Buttery soft, tender, slow-cooked beef tagine in a rich, spiced sauce with chickpeas and whole dried apricots is a deliciously hearty main course that is even better reheated, so it works well made in advance.

This beef tagine with apricots and rich, fragrant sauce is perfect if you need to feed a crowd. It freezes well, and can be dressed up with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon at the last minute.
🛒 Ingredients
- Diced beef
- Cinnamon
- Smoked paprika
- Cumin
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Onion
- Beef broth
- Passata
- Honey
- Dried apricots
- Cooked chickpeas
- Lemon juice
- Fresh parsley and coriander
🥩 What cut of beef should you use for tagine?
The best thing about homemade beef tagine is that you don't have to spend a fortune on expensive cuts of beef. If you go to a butcher, ask for braising steak, which could be a variety of cuts, including chuck, skirt, leg, and flank. I have also used brisket and shin, which have had great results. The key to cooking braising steak is to sear it to lock the juices and then keep it low and slow for several hours. We want to be able to cut it with a spoon!
See the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for full quantities and step-by-step directions on how to make beef tagine.
👩🏼🍳 Instructions
- Cut the beef into chunks and toss them in a bowl with the olive oil, smoked paprika, and cinnamon. Season liberally with salt and cracked black pepper.
- Heat a good-quality pan over medium-high heat, then add the seasoned, oiled beef chunks. Leave them for a few minutes to get a good dark sear before stirring them to brown on the other side.
- Add the onion segments, which will release some moisture and help you to deglaze the pan. Fry for another few minutes, then add the garlic and remaining spices.
- Stir in the beef bone broth and scrape the pan with a spatula or wooden spoon to get all of the sticky bits. Then, stir in the passata. Bring to a gentle simmer and then cook for 3-4 hours. Add the cooked chickpeas and whole dried apricots 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
Top tip
Take the beef out of the fridge to come up to room temperature before you begin. Pat it dry with a paper towel to soak up moisture; this will help you to get a good sear on the meat.
🍽 How to serve beef tagine
Stir through some freshly squeezed lemon juice and chopped fresh parsley and coriander (cilantro) before serving.
I like to serve this tender beef apricot tagine as part of a feast with the following side dishes:
🍷Wine Pairing
Serve a fruity, robust red wine with beef tagine. I'd naturally opt for a red wine like a Grenache or a Syrah blend.
Check out more of my basic food and wine pairing tips here.
🥣 Equipment
Sadly, I don't have an earthenware pot to cook tagine in; I keep meaning to buy one. Instead, I use a casserole dish like a Le Creuset (Dutch oven) or a big stainless steel pan. It needs to bubble away for a few hours without sticking, so you will need a pan with good heat distribution (unless you're cooking on induction).
❄️ Storage and Freezing
This tender beef tagine actually tastes better reheated! Store in an airtight container and consume within 3-4 days. You can also make this recipe in advance and freeze beef tagine, which I often do if I am hosting a dinner party. Use it within 2 months.
🙏🏻 If you try this recipe...
If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear how it went! Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment as well. Your feedback helps other readers and is greatly appreciated.
📖 Recipe
Rich, Tender Beef Tagine (Reheats Well & Great For A Crowd)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) braising steak e.g., chuck, shin, flank
- 500 g (17 oz) Beef bone broth /stock
- 500 g (17 oz) Passata
- 250 ml (1 cup) Water
- 1 Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 200 g (8 oz) Dried apricots
- 1 can Chickpeas (drained)
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 2 tablespoon Fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoon Fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 1 Lemon (juiced)
Spice mix for beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Salt and cracked black pepper
Spice mix for tagine
- 2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Ground ginger
Instructions
- Pat the beef dry with a paper towel and cut into chunks if needed. Mix the spices for the beef in a bowl with the olive oil and then toss in the beef to thoroughly coat it in the oil and spice mix.
- Place a casserole dish or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the beef, making sure it is spread evenly over the surface and not in a pile. Leave it for a few minutes to get a nice dark sear before stirring to brown the other sides.
- Add the sliced onions, which will release some moisture and allow you to deglaze the pan by scraping the base with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Add the garlic and remaining tagine spices. Cook for 30 seconds before stirring in the bone broth, then the passata and water. Bring the beef tagine to a gentle simmer and cook for 3-4 hours until the meat can be cut with a spoon.
- Stir in the honey, cooked drained chickpeas, and dried apricots 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
- Squeeze in the lemon juice and add the chopped fresh herbs before serving.
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