TAGINE: Baked Butternut, Chickpea & Date with Crispy Herb Tofu Crumble

Name: TAGINE: Baked Butternut, Chickpea & Date with Crispy Herb Tofu Crumble
Cuisine: Moroccan, African
Ingredients: 30ml olive oil (2 tbsp); 200g yellow onion, diced (1 large / ~1½ cups); 150g red bell pepper, chopped (1 medium / 1 cup); 400g butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces (3 cups) OR POTATO; 1 cinnamon stick (optional); 2 bay leaves; 15g garlic, finely chopped (4 cloves); 10g fresh ginger, finely chopped (1 tbsp); 1 tsp Harissa (or 1 tsp smoked paprika); 2 tsp ground coriander; 1½ tsp ground cumin; ½ tsp ground ginger; ¼ tsp ground turmeric; ⅛ tsp ground cloves; Black pepper, to taste; 240g cooked chickpeas (1½ cups); 400–600g chopped tomatoes (1¾–2½ cups), depending on how saucy you want it; 500ml vegetable stock (2 cups); 50–75g Medjool dates, chopped (3–5 dates / ⅓–½ cup); 1½ preserved lemons, flesh discarded, peel finely chopped (or zest of ½ lemon); 15ml lemon juice (1 tbsp); Salt, to taste; 400g extra-firm tofu, pressed and crumbled (2½ cups); 100g ground almonds (1 cup); 8g cornflour (1 tbsp); 15ml olive oil (1 tbsp); 1 tsp harissa; 1 tsp ground cumin; 30g mixed fresh herbs, finely chopped (1 packed cup); or dried herbs such as thyme, oregano and rosemary (1 tsp each)

8 steps

Moroccan style tagine with a crunchy and herby tofu topping.

Updated at: Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:10:13 GMT

Nutrition balance score

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Ingredients

4 servings

Instructions

Step 1

Heat olive oil in a wide ovenproof pan over medium heat. Add onion, pepper and butternut squash along with the cinnamon stick and bay leaves and a pinch of salt. Cook for 10–12 minutes until the vegetables are soft and lightly golden.

Step 2

Add garlic and fresh ginger and cook for 2 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the harissa, ground spices and black pepper and cook for a further 1 minute.

Step 3

Stir in chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, dates, preserved lemon and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 10–15 minutes until the squash is starting to soften and the sauce is slightly thickened.

Step 4

Adjust seasoning, stir in lemon juice, then remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick and level out the surface.

Step 5

Preheat the oven to 428F /220°C (200°C fan). Mix tofu with ground almonds, cornflour, olive oil, harissa, cumin, herbs, salt and pepper until evenly coated and crumbly.

Step 6

Scatter the tofu crumble evenly over the tagine, drizzle lightly with olive oil and bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes until lightly golden. If the top isn’t crisp enough, grill for a few minutes, keeping a close eye so it doesn’t burn.

Step 7

Finish with extra chopped herbs and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with quinoa and carrot slaw.

Step 8

Add quinoa, water or stock, cumin, turmeric and salt to a saucepan. Bring to the boil, cover, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for 12–15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat, rest covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork before serving.