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Recipe for Rockin’ Moroccan Stew

Hearty Moroccan vegetable stew with chickpeas, brown rice, and pita bread developed by the California Culinary Centers for school food service menu planning.

Rockin's Moroccan Stew

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Yields 50 Servings

This recipe yields 4 gallons, 2 quarts and 3 cups. 50–1½ cup or 12 ounce ladle servings of stew.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 1 number 10 can tomatoes, diced (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
  • 16 pounds and 4 ounces or 2½ number 10 cans of canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas) (USDA food item)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil (USDA food item)
  • 2 pounds and 8 ounces or 1 quart and 2 cups fresh white onions, diced
  • 1 pound or 3 cups fresh celery, diced
  • 3 tablespoons ground ginger
  • 3 tablespoons ground turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
  • 1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 2½ tablespoons ground nutmeg
  • 2 gallons and 1 quart vegetable broth, low sodium
  • 2 pounds or 1 quart and 1 cup long grain brown rice, dry (USDA food item)
  • 38 whole grain-rich pita bread, 2 ounces each
  • ½ pound or 2½ cups fresh cilantro, bunch
    1½ ounces or 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

  1. Open canned tomatoes (keep juice) and garbanzo bean. Drain beans.

  2. Heat oil over medium-high in large stockpot or steam jacketed kettle. Add onions and celery, sauté until soft.
  3. Add ginger, turmeric, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
  4. Add canned tomatoes with juice, vegetable broth, and garbanzo beans, stir well.
  5. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
  6. Add rice to stew, cover and return to a simmer for 30 minutes.
  7. Cut each pita bread into four triangles, place in warmer on low heat.
  8. Add cilantro and lemon juice to stew. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Critical Control Point (CCP): Heat to internal temperature of 165°F for at least 15 seconds. CCP: Hold for hot service at 135°F or higher.
  9. Pour 10 pounds and 14¼ ounce (equal to 1 gallon and 2 quarts) into each 12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch steam table pan. Use three–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch steam table pans. Stew will continue to thicken over time, add hot water to thin out, as needed.
  10. Portion 1½ cups (12 ounce ladle) for each serving.
  11. Serve each serving of stew with three warm pita triangles.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 447
  • Carbohydrates, in grams: 80
  • Protein, in grams: 14
  • Saturated fat, in grams: 2
  • Trans fat, in grams: 0
  • Total fat, in grams: 8
  • Sodium, in milligrams: 539

Yields 100 Servings

This recipe yields 9 gallons, 1 quart, and 2 cups. 100–1½ cup or 12 ounce ladle servings of stew

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 2 number 10 cans of tomatoes, diced (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
  • 32 pounds and 13 ounces or five number 10 cans of canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas) (USDA food item)
  • 1 cup vegetable oil (USDA food item)
  • 5 pounds or 1 gallon of fresh white onions, diced
  • 2 pounds or 1 quart and 2 cups of fresh celery, diced
  • ¼ cup and 2 tablespoons of ground ginger
  • ¼ cup and 2 tablespoons of ground turmeric
  • ¼ cup of ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup and 1 tablespoon of ground nutmeg
  • 4 gallons and 2 quarts vegetable broth, low sodium
  • 4 pounds or 2 quarts and 2 cups of long grain brown rice, dry (USDA food item)
  • 76 whole grain-rich pita bread, 2 ounces each
  • 1 pound or 1 quart and 1 cup of fresh cilantro, bunch
    3 ounces or ¼ cup and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Directions

  1. Open canned tomatoes (keep juice) and garbanzo bean. Drain beans.
  2. Heat oil over medium-high in large stockpot or steam jacketed kettle. Add onions and celery, sauté until soft.
  3. Add ginger, turmeric, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
  4. Add canned tomatoes with juice, vegetable broth, and garbanzo beans, stir well.
  5. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
  6. Add rice to stew, cover and return to a simmer for 30 minutes.
  7. Cut each pita bread into four triangles, place in warmer on low heat.
  8. Add cilantro and lemon juice to stew. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Critical Control Point (CCP): Heat to internal temperature of 165°F for at least 15 seconds. CCP: Hold for hot service at 135°F or higher.
  9. Pour 10 pounds and 14¼ ounces or 1 gallon and 2 quarts into each 12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch steam table pan. Use six–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch steam table pans. Stew will continue to thicken over time, add hot water to thin out, as needed.
  10. Portion 1½ cups (one 12 ounce ladle) for each serving.
  11. Serve each serving of stew with three warm pita triangles.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 447
  • Carbohydrates, in grams: 80
  • Protein, in grams: 14
  • Saturated fat, in grams: 2
  • Trans fat, in grams: 0
  • Total fat, in grams: 8
  • Sodium, in milligrams: 539

General Recipe Information

Category

  • Soups, stews, chili recipes
  • Meatless or plant-based recipes

Serving Suggestion

  • Yield 50 or yield 100–1½ cup servings (one 12 ounce ladle) and 3 pita triangles.
  • Diced chicken may be added with tomatoes, broth, and garbanzo beans, which will alter the nutrition and Meat/Meat Alternate contribution.

Contribution to Meal Pattern

The contribution to the meal pattern for this recipe is based on the suggested serving size above.

  • 2 ounce equivalents meat/meat alternative
  • 2 ounce equivalents whole grain-rich
  • ⅛ cup red/orange vegetable
  • ¼ cup other vegetable

If you decide to modify this recipe or serving size, you may use the tools available on the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab to create your own standardized recipe or find the contribution to the meal pattern.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Items

  • Canned tomatoes, diced
  • Canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
  • Vegetable oil
  • Long grain brown rice, dry

Recipe Roots (Flavor Profile)

  • Africa

Preparation Time

  • Preparation to serve time: 2 hours for 50 servings and 2 hours and 15 minutes for 100 servings.

Critical Control Point (CCP)

  • CCP: Heat to internal temperature of 165°F for at least 15 seconds.
  • CCP: Hold for hot service at 135°F or higher.
  • CCP: If held for next day service, reduce temperature from 135°F to 70°F within two hours and from 70°F to 41°F or colder within an additional four hours.
  • CCP: Reheat to at least 165°F for 15 seconds prior to service

Kid Rating

Five-fork kid rating.

Culinary Center

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District

 

Questions:   Nutrition Services | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Thursday, July 17, 2025
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