Healthy pork tagine is a Moroccan-inspired stew of lean pork with rich, warming spices, sweet dried apricots, and vegetables. It's much lower in fat than a traditional recipe, and it's also quick and easy to make.
Jump to:
What you'll love about the recipe
- Whilst not authentic, making a tagine with lean pork means it has less than a third of the fat of a traditional recipe, and it is much lower in calories. But the spices and sweet dried apricots give this Moroccan-style pork stew a delicious, rich-tasting, fruity flavour
- With 2 portions of veggies in each serving, this pork tagine recipe is also gluten free and dairy free
- Ideal for meal prep, the recipe tastes even better the next day, and it freezes well too
- Easy pork tagine is a one-pan stew, which is ready to eat in less than an hour, and uses everyday, accessible ingredients. Making the recipe with pork also means that it is much more economical and budget-friendly
- Healthy pork tagine is quick and easy enough for mid-week, and special enough to serve to guests
If you like savoury dishes with dried fruit, you might also like this brown rice pilau with dried apricots.
Ingredients
Diced pork. I used extra lean pork leg which has plenty of flavour
Onion, garlic, carrot and celery all add a delicious savoury note to this pork tagine
Tomato puree and honey add extra depth of flavour to the sauce
Dried apricots. Apricots, prunes or dates are common in tagine recipes, and give a delicious fruitiness. Switch to another type of dried fruit if you prefer.
Lemon zest. Preserved lemon is a traditional ingredient in tagines, but I used lemon zest as an alternative, as I usually have a lemon in the fridge. Of course, you can used preserved lemon if you prefer
Stock - I used a chicken stock cube
Cornflour. This thickens the sauce, and is gluten free. A traditional tagine is simmered for hours which naturally reduces the sauce, but in the interests of time, I've cheated a little;)
You'll also need olive oil (or another healthy cooking oil) plus seasoning
Spice blend for pork tagine
There are several options of spice blends that you can use in this Moroccan-style pork stew. For simplicity, use the ready-made dried spice blend ras el hanout. This contains a range of different spices which have been blended together and are ideal for making a tagine. Use a tablespoon of ras al hanout.
Alternatively, you can use tagine paste, which is widely available in supermarkets. Stir 1-2 tablespoonfuls into the onions.
If, like me, you already have a range of different spices at home, you might prefer to make your own blend. I used:
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon paprika (smoked or unsmoked)
You could also add some ground fennel or caraway, or use cayenne in place of paprika.
Vary the paprika to suit your taste - add a little more for extra heat, or omit it entirely if you prefer.
How to make healthy pork tagine
You'll need a large frying pan with a lid to make this low fat pork tagine so the flavours and moisture are trapped in the pan.
Although traditional tagine pots look beautiful, I find a frying pan works just as well in this easy version of the recipe.
Heat the pan over a medium heat. Add the olive oil and fry the chopped onions for 5 minutes until starting to soften and caramelise.
Add the finely chopped garlic and spices. Fry for a couple of minutes longer.
Push the onions over to one side of the pan. Add the pork and allow it to brown. Turn it regularly so that it browns on all sides.
Add the diced celery, diced carrot and halved apricots. Add the stock, tomato paste, honey, lemon zest and seasoning to taste. Stir well to mix, and push the vegetables down into the liquid so that they cook through evenly.
Place a lid on the pan and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Check that the vegetables are cooked to your taste with the point of a knife.
After 30 minutes, my carrots still had a slight bite to them, which is how I prefer them, but you can cook the tagine for longer if you prefer.
Mix a tablespoon of cornflour into a tablespoon of cold water. Stir the cornflour mix into the tagine and simmer for a couple more minutes until the sauce thickens.
Recipe tips
Cut the celery and carrot into even-sized pieces, about 1cm cubed, so that they cook evenly and quickly. Bigger chunks will take much longer to cook.
Serving suggestions and storage tips
Traditionally, tagine is served with couscous. You can buy wholegrain couscous in most supermarkets which is a healthier option, or try serving your healthy pork tagine with quinoa.
Alternatively, you could add a can of chickpeas for extra fibre to make the recipe more filling, and skip the couscous altogether.
You can also add a garnish or two to make it look prettier. Chopped parsley or coriander both work well, or try some chopped mint for a Moroccan twist.
If you want to add a little extra crunch, add some flaked almonds or roasted chickpeas.
Like other types of stew, this healthy pork tagine tastes even better on the second day, so you can easily meal prep the recipe and leave it in the fridge overnight.
Tagine also freezes well, so get out your biggest pan and make a double batch!
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container, and defrost fully before reheating until piping hot on the stovetop or microwave.
Yes, although not traditional, lean pork works well with Moroccan spices and fruit for a lighter, low-fat, low-calorie stew. I used extra lean pork leg as it takes less time to cook than pork shoulder.
Other healthy stews you might like
These other healthy stews and ragouts all contain meat or fish for plenty of protein, combined with lots of nutritious vegetables.
If you loved this easy, healthy recipe please leave a rating and comment at the bottom of the page. Your email will not be published.
Your feedback and questions are much appreciated.
You can also follow me on Pinterest and Facebook.
Why not subscribe to the newsletter to receive free delicious healthy recipes straight to your inbox?
Recipe
Pork Tagine
Equipment
- large lidded frying pan
Ingredients
- 400 g lean pork shoulder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 2 sticks celery washed and diced into 1cm cubes
- 300 g carrots washed and diced into 1cm cubes
- 100 g dried apricots halved
- 500 ml chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 1 tablespoon tagine spice blend see notes below
Instructions
- Heat a large lidded frying pan on a medium heat. Add the olive oil, and saute the onions for 5 minutes until golden brown.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion
- Add the garlic and ground spices and fry for another 2 minutes.2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon tagine spice blend
- Move the onions to the side of the pan and add the pork. Fry for a few minutes, turning occasionally until it is browned on all sides.400 g lean pork shoulder
- Add the diced celery, carrots and halved apricots. Add the stock, tomato puree, honey and lemon zest. Ensure that the vegetables are pushed down into the stock so that they cook through properly.2 sticks celery, 300 g carrots, 100 g dried apricots, 500 ml chicken stock, 1 tablespoon tomato puree, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- Cover the pan with a lid. Bring the tagine up to the boil and simmer very gently for 30 minutes.
- Stir the cornflour in a tablespoon of cold water, and stir the mixture into the tagine. Simmer for an additional couple of minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
Notes
-
There are several options of spice blends that you can use for this recipe. For simplicity, use one tablespoon of ras al hanout.
Alternatively, you can use tagine paste, which is widely available in supermarkets. Stir 1-2 tablespoonfuls into the onions.
To make your own blend, try:
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon paprika (smoked or unsmoked)
- Like many stews and casseroles, this pork tagine tastes even better the next day when the flavours have melded together. Store the tagine covered in the fridge and heat through over a low heat in a pan.
- Tagine is traditionally served with couscous. For a healthier option, try whole-wheat couscous, which has a nuttier flavour, or quinoa.
Nutrition
Please note nutritional information is per serving and is provided for guidance only.
Comments
No Comments