Moroccan Passover and Mimouna Recipes
A collection of recipes that you might like to enjoy for Passover and/or Mimouna.
Moroccan Preserved Lemons
Make these ahead of time as they need a good month to be ready to use.
Moroccan Moufleta
Moufleta is a type of crepe made during the Moroccan Jewish holiday of Mimouna.
Moroccan Haroset Balls for Passover
An easy and nutritious snack to make for Passover or anytime of year.
Skinha or Dafina - The Slow - Slow Cooked Meal
Normally this is made on Friday and left overnight to cook in preparation for the Sabbath meal on Saturday.
Ma'akouda - Moroccan Potato Patties
Moroccan spiced potato patties that are often tucked into sandwiches and sold in cities like Essaouira.
Moroccan Carrot Salad
This is a very simple Moroccan carrot salad often served with several other salads before the main meal.
Moroccan Mint Tea
Mint tea is always a part of the Moroccan table but even more during holidays.
Moroccan Lamb and Fig Tagine
This recipe uses lamb meat and figs creating a savory and sweet dish that's perfect for a holiday table.
الدار البيضاء Casablanca Fish Tajine
A very easy recipe that uses white fish, tomatoes and peppers as well as multiple spices to create a flavorful main dish.
Candied Eggplants
This eggplant preparation is an old traditional recipe found in Morocco and southern Spain.
White Nougat (Zaban B’luz)
A delicious treat eaten year round but especially for holiday celebrations.
Myriam S. Gabbay says
Dear Amanda, Under the moufleta recipe you made the following comment: It’s celebrated immediately after Passover and while I don’t have proof I wonder if it wasn’t developed out of the tradition of Ramadan being followed by a feast day. Passover is also a time for sacrifice and having lived together for centuries it would make sense that there may be overlap.
Ramadan is a month of fasting so it makes sense to have a feast day after its completion. Passover is a holiday of many festive meals so it makes no sense to make yet another big meal when the holiday ends after eating big festive meals for eight days.
Also there is no direct connection between Ramadan and Passover. Ramadan can come out any month of the year as the Moslems use a solar calendar. Passover comes out only in the spring. So why didn’t they do it after Succot or any of the other Jewish holidays?
Also, on Passover no sacrifice has been brought since the destruction of the 2nd temple which occurred in 68 c.e. The Passover rituals is in place of the sacrifice so we will not forget that we did once go to Jerusalem and bring the Passover sacrifice at the temple.
In addition the Jews of Kurdistan celebrate the same thing right after Passover but they call it Seharane, and it was celebrated for three days.
The common theme is of Maimuna and Seharane is the eating of leavened foods immediately after Passover ended when you cannot eat leavened foods. Moufleta eaten by the Moroccans and Kubeh eaten by the Kurdi Jews. The concept was to eat something leavened immediately after the holiday ends to show that we aren’t adding/changing the law by extending the time not to eat unleavened foods. Some Moroccans also eat make and eat sfenj (donughts) at their Maimouna. I also saw a reference to Algerian Jews making and eating cous cous right after Passover.
Amanda Mouttaki says
Hi Myriam – I’m very familiar with the holidays and connections. I merely offered speculation based off of many books and articles I have read about and from Moroccan Jews. Mimouna IS a festival celebrating the end of Passover. I never said there was a connection between Ramadan and Passover (not sure where you got that I did), I simply was again offering opinion based off of a lot of things I’ve read over the years.
Ali says
Thank you so much for these recipes. My Jewish Moroccan family are scattered all over the world, but most ended up in France and Israel. My mom is the only member of her family that moved to the U.S.A… so it is harder for us to hold on to her family’s traditions. I am very grateful for these online recipes, especially the ones ones written in English!! I can’t wait to try them out and ask mom if the flavors bring back memories of her home.
Amanda Mouttaki says
I’m glad that I could help! 😉
Sarah says
Hey Amanda!
Chances are high that you will never find a Jewish community in Marrakech as the remaining Jews in Morocco live in Casablanca now. 🙂 So, maybe you can look for a family over there? 😉
Mimouna is indeed typical of the Moroccan community but has spread over to the entire Sephardic community now. I know Algerian and Tunisian families who do celebrate this holiday as well.
the two most typical leavened foods eaten during the Mimouna is sfendj and moufletta (very thin msemmen). Mmm… just talking about it makes me want to eat tons of it!
Amanda Mouttaki says
Rumor has it there are some families outside of Marrakech but Casablanca is the best bet, you’re right. One of these days I’ll find some!
Sarah says
Ow, nice to know there are still families outside of Casa. Good luck! 🙂
Shoshana says
During the eight days of Passover, Jews have no bread or leavened foods in their homes. So, it became a custom that at the close of the holiday, Muslim neighbors visited Jewish homes,
bringing gifts of sweet pancakes and other leavened products, which the Jews had not tasted
in over a week, and had not yet had an chance to prepare. This is the Mimouna.
In Israel, Mimouna has been adapted as a national holiday, celebrated on the day after
Passover when Jews, Arabs and Druze gather outdoors to share their culinary traditions.
Maria Mouhtad says
Hello / Assalamu Alaikum.
Thank you for the great ideas. I am Moroccan native of Casablanca and i have never heard of Mimouna. I like to read about it. I will try some of these great recipes.
Maria.
Ilda says
Maria, I am shocked that as a native of Casablanca, you never heard of Mimouna.
When did you leave morocco; where did you move to; were your parents moroccan jews or were you just born there?
Just curious.
Ilda