Street food
Brochettes
Brochettes are Morocco's answer to the kebab — small cubes or strips of marinated meat threaded onto skewers and grilled quickly over hot charcoal. Beef, lamb, chicken, and liver are all common, as is kefta formed around the skewer rather than cut into cubes. The meat is marinated briefly in a mix of onion, garlic, paprika, cumin, and olive oil, then grilled fast over high heat so the outside chars while the inside stays juicy.
Brochettes are a defining evening street food, grilled to order over open charcoal braziers at food stalls and casual grill restaurants, filling the air of squares like Jemaa el-Fnaa with smoke and spice.
They are typically served simply: a few skewers with bread, a wedge of lemon, and sometimes a small salad or harissa on the side, making them an easy, fast, and satisfying street meal.
Varieties of Brochettes
Beef or lamb brochettes
Region: Nationwide
Cubed meat marinated in garlic, paprika, and cumin, threaded with pieces of fat or onion for extra juiciness, grilled over charcoal.
Kefta brochettes
Region: Nationwide
Spiced minced meat shaped directly around the skewer rather than cubed, grilled until charred outside and juicy within.
Liver brochettes (boulfaf-style)
Region: Marrakech
Liver cubes wrapped in caul fat and grilled quickly, a rich, offal-forward variation found at specialised grill stalls.
How to eat brochettes
Brochettes are eaten hot off the grill, slid off the skewer with bread, dipped in harissa or a squeeze of lemon. They are almost always a stand-up or quick-seated street meal rather than a formal course.
Where to try it in Marrakech
The grill stalls of Jemaa el-Fnaa are the most famous spot for brochettes in Marrakech, with numbered stands each grilling their own skewers to order; smaller neighbourhood grill houses throughout the medina often serve better quality at lower prices.
How brochettes is made
Meat is cut into small, evenly sized cubes (or minced for kefta), marinated briefly with spices, oil, and onion, then threaded tightly onto metal or wooden skewers and grilled fast over very hot charcoal, turned frequently for even charring.
History and origin
Grilled skewered meat has ancient roots across North Africa and the wider Mediterranean and Middle East, adapted in Morocco with its characteristic spice blends of cumin, paprika, and ras el hanout, and closely tied to the country's charcoal-grill culture.
Insider tips
- Order a mixed plate to sample beef, kefta, and merguez together.
- Ask for extra harissa on the side if you like heat — it's rarely pre-added.
- Evening is the best time for brochettes; grill stalls are busiest and freshest after sunset.
- Bread, not cutlery, is the traditional way to pull meat off the skewer.
Related recipes
Frequently asked questions
What meats are used for brochettes?
Beef, lamb, and chicken are most common, with kefta (minced meat) and liver as popular variations.
Are brochettes spicy?
The marinade is aromatic rather than hot; heat, if wanted, comes from harissa served alongside.
Is Jemaa el-Fnaa the best place for brochettes?
It's the most famous and atmospheric, though quality varies by stall; quieter neighbourhood grill houses often offer more consistent quality.