Eating Vegetarian and Vegan in Morocco: A Practical Guide

Good news: Morocco is fairly vegetarian-friendly. The cuisine is full of vegetables, pulses, salads and breads. For vegans it's a little more demanding (smen butter, honey, eggs in some recipes), but entirely doable with a few habits. Here's how to eat well without meat.

Yes, you can eat very well as a vegetarian in Morocco: vegetable couscous, vegetable tagine, cooked salads (zaalouk, taktouka), harira (often meat-free), msemen, bread, olives, dried fruit. For vegans, check the butter (smen), honey and eggs. Say "no meat or fish" when ordering and favour the riads' table d'hôte.

Vegetarian dishes to try

Dish	Detail
Vegetable couscous	Semolina + steamed vegetables, ask for it without meat
Vegetable tagine	Spiced vegetable stew, often excellent
Zaalouk	Aubergine dip with tomato and spices
Taktouka	Cooked salad of peppers and tomatoes
Harira	Lentil and chickpea soup (often meat-free)
Vegetable briouates	Crispy vegetarian pastries
Msemen / baghrir	Breakfast pancakes, with honey or jam
Moroccan salads	Crudités, olives, dried fruit

Vegan: what to know

Moroccan cuisine sometimes uses smen (fermented butter), honey (in pastries) and eggs (some tagines, pastries). To stay vegan:

Ask for cooking in olive oil rather than smen.
Check the broth of the harira (sometimes meat-based).
For something sweet, fresh fruit and dates are safe bets.
Dried fruit, olives, bread and hummus help out everywhere.

Useful phrases

"I'm vegetarian" → Ana nabati(a).
"No meat or fish" → Bla lham wala hout.
"No butter" → Bla zebda.
French is widely spoken: "no meat, no fish, in olive oil" is generally well understood.

Cooking classes and food tours· GetYourGuide

Also read: Moroccan street food and cooking class in Marrakech.

FAQ — Vegetarian and vegan in Morocco

Can you eat vegetarian in Morocco?

Yes, easily: vegetable couscous and tagine, cooked salads (zaalouk, taktouka), often meat-free harira, msemen, bread and olives. Say 'no meat or fish' when ordering to avoid misunderstandings.

Is Morocco vegan-friendly?

It's possible with some care: avoid smen (butter), check honey in pastries and eggs in some dishes. Ask for cooking in olive oil. Fruit, dates, olives and bread help out everywhere.

How do you say vegetarian in Moroccan Arabic?

'Ana nabati' (I'm vegetarian). To be clear: 'bla lham wala hout' (no meat or fish). French is also widely understood in tourist areas.

Is harira vegetarian?

Often yes, as it's based on lentils, chickpeas and tomatoes. But some broths contain meat: ask for confirmation before ordering if you're strict.

Where can I eat vegetarian easily in Morocco?

At a riad's table d'hôte (tell them when booking), in big-city restaurants (growing vegetarian offer) and via street food (msemen, salads, makouda, fruit).

In short

Morocco lends itself well to a vegetarian trip, and remains accessible to vegans with a few precautions. Go for vegetable tagines and couscous, cooked salads and riad table d'hôtes. Be clear about "no meat or fish", and you'll eat deliciously.

Eating Vegetarian and Vegan in Morocco: A Practical Guide (2026)