This Moroccan stew is vegan-friendly and full of colour. Squash and carrots give this dish its colour while making it full of beta carotene and fibre.

Moroccan stew is one of my favourite meals. It’s perfect for fall, especially if you add a splash of heat.

This recipe uses quinoa as the base grain. I opted for red quinoa because I think it looks pretty. You can use white quinoa or your preferred grain as the base. The way the quinoa is prepared adds a salty, savoury flavour that carries the Moroccan stew really well.

Ingredients

Stew

1 tbsp. oil (or butter)
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 cups cubed butternut squash
1 cup cubed peeled carrot
1 large tomato or 2 medium-sized tomatoes or 2 hand-fulls of cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. curry
pinch each of red curry, saffron (both optional)
juice of half a lemon
1 cup water

Quinoa

1/2 cup quinoa
1 tbsp. oil (or butter)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1 cup water

Preparation

Stew

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Add onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir.

Add the cumin, coriander, curry, salt and pepper to the onions and garlic.

Add water, tomatoes, and lemon juice.

Bring to a boil and add squash and carrots.

Cover and simmer on medium low until tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Quinoa

Melt the fat (butter or oil) in a pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until it begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, salt and curry powder, and sauté for a minute.

Add quinoa and stir. Add water, bring to a boil and lower heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.