Morocco | Recipe

Maakouda

Moroccan potato cakes seasoned with herbs, cumin, turmeric, garlic, and egg, then fried until crisp.

Country
Morocco
Region
North Africa
Time
60 min
Serves
6
Level
easy
Explore Morocco recipes Browse AfroKitchen
Recipe overview

What to know before you cook

Maakouda is the potato cake that appears in Moroccan homes, markets, and sandwich stalls. Mashed potato is seasoned with herbs and spices, shaped, and fried until the outside turns crisp.

What the dish tastes like

Moroccan potato cakes seasoned with herbs, cumin, turmeric, garlic, and egg, then fried until crisp.

When to cook it

Best for street-food sandwiches, iftar spreads, and snack plates.. Plan on a easy cook and about 60 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Harissa, olives, khobz, salad, or grilled meats.

Regional lane

Soups, salads, and dips. Harira, fava bean soup, cooked salads, and vegetable sides for bread-led meals.

Chef watch-outs
  • Adding too much liquid after the rice goes in.
  • Stirring too often once the grains should be steaming.
  • Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.
How you know it is ready
  • The grains should be tender but still distinct, with steam carrying the seasoning upward.
  • The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
  • Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.
Pantry lane

preserved lemon, green olives, saffron, ras el hanout, semolina

Recipe photos

See the dish before you cook

Each recipe supports one main image and up to four extra prep, serving, or step photos when they are available.

Maakouda recipe from Morocco
Maakouda finished dish
Chef board

Build the table around Maakouda

Harissa, olives, khobz, salad, or grilled meats.

Best route from here

Soups, salads, and dips

Collections to keep cooking
Moroccan Salads, Soups, and Breads
Servings 6

Scale the dish before you shop, then use the checklist while you cook.

How to cook it

Step-by-step method

Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.

Back to Morocco
4 steps 25 min prep 35 min cook 60 min total easy
1
Cook potatoes
Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, then drain very well.
boil 20:00
2
Season and mash
Mash potatoes with eggs, herbs, garlic, cumin, turmeric, salt, and pepper.
mash 08:00
3
Shape cakes
Shape into small patties and dust lightly with flour if needed.
shape 12:00
4
Fry crisp
Fry in hot oil until both sides are golden and crisp.
fry 10:00

Some cooks dredge in flour, others keep it gluten-free. Garlic, turmeric, cumin, parsley, cilantro, and chili vary by home.

Keep exploring

Cook around Maakouda

Follow country, category, collection, time, and pairing paths without turning the recipe page into a link farm.

Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons & Olives recipe from Morocco Morocco Main dish Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons & Olives Moroccan chicken tagine with preserved lemons, olives, saffron, turmeric, onion, parsley, and cilantro. Time120 min ServingsServes 6 DifficultyMedium DietGluten Free RegionNorth Africa Open recipe Morocco Side Taktouka Moroccan roasted pepper and tomato salad cooked with garlic, cumin, paprika, olive oil, and herbs. Time55 min ServingsServes 4 DifficultyEasy DietVegan RegionNorth Africa Open recipe Kefta Tagine recipe from Morocco Morocco Main dish Kefta Tagine Moroccan meatball tagine simmered in spiced tomato sauce and finished with eggs. Time70 min ServingsServes 4 DifficultyMedium DietGluten Free RegionNorth Africa Open recipe Morocco Recipe Sardine Kefta Tagine Moroccan sardine meatballs simmered in tomato, chermoula, olives, lemon, and peppers. Time70 min ServingsServes 5 DifficultyMedium DietGluten Free RegionNorth Africa Open recipe
Browse AfroKitchen Explore Morocco recipes