Ingredients through time
Argan Oil: History and Heritage
Argan oil comes from a gnarled, thorny tree that grows in significant numbers almost nowhere on earth except southwest Morocco. For the Amazigh of the Souss it has been food, medicine and livelihood for centuries; today it is also a celebrated culinary and cosmetic product, and a heritage the region works to protect.
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- 8 min
- Topic
- Ingredients through time
- Updated
- 19 July 2026
At a glance
- The argan tree is essentially endemic to southwest Morocco, around the Souss, Essaouira and Agadir.
- Culinary argan oil is nutty and toasted; it is the base of the almond-honey paste amlou.
- Traditional production, long women's work, is now often organised through cooperatives.
A tree that grows almost nowhere else
The argan tree, Argania spinosa, is remarkably localised: its natural range is essentially the southwest of Morocco, where it survives drought and heat that would kill most trees. This argan forest is so distinctive and important that the area has been recognised internationally as a biosphere reserve, and the tree is central to the ecology and economy of the region.
The sight of goats climbing into the branches to eat the fruit is genuinely part of the picture, and historically the nuts recovered after passing through goats were sometimes used — though modern food-grade oil is made from hand-collected fruit.
How the oil is made
Producing argan oil is slow, skilled work that has traditionally fallen to women. The fruit is dried, the hard nut cracked by hand between stones, and the kernels extracted; for culinary oil the kernels are gently roasted before being ground and pressed, which gives the oil its deep, toasted, hazelnut-like flavour.
- Culinary vs cosmetic: food oil uses roasted kernels; cosmetic oil uses unroasted ones.
- Hand-cracking: the stone-hard nut is broken open by hand, the hardest step.
- Amlou: argan oil blended with ground almonds and honey into a rich spread.
- Cooperatives: since the 1990s many women producers have organised into cooperatives.
From local staple to global product
For generations argan oil was a regional Amazigh ingredient, drizzled over bread and couscous, stirred into amlou for breakfast, and used as a folk remedy. In recent decades it has become internationally famous, prized in kitchens and cosmetics alike, which has brought income to the Souss but also pressure on the argan forest.
Efforts to protect the trees and support producers, often through women's cooperatives, aim to keep the heritage alive. To taste it in context, read about Berber cooking traditions and almonds in Moroccan cuisine.
Frequently asked questions
Where does argan oil come from?
Argan oil is pressed from the kernels of the argan tree, which grows in significant numbers almost only in southwest Morocco, around the Souss valley, Essaouira and Agadir. The area is recognised as a biosphere reserve for this distinctive forest.
What is the difference between culinary and cosmetic argan oil?
Culinary argan oil is made from roasted kernels, giving it a deep, toasted, nutty flavour for drizzling on bread, couscous and salads. Cosmetic argan oil uses unroasted kernels and is used on skin and hair rather than in food.
What is amlou?
Amlou is a rich Moroccan spread made by blending argan oil with ground roasted almonds and honey, sometimes called Moroccan or Amazigh nut butter. It is a traditional breakfast treat eaten with bread in the argan-growing southwest.
Do goats really climb argan trees?
Yes, goats do climb into argan trees to eat the fruit, and it is a real feature of the region. Historically nuts recovered afterwards were sometimes used, but modern food-grade oil is made from hand-collected fruit.