21, 2019 at 12:24 am

    5 stars
    This was very good. Easy and different for dinner. I simmered the stew for 15 minutes before putting in the dried fruit. My husband wants to try it with lamb next time. Like, pieces of lamb. We might also want to add something like chili flakes, or maybe cayenne? We cook low sodium for health reasons, and all I had to do was leave out the salt and use the canned diced tomatoes with no salt added. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      March 27, 2019 at 8:08 am

      Lamb would be very on point for Moroccan cuisine!

      Reply
  15. Shelley says

    March 10, 2019 at 5:28 pm

    Hi Jessica – this recipe sounds delicious! Did you use green lentils? I’m thinking red or split red lentils will dissolve during the cooking

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      March 10, 2019 at 8:33 pm

      Hi Shelley! Good question! I’ll update the recipe to be more specific. I use split red lentils and yes, they kind of “dissolve” right in.

      Reply
  16. Marie says

    January 29, 2019 at 11:19 am

    Any way to do it without an instant pot?

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      February 3, 2019 at 8:57 pm

      Yup! There are instructions for both stovetop and Instant Pot!

      Reply
  17. Sue Wilmarth says

    January 15, 2019 at 1:15 pm

    Jessica, we will be having this tonight with our Grass Fed Lamb-I will let you know how it is!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      January 19, 2019 at 9:01 pm

      Yes, please let me know how it is with lamb!

      Reply
  18. Nils N French says

    December 6, 2018 at 4:01 pm

    Just made this without the sauté step…. Just put it all in the pot and pushed ‘stew’. I did break up the ground beef a little first, but that’s it. Came out perfectly, so easy.

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      January 19, 2019 at 9:25 pm

      Great! Thanks for letting me know how it worked without the saute!

      Reply
  19. Teresa B. says

    December 1, 2018 at 1:11 am

    5 stars
    Made this for dinner tonight, and OMG was it good!! A big hit with the family!
    I made it in my instant pot. I just sauted the meat, then threw all the remaining ingredients into the pot. I added some diced potatoes, celery, a can of diced tomatoes, a 3oz can of tomato paste and a cup of burgandy wine to the rest of the ingredients listed. Hit the “soup/stew” button and 10 minutes later… Viola!
    Served it over jasmine rice and topped with fresh cilantro.
    Will definitly be adding this to my favorites!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      December 5, 2018 at 9:47 am

      Awesome! Thanks for the review Teresa!

      Reply
  20. Laura A Blechert says

    October 28, 2018 at 10:17 pm

    5 stars
    Made it with ground chicken. Didn’t use raisins, I had dried cherries on hand so used that but less. Only like 1/4 cup. Added some extra spices. It was really good.

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      November 6, 2018 at 9:57 am

      Awesome!

      Reply
  21. Laura Blechert says

    October 28, 2018 at 6:10 pm

    Trying the ground chicken right now. I’ll leave review later. Thanks.

    Reply
  22. Laura says

    October 18, 2018 at 2:51 pm

    Can I use ground chicken?

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      October 22, 2018 at 8:47 am

      For sure!

      Reply
  23. Christina says

    July 20, 2018 at 3:25 pm

    4 stars
    Tried it tonight and my son actually likes it. He said it was sweet, though and I only added a fraction of the raisins and apricots. Is there something that could be added to kick it up a notch spice-wise?? Other than that, it’s delicious!!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      July 20, 2018 at 4:05 pm

      Glad you family enjoyed it! I haven’t tried it myself, but maybe adding 1/2 tsp of chili flakes along with the spices would work nicely to kick up the spice! Let me know if you try it.

      Reply
  24. James says

    July 11, 2018 at 8:06 pm

    dry or canned lentils?

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      July 11, 2018 at 8:10 pm

      Good question! Dry lentils. I’ll make the change in the recipe 🙂

      Reply
  25. keira says

    March 6, 2015 at 1:50 pm

    I ended up crushing the coriander seed I had with a mortar and pestle since I didn’t have pre-ground. This dish was SO delicious!! My spouse’s arabic co-worker asked him “where did you get THAT” and then was like “my mom makes [something similar] for me all the time!” So nice to know it’s recognizable!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      March 6, 2015 at 3:33 pm

      Awesome! Love to hear that I’m not too far off in authenticity 🙂

      Reply
  26. keira says

    March 4, 2015 at 11:14 pm

    Hi Jessica, just wondering if by coriander you mean coriander seed, ground coriander seed, or cilantro? I looked it up and the internets told me coriander was cilantro ….

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      March 4, 2015 at 11:25 pm

      Good question! This recipe uses ground coriander seed, like you would find in the spice section. I’ll update the recipe to be more specific. Thanks for asking.

      Reply

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