How-to guide
How to Buy Fresh Herbs at a Marrakech Market
Moroccan cooking uses fresh herbs by the fistful — great bundles of flat-leaf parsley and coriander go into tagines, harira and salads, and spearmint by the bushel into tea. At a Marrakech market they're sold in generous bunches for a few dirham, far more cheaply and freshly than a Western supermarket's little packets. This guide covers buying and keeping the herbs Moroccan cooking depends on.
About 20 minutes
Step by step
- 1
Find the produce and herb stalls
Head for a fresh-produce market such as the Mellah market or a neighbourhood vegetable souk rather than the tourist craft souks. Herb sellers pile huge fragrant bundles of coriander, parsley and mint, usually near the vegetable stalls.
- 2
Know the big three
The workhorses are flat-leaf parsley (maadnous) and coriander (qasbour), often sold and used together as the base aromatic for tagines and harira, and spearmint (naanaa) for tea. Learn to tell coriander from flat parsley — they look alike but smell completely different.
- 3
Buy by the bunch, generously
Herbs are sold in big bunches for a few dirham each, not by weight in tiny packets. Moroccan recipes use far more than Western ones, so buy a whole bunch — a tagine might take a good handful of chopped parsley and coriander together.
- 4
Check for freshness
Choose bunches that are vividly green, perky and fragrant, with no yellowing, sliminess or wilting. Give them a gentle sniff — fresh coriander and mint should smell intensely of themselves. Avoid tired bundles that have sat in the sun.
- 5
Keep them fresh at your riad
To make them last, trim the stems and stand the bunch in a glass of water like flowers, or wrap in a damp cloth in the fridge. Wash just before use. Mint for tea keeps best upright in water on a cool windowsill.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Confusing coriander and flat-leaf parsley — they look alike but taste worlds apart.
- Buying tiny amounts; Moroccan recipes use herbs by the handful, not the sprig.
- Choosing wilted, yellowing bunches that have baked in the sun.
- Washing herbs long before use, which speeds up spoiling.
Tips from the kitchen
- Parsley and coriander together are the base aromatic of countless Moroccan dishes.
- Buy whole bunches — they're cheap and you'll use more than you expect.
- Stand herbs stem-down in a glass of water to keep them perky for days.
- Sniff before buying: fresh coriander and mint smell powerfully of themselves.
Questions
What fresh herbs are used most in Moroccan cooking?
Flat-leaf parsley and coriander, usually used together as the base aromatic for tagines, harira and salads, and spearmint for tea. They're bought in big bunches at markets rather than small supermarket packets.
How much do fresh herbs cost at a Marrakech market?
Very little — a large bunch of coriander, parsley or mint typically costs just a few dirham. Herbs are one of the cheapest and freshest things to buy at a Moroccan produce market.
How do I keep Moroccan herbs fresh?
Trim the stems and stand the bunch in a glass of water like flowers, or wrap in a damp cloth in the fridge, and wash only just before using. Mint for tea keeps well upright in water somewhere cool.
Learn it hands-on in Marrakech
Reading is one thing; doing it beside a local host is another. Book a Marrakech cooking class, or explore the medina on a guided food tour.