Beef Tagine with Peas and Preserved Lemon (Tajine Lham Bil Bsela)
Tender beef slow cooked in chermoula and tomato, finished with bright peas and sharp preserved lemon.
Made with Basic tomato sauce and Chermoula. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time2 hr 15
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £3.02 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Toss the beef with your ready made chermoula (see the base recipe), the ginger, turmeric and salt. Leave for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge.
30 min - 2
Heat the oil in a heavy casserole over a medium high heat. Brown the beef in 2 batches for 5 minutes each, then lift out.
10 min - 3
Add the onion to the pan with a splash of water and cook for 5 minutes, scraping up the sticky bits.
5 min - 4
Return the beef, add the cinnamon stick, your basic tomato sauce (see the base recipe) and the water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on a low heat for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the beef is very tender.
90 min - 5
Stir in the peas and preserved lemon rind and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, until the sauce is thick.
10 min - 6
Remove the cinnamon, scatter over the coriander and serve with couscous, bread or rice.
Tips
- Rinse the preserved lemon and use only the rind. The flesh is very salty.
- Marinate the beef overnight if you can. The chermoula flavours the meat all the way through.
- If the sauce is thin at the end, boil it hard for 5 minutes with the lid off.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 90 minutes. Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Do I need a tagine pot?
No. A heavy lidded casserole does the same job. The cooking time is the same and the beef will be just as tender.
Can I use lamb instead of beef?
Yes. Lamb shoulder diced into chunks takes about the same time and gives a slightly sweeter result.
What can I use in place of preserved lemon?
Use the zest of 1 lemon and a pinch more salt. It lacks the fermented depth but gives a similar sharp lift.
More made with basic tomato sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.