Regional traditions
The Food of the Rif Mountains
The Rif mountains run along Morocco's northern coast, a rugged chain that has historically been among the country's most isolated regions. That isolation, combined with a Mediterranean climate, strong Amazigh identity and proximity to Spain, produced a food culture with its own character — related to the rest of Moroccan cooking but distinct in its emphases, its ingredients and its tastes.
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- 7 min
- Topic
- Regional traditions
- Updated
- 20 July 2026
At a glance
- The Rif's food reflects its Amazigh culture, Mediterranean climate and historical isolation.
- Pulses, flatbreads, wild herbs and preserved foods are central.
- Spanish influence is visible in some dishes and ingredients along the coast.
Geography shapes the table
The Rif is steep, heavily forested in places, and has historically been difficult to reach from the plains. Farming is small-scale and often terraced, with cannabis (kif) cultivation alongside food crops in some areas. The Mediterranean coast provides fish, but the mountain interior relies on what it can grow, gather and preserve — goats, pulses, figs, olives, honey and wild herbs.
This self-reliance produced a cuisine that is simpler and more austere than the elaborate cooking of the imperial cities, but no less distinctive. The Rif kitchen values what the land gives directly, and its best dishes are exercises in making much from little.
Staples and specialities
Bessara — the thick fava bean or split-pea soup — is particularly associated with the Rif and is eaten daily in many households. Flatbreads cooked on a clay griddle (as opposed to the oven-baked khobz more common in the south) are a staple. Figs, both fresh and dried, are abundant, and fig jam and preserves are a regional signature.
Wild herbs — thyme, oregano, pennyroyal — grow in the Rif's scrubland and are used in cooking and infusions. Goat meat is more common than beef. And along the coast, particularly around Al Hoceima, fish is grilled simply over charcoal, sometimes with charmoula.
- Bessara: the pea or fava soup that is the region's defining breakfast.
- Flatbreads: griddle-cooked rather than oven-baked, with regional variations.
- Fig preserves: dried figs and fig jam, a mountain staple.
- Herbal infusions: wild thyme and pennyroyal teas, common in households.
Spanish echoes and modern change
The Spanish protectorate (1912–1956) left traces in the Rif's food culture, particularly in the coastal cities. Tortilla-like egg dishes, certain bread styles and the habit of café con leche are all visible legacies. Chefchaouen, the region's most visited town, now has a food scene that mixes traditional Riffian cooking with dishes aimed at travellers, but in the mountain villages the older food culture persists largely unchanged.
For the Amazigh culinary foundation that underlies Rif cooking, see Berber cooking traditions.
Frequently asked questions
What food is the Rif region known for?
The Rif is known for bessara (fava bean or split-pea soup), griddle-cooked flatbreads, fig preserves, wild-herb infusions, and simple grilled fish along the coast. The cuisine is more austere than the cooking of the imperial cities but has a distinctive character.
Is Rif food different from other Moroccan food?
Yes, in emphasis and detail. The Rif's isolation, Amazigh identity and Mediterranean climate produced a cuisine that favours pulses, flatbreads, wild herbs and preserves over the elaborate tagines and pastries of the south. Spanish colonial influence is also visible along the coast.
What is the food like in Chefchaouen?
Chefchaouen offers a mix of traditional Riffian cooking — bessara, flatbreads, goat tagines — and dishes adapted for visitors. The town's blue-washed medina has become a tourist destination, and its food scene reflects that, though traditional cooking is easily found.