Moroccan · lunch, dinner

Moroccan Kefta Tagine (Meatballs in Tomato Sauce)

طاجين الكفتة بصلصة الطماطم

Video by Chef Nadia الشيف نادية on YouTube, in Arabic · Open on YouTube

40 minServes 4507 kcal a serve
  • Low carb (8.5 g net carbs) but not keto: 60% of the energy is from fat, and keto meals get about 60% or more
  • Gluten-free ingredients
  • Dairy-free
  • Nut-free

Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

About 39 g protein and 8.5 g net carbs a serve: beef meatballs simmered in a fresh tomato and onion sauce, with no flour or breadcrumbs.

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Ingredients 13

Method

The cook speaks Arabic; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. The video’s English subtitles come on by themselves.

  1. Heat the mixed oils in a tagine or wide pan and fry the diced onion until soft. 1:00
  2. Meanwhile, mix the mince with half of all the spices and half the parsley until well combined. 1:18
  3. Spread the diced tomatoes over the onions. 2:10
  4. Dissolve the tomato paste in the water and pour it over, add the remaining parsley (keep a spoonful for garnish) and the rest of the spices, and stir. 2:24
  5. Cover and simmer 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring now and then, while you roll the meat into small, even balls. 3:32
  6. Arrange the meatballs over the sauce, cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Scatter with the reserved parsley. 4:24

Tip. Moroccans scoop it up with khobz bread; a crisp salad or roast vegetables keep it low-carb. Many cooks crack 4 eggs into the sauce for the last 5 minutes. Serves 4 is our estimate.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 4

Energy507 kcal2,120 kJ
Protein39 g78% of a day
Fibre3.1 g11% of a day
Carbohydrate12 g8.5 g net · 6.2 g sugars4% of a day
Fat34 g9.6 g saturated43% of a day
Sodium700 mg30% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 7%
  • Protein 31%
  • Fat 62%

Very low carb: under 10% of the energy is from carbs.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Vitamin B12 High155%

3.7 µg a serve, mostly from beef (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Zinc High85%

9.4 mg a serve, mostly from beef (95%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Vitamin K High60%

71 µg a serve, mostly from flat-leaf parsley (69%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Selenium High57%

31 µg a serve, mostly from beef (97%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Omega-3 High46%

0.7 g a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (71%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Vitamin B6 High43%

0.7 mg a serve, mostly from beef (74%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Vitamin C High30%

27 mg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (68%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Iron High29%

5.2 mg a serve, mostly from beef (71%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Vitamin E High22%

3.3 mg a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (31%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Potassium High20%

950 mg a serve, mostly from beef (47%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Magnesium Source14%

58 mg a serve, mostly from beef (51%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Folate Source12%

46 µg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (44%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Vitamin A Source10%

92 µg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (61%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

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Calcium5%

63 mg a serve, mostly from beef (40%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Vitamin D0%

0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by Chef Nadia الشيف نادية; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.