Where to Start with Nargisse Benkabbou
Nargisse Benkabbou grew up in Morocco before moving to Brussels and later London, where she trained at the prestigious Leiths School of Food and Wine. She launched the blog My Moroccan Food to share the flavors of her childhood, and it quickly grew into a platform that caught the attention of food lovers and publishers alike. Her cookbooks blend traditional Moroccan home cooking with a modern sensibility, making the cuisine feel achievable for anyone with a standard kitchen and a willingness to explore new spice combinations. Nigella Lawson has praised her work for being “as accessible as it is inspiring.”
Start here
Casablanca: My Moroccan Food
Nargisse Benkabbou · 224 pages · 2018 · Easy
Themes: Moroccan cuisine, modern Moroccan, tagines, home cooking, beginner-friendly
Benkabbou’s bestselling debut cookbook, featuring 100 recipes that bridge traditional Moroccan home cooking and modern kitchen life. This is the book that established her as one of the most exciting voices in Moroccan food writing.
Why Start Here
This is Benkabbou’s first and most essential book. It opens with the building blocks of Moroccan cooking: ras el hanout, preserved lemons, harissa, chermoula, and Moroccan mint tea. Once you have those foundations, the recipes that follow make intuitive sense. Tagines, couscous, soups, salads, kebabs, and pastries are all covered with clear instructions and beautiful photography.
The recipes are written for home cooks who may never have worked with Moroccan flavors before. Ingredient lists are manageable, techniques are explained without jargon, and most dishes can be completed without specialty equipment. Benkabbou also includes creative modern twists that show how Moroccan flavors work in contemporary contexts.
What to Expect
A beautifully photographed cookbook at 224 pages. The tone is warm and personal, with Benkabbou sharing stories from her Moroccan childhood alongside the recipes. Difficulty is low to moderate, with most recipes suitable for weeknight cooking. A confident, inviting first step into Moroccan cuisine.