Summer BBQ menu
Summer Moroccan BBQ Menu — Skewers, Kefta and Charred Salads
Moroccans have grilled over coals for centuries, and a summer BBQ is where the country's spice cupboard really earns its keep. Cumin, paprika and charmoula turn skewers of lamb, chicken and kefta into something far more fragrant than a plain grill. This menu is built for a relaxed garden gathering of six to eight: everything marinates ahead, the cooked salads sit happily in the heat, and the coals do the heavy lifting. Serve it all family-style on a big board with warm batbout, wedges of lemon and a jug of iced mint tea, and let people build their own plates as the skewers come off the fire.
The menu
Cooked salad
Taktouka — grilled pepper and tomato salad
Charred peppers and tomatoes cooked down with garlic and cumin, served cool. Make it while the coals heat and it doubles as a dip.
Main skewers
Mixed brochettes — lamb, chicken and kefta
Lamb cubes and charmoula-marinated chicken plus spiced minced-beef kefta. Thread separately so each cooks to its own timing.
Side
Zaalouk and grilled courgettes
Smoky aubergine zaalouk alongside courgette and onion cooked straight on the grill for a vegetable course with real char.
Bread
Warm batbout
Soft griddle-puffed pockets that toast beautifully at the edge of the coals and are made for wrapping around a skewer.
Dessert
Watermelon and melon with orange-blossom water
Cold, fragrant and refreshing after the smoke. A few drops of orange-blossom water lift ordinary melon completely.
Drink
Iced mint tea and almond milk
Brew mint tea strong, sweeten and chill over ice. A jug of blended almond milk is the cooling non-fizzy alternative.
Shopping list
- Lamb shoulder or leg, cut into cubes (about 800 g)
- Chicken thigh fillets and minced beef (for kefta)
- Red and green peppers, plenty of tomatoes, onions, courgettes
- Aubergines (for zaalouk), garlic and fresh coriander and parsley
- Cumin, sweet paprika, ras el hanout, chilli and saffron
- Preserved lemon, green olives and lemons for wedges
- Flour and yeast for batbout (or ready-made)
- Watermelon, melon and orange-blossom water
- Gunpowder green tea, fresh mint and sugar
- Almonds (or almond milk) and lump charcoal
Prep timeline
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Day before
Mix the charmoula and marinate the chicken; season the lamb cubes. Make the kefta mix and refrigerate. Prove and shape the batbout dough if baking your own.
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Morning
Make the taktouka and zaalouk and chill. Chop the melon and keep cold. Brew and sweeten the mint tea to chill over ice.
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1 hour before
Light the charcoal and let it burn down to grey ash — never grill over flames. Thread the skewers, keeping meats separate.
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As guests arrive
Grill the courgettes and peppers first, then the skewers in order of cooking time: lamb, chicken, then quick kefta.
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To serve
Warm the batbout at the cool edge of the coals, lay everything out on a board with lemon wedges, and pour the iced tea.
Host's tips
- Let the charcoal burn to grey ash before grilling — fragrant smoke, not scorching flames, is what you want.
- Marinate chicken in charmoula for at least a few hours; lamb needs only cumin, salt and a little oil to shine.
- Thread each meat on its own skewers so you can pull the kefta early and give the lamb longer.
- Cook the cooked salads the morning before — they are meant to be served at room temperature in the heat.
- Keep a spray bottle of water to hand to calm any flare-ups without dousing the coals.
Questions about this menu
What meats work best for a Moroccan BBQ?
Lamb cubes, chicken thigh and minced-beef kefta are the classic trio. Lamb needs only cumin and salt, chicken loves a charmoula marinade of coriander, garlic and paprika, and kefta is minced beef kneaded with onion and spice. Offer all three so guests can mix.
What is charmoula and do I need it?
Charmoula is a herb marinade of coriander, parsley, garlic, cumin, paprika, lemon and oil. It is the backbone of Moroccan grilling, brilliant on chicken and fish. Make a jar the day before; it keeps in the fridge and doubles as a sauce for the cooked vegetables.
How do I keep skewers from drying out?
Use fattier cuts — lamb shoulder over leg, chicken thigh over breast — and grill over grey coals rather than flames. Do not over-marinate in acid, which toughens meat, and pull each skewer the moment it is just cooked. Rest briefly under foil before serving.
Can I do a Moroccan BBQ without a charcoal grill?
Yes. A ridged griddle pan or a hot oven grill will still give good colour, though you lose some smoke. Add a pinch of smoked paprika to the marinade to hint at char, and finish the peppers directly over a gas flame for that essential smokiness in the taktouka.
What sides suit a Moroccan grill?
Cooked salads that sit well in the heat — taktouka and zaalouk — plus grilled vegetables, plenty of warm bread and a sharp preserved-lemon and olive dish. Skip heavy tagines; the point of a BBQ is smoke, freshness and building your own plate with bread.
Learn to cook this menu with a local in Marrakech
Every dish here is taught, hands-on, in a Marrakech cooking class — or taste them across the medina on a guided food tour.