Dietary
Pescatarian Guide to Moroccan Cuisine
Morocco has a long Atlantic and Mediterranean coastline, a deep fishing tradition and a cuisine full of vegetables, which together make it one of the easiest places for a pescatarian to eat brilliantly. From the fish tagines of Essaouira to the grilled sardines of the coast and the vast repertoire of vegetable dishes inland, you will never go hungry. This guide maps the pescatarian pleasures of Moroccan cuisine, where to find the best seafood, and how to eat fish-and-vegetables across both coastal and inland Morocco.
The great fish tagines and seafood dishes
Moroccan seafood cooking is a highlight of the whole cuisine and a gift to pescatarians. Fish tagine, often made with white fish, tomatoes, peppers, preserved lemon and the herb-and-spice marinade chermoula, is a coastal classic that rivals any meat tagine. Grilled sardines, cheap and abundant, are a national treasure — cleaned, marinated in chermoula and grilled over charcoal. In coastal cities you will find whole grilled fish, calamari, prawns and shellfish, often sold by weight and grilled to order at market stalls. Seafood pastilla, a lighter seafood version of the famous pie, is a special-occasion treat. Chermoula, the garlicky, herby, cumin-and-coriander marinade, is the flavour that ties Moroccan seafood together.
Where the best seafood is — the coast
For seafood, head to the coast, where it is freshest and cheapest. Essaouira, the windswept Atlantic port, is the pescatarian's dream: its harbour-side grills let you pick fish straight from the day's catch and have it grilled on the spot, and its fish tagines are superb. Agadir and the southern coast excel at grilled sardines and fish. Casablanca and the northern coast around Tangier offer Mediterranean and Atlantic variety. Even the fish markets of these cities are an experience, with the catch laid out on ice and the smell of charcoal grills nearby. If seafood is central to your trip, build in at least a couple of nights on the coast, especially in Essaouira.
Eating pescatarian inland
Away from the coast, in Marrakech and Fes, fresh seafood is less central but pescatarians still eat very well thanks to the vegetable repertoire. Vegetable tagines, the seven-vegetable couscous, the cooked-salad spread (zaalouk of aubergine, taktouka of peppers and tomatoes, carrot salads), lentil and bean dishes, and the great breads and soups give you a full and satisfying diet without meat. Inland cities do serve fish — often frozen or brought from the coast — so fish tagine is usually available if you fancy it, though it is at its best by the sea. Combining the vegetable dishes with the occasional fish tagine makes inland pescatarian eating easy and varied.
Ordering and a few cautions
Ordering as a pescatarian is simple: poisson is fish, fruits de mer is seafood, and crevettes are prawns, while sans viande (without meat) clarifies your needs for vegetable dishes. One thing to check inland: some vegetable dishes and couscous are cooked with meat stock or a piece of meat for flavour, so confirm sans viande if strict. On the coast, choose busy grills with high turnover for freshness and food safety, and favour fish that is grilled or cooked to order over anything that has sat out. Shellfish carries a slightly higher risk if not fresh, so eat it where turnover is high. With these small cautions, pescatarian Morocco is a genuine delight.
Practical tips
- Base a few nights in Essaouira, where you can pick fish from the catch and have it grilled at the harbour.
- Seek out grilled sardines with chermoula — cheap, abundant and one of Morocco's great pleasures.
- Inland, lean on the vegetable repertoire: veg tagines, seven-vegetable couscous and the cooked-salad spread.
- Confirm sans viande on couscous and vegetable dishes, which are sometimes cooked with meat stock.
- Choose busy, high-turnover grills for the freshest, safest seafood, especially for shellfish.
Related questions
Is Morocco good for pescatarians?
Excellent. Morocco has a long coastline, a strong fishing tradition and a vegetable-rich cuisine, so pescatarians eat superbly. Fish tagines, grilled sardines, coastal seafood grills and a vast repertoire of vegetable dishes mean you are never short of choices. Coastal cities like Essaouira are a particular highlight, but even inland the vegetable dishes make eating fish-and-veg easy.
Where is the best seafood in Morocco?
The Atlantic coast, above all Essaouira, where you can select fish from the day's catch and have it grilled at harbour-side stalls, and enjoy outstanding fish tagines. Agadir and the southern coast excel at grilled sardines, while Casablanca and Tangier offer northern variety. Seafood is freshest and cheapest by the sea, so build coastal time into a pescatarian-focused trip.
Can I eat well as a pescatarian inland in Marrakech?
Yes. While fresh seafood is less central inland, the vegetable repertoire is vast — vegetable tagines, seven-vegetable couscous, the cooked-salad spread of zaalouk and taktouka, lentil and bean dishes, soups and breads. Fish tagine is usually available too, though at its best on the coast. Combining vegetable dishes with occasional fish makes inland pescatarian eating varied and satisfying.
What is chermoula?
Chermoula is the classic Moroccan marinade for fish and seafood — a vivid blend of coriander, parsley, garlic, cumin, paprika, lemon and olive oil, sometimes with a little chilli. It is what gives grilled sardines and fish tagines their distinctive, herby, garlicky character. If you love seafood, chermoula is the flavour to seek out and to learn to make in a cooking class.
Are vegetable dishes always meat-free in Morocco?
Not always. Some vegetable tagines and the couscous stew are cooked with meat stock or a piece of meat for flavour, even when the visible dish is vegetables. If you are a strict pescatarian, confirm sans viande (without meat) when ordering vegetable dishes. Purely vegetable preparations are common, but checking avoids an unwanted surprise.
Learn to cook a fish tagine with chermoula in a coastal-inspired Marrakech class