Cooking Classes in Tetouan — Andalusian-Moroccan Cuisine

Tetouan, tucked below the Rif near the Mediterranean coast, is the most Andalusian city in Morocco. Rebuilt by Muslims and Jews expelled from Spain, its whitewashed UNESCO-listed medina and its cuisine both reflect that Hispano-Moorish heritage. A cooking class here explores a refined northern tradition quite distinct from the rest of Morocco, in a city that sees very few tourists.

The Andalusian influence shows in delicate, aromatic dishes: tagines lightened with the herbs and preparations the Andalusi brought, seafood from the nearby Mediterranean coast at Martil and M'diq, and a repertoire of sweets and breads that echo southern Spain. You will cook a northern-style tagine and salads, and learn the specific spicing and techniques of the Tetouani kitchen.

Tetouan is especially renowned for its pastries and its refined home cooking, considered among the most elegant in Morocco alongside Fes. Hosts explain how the city's Andalusian and Jewish heritage shaped its food, the Mediterranean influences that distinguish it from the Atlantic and interior cities, and the traditions kept alive in family kitchens.

Because Tetouan is well off the tourist trail, classes are intimate, genuine and warmly hospitable, in a beautiful and under-visited medina. It is a rewarding choice for travellers exploring the north or crossing from Spain, and pairs naturally with a pastry workshop or a food tour of the medina.