What Moroccans Eat During Ramadan

Hello, my amazing cooks! Ramadan is near, and for us, it’s more than just a month of fasting—it’s a celebration of community, reflection, and, yes, incredible food!

If you’ve ever wondered about the culinary traditions of this blessed month, the question “What Moroccans eat during Ramadan?” opens up a vibrant world of savory comfort and sweet indulgence. Moroccan Ramadan cuisine is distinct, deeply rooted in history, and perfectly engineered to break the fast gently and sustain us through the long nights.

It’s not just one big meal; it’s a rhythm built around three specific eating times: Iftar (Ftour), the main evening dinner, and Suhoor (Sehri). Let’s dive into the delicious protocol!

Part 1: Iftar (Ftour) – The Moment of Breaking the Fast

Iftar is the Arabic word for “breakfast,” and in Morocco, we call the meal Ftour. This is the most crucial meal and it is never heavy. It’s a moment of gentle rehydration and light sustenance before the main event.

What Moroccans Eat During Ramadan starts right here, with this specific, symbolic progression:

The Essential Trio: Sweetness, Warmth, and Hydration

Dates and Milk/Water: The fast is always broken by eating an odd number of dates (following the Sunnah) and a sip of water or milk. Dates are a natural sugar boost, providing instant energy after a day of fasting.
The Beloved Harira: No Moroccan Iftar is complete without a steaming bowl of Harira Hamda. This hearty, complex soup is the heart of the Ramadan table. It’s rich with chickpeas, lentils, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and often a bit of lamb or beef. It’s perfectly balanced to warm the stomach and provide essential fiber and protein. Sometimes we also swap it for a change with what we call white hariras, we have different types, some of them are semolina, barely….
Juices and Smoothies: Freshly squeezed orange juice or any smoothie of a fruit and milk is essential in ftoor.
Boiled Eggs: Moroccans love boiled eggs in Ftoor, don’t ask me how all these ingredients work on one table, they just do.

The Sweet & Savory Sides (The Ftour Table)

Once the Harira is served, the rest of the Ftour table fills up with light, delightful snacks:

Category	Moroccan Name	Description
Pancakes	Baghrir & Harcha or Msemen	Semolina pancakes (Baghrir, often called ‘thousand hole pancakes’) served with butter and honey, and griddled semolina bread (Harcha).
Moroccan Doughnuts	Sfenj	Deliciously light, fluffy fried bread, essential street food that often appears at the Ramadan table.
Fritters	Briouat	Small, crisp pastries filled with savory or sweet mixtures (chicken, seafood, almonds, or peanuts)
The Star Sweet	Chebakia	This sweet, sesame-studded, honey-drenched fritter is the ultimate Ramadan treat. It’s traditionally eaten alongside Harira.

The Ftour experience is about these concentrated flavors and textures—it’s not about feeling full, it’s about feeling satisfied.

Part 2: The Main Dinner – Slowing Down

Often, the second meal of the evening is served an hour or two after the initial Iftar, giving the body time to adjust. This is when we eat the heavier dishes and casseroles. When people ask What Moroccans eat during Ramadan, they are often thinking of this slower, more traditional family dinner.

Classic Dinner Features

Tagines: My signature slow-cooked tagines make an appearance! Whether it’s chicken with preserved lemon and olives, or lamb with prunes and apricots, the tagine offers deep, sustained energy and comforting flavors.
Couscous: Often served once a week, particularly on Fridays, Couscous is a family staple, typically paired with tender meat and seven seasonal vegetables.
Roasts and Baked Fish: Sometimes, lighter main courses like slow-roasted chicken or fresh baked or fried sardines with chermoula (a marinade of herbs, oil, and spices) are served to change the pace.

This dinner is relaxed, typically eaten around the coffee table while socializing with family.

Part 3: Suhoor – The Pre-Dawn Meal

Suhoor is the meal eaten just before dawn and before the day’s fasting period begins. The main goal here is sustenance and slow-release energy that will carry us through the long hours.

When preparing Suhoor, we prioritize:

Complex Carbohydrates: Foods that take a long time to digest.
Protein: To maintain muscle mass and prevent hunger pangs.
Hydration: Water-rich foods.

Suhoor Staples

Bread and Cheese: Simple, satisfying, and enduring. Freshly baked Khobz (Moroccan bread) served with eggs, cheese, olive oil, jam or olives.
Harira: A popular, very traditional Suhoor is a bowl of lentils harira from the ftoor leftovers.
Yogurt, fruits, or Smoothies: Light yogurt, often homemade, consumed alongside fruits like apples, peaches…depending on what’s in season.

Final Thoughts

The question, “What Moroccans Eat During Ramadan?” is answered not just with recipes, but with tradition and purpose. Every bite, from the warming Harira at sunset to the refreshing homemade yogurt at sunrise, is designed to nourish the body and soul through this blessed time.

If you are new to Moroccan cooking, this is the perfect time to start experimenting with dates, Harira, and Chebakia. They are the true flavors of Ramadan!