Couple questions: Food and romance
Is Moroccan food spicy?
Not usually. Moroccan cooking is aromatic rather than hot. Ras el hanout, cumin, cinnamon, saffron and preserved lemon lead the flavours. Harissa appears on the side in some regions instead of being cooked into the dish. If one of you prefers gentle food, the kitchens we choose can adjust.
Answered by the Morocco Honeymoons team. Checked October 2026.
The short answer
Not usually. Moroccan cooking is aromatic rather than hot. Ras el hanout, cumin, cinnamon, saffron and preserved lemon lead the flavours. Harissa appears on the side in some regions instead of being cooked into the dish. If one of you prefers gentle food, the kitchens we choose can adjust.
In more detail
Chicken tagine with preserved lemon and olives is the gentlest of the classic dishes and the one international guests like most. Lamb with prunes and almonds, called mrouzia, adds sweetness rather than heat.
Ras el hanout is the blend to know. It can hold 20 to 30 spices, and a spice merchant mixing it by hand is part of a souk walk before a cooking class.
If you like heat, ask for harissa at the table. If you do not, say so when the menu for a private dinner is agreed.
Smen is the other flavour worth knowing. It is an aged, pungent butter used in dishes such as mrouzia, and our food guide says it gives a depth no other Moroccan dish quite reaches. Vegans should ask kitchens to leave it out.
Good to know
- Ask for harissa on the side rather than in the dish.
- Buy ras el hanout from a stall your guide or teacher trusts.
- Mint tea after dinner settles a rich meal.
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