Spicy Potatoes: my Moroccan grandma’s version of potato salad
Join me in making my grandma’s spicy potatoes that are seasoned with preserved lemon, Moroccan harissa paste, garlic, parsley and spices.
If you’ve ever been lucky enough to visit Morocco, you know how important salads are. We enjoy them as an accompaniment to any traditional lunch or dinner.
Moroccan salads take what the average American might imagine a salad to be, and expand the definition. The dynamic use of vegetables, cooked or raw, combined with spices, herbs and usually some kind of acidity makes salad anything but boring.
These spicy potatoes combine the deep flavor from preserved lemons with soft, perfectly cooked potatoes and some traditional Moroccan spices that lend to a super satisfying side.
In my Grandmother’s dining room this salad is usually served cold. Typically accompanied by several other small plates like this Tomato Salad, Lentil Salad and Carrot Salad.
These small dishes usually sit around a large platter in the middle with the entree, which is almost always a tagine of some kind.
If you’ve ever claimed to ‘hate’ salad, your mind will be changed when you explore the world of Moroccan salads.
Step by Step
What to serve with your potatoes
These potatoes are traditionally served with many other Moroccan salads. Here are some of my favorite entrees to enjoy these spicy potatoes with:
Bismillah,
Moroccan Spicy Potatoes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
- Category: potatoes, Salad
- Method: Boiled
- Cuisine: African, Mediterannean, Moroccan, North African
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 lb yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
- ½ preserved lemon, minced
- 1 tbsp harissa (can be substituted with a sprinkle of cayenne or hot chili sauce)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup parsley, minced
- Enough water to cover the potatoes
Instructions
- Start by washing and peeling your potatoes. Cut into 1 inch thick slices and toss in a bowl with minced preserved lemon, minced garlic, harissa, half of the minced parsley, olive oil, salt and paprika. Mix well.
- Add potatoes to a pot and fill with water until it just barely covers the potatoes. Bring to a boil on the stovetop over medium high heat.
- Boil for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender, mixing occasionally. Top with flake salt and remaining minced parsley. Enjoy!
You can bet I will triple, maybe even quadruple this recipe. Can you still picture small dishes of these scattered around the dinner table, Salima?
Yes! I have so many good memories around the dinner table in Morocco ❤️
I found this recipe when looking for a potato dish to go along with grilled Moroccan chicken. Very yummy, unique, and spicy. I didn’t have preserved lemons, so I used the zest of one lemon and squeezed half of the juice. I also caramelize an onion and added it to the potatoes at the end. Hopefully your Grandma wouldn’t be too unhappy with my slight changes. Thanks for sharing.
Loved these spicy potatoes.
Very easy and just 1 pan to wash.
Made them twice this week.
Will surely be making these again.
Lovely hot or cold.
Thankyou.
This is fascinating, I don’t think I have ever seen a potato recipe like this where the potatoes were dressed BEFORE cooking! Can’t wait to try this.
Do you drain the potatoes before serving or does the liquid cook down enough that you don’t need to?
Hi Carrie, adding just enough water to barely cover the potatoes should ensure that the liquid reduces into a sauce – you shouldn’t have to drain!