Nothing is more comforting than the smell and taste of warm bread. This Moroccan country bread is plain, rustic, and simply delicious. The best thing is that you can have fresh, rustic bread in about 2 hours.
Bread in 2 hours?!
Yup. that's right!! No long rising time or excessive kneading. On the contrary, this Moroccan bread recipe thrives on little kneading to preserve its characteristic coarse texture. This bread making experience is sounding better and better, right? Moroccan country bread also freezes well in a resealable bag for up to a month. When defrosting, allow it to come to room temperature.
Dense, delectable carbs
Moroccan country bread is a lot denser than your average Italian or French bread. For this reason it is perfect to accompany rich saucy stews, a piping bowl of chili or simply dipped in olive oil and herbs, one of my personal favorites. My herb blend of choice in this case is zatar
, a Middle Eastern blend of sumac, oregano, sesame seeds , and marjoram. Try it also with a nice piece of artisan cheese or just butter. Yum!
Moroccan country bread is also known by its Arabic name Khobz Maghribi. The word khobz is the Arabic word for bread eaten in this region. Maghribi relates to the Maghrib or also spelled Maghreb is a region of NW Africa bordering the Mediterranean (Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Morocco). African breads tend to be simple, traditional and don't require much preparation. In a traditional Moroccan meal such as the tagine the khobz replaces utensils. Cook up a nice dish of Moroccan chicken tagine or saffron chicken and you will have an authentic experience soaking up those flavors with this bread! Fantastic!
Although khobz or Moroccan country bread is often referred to as a flat bread it is not really flat, but more similar to a regular loaf of bread with a slightly domed top.
Step by step photos
- Gather all your ingredients and have them measured out and ready to go.
- Combine the flour, salt and sugar in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Save out about ¼ tsp of the sugar to add to the water.
- Heat the water to 105° to 110° F.
- Add the yeast and remaining sugar to the water and stir to combine. The yeast will foam up and form bubbles in about 5-10 minutes. If no bubbles form, the yeast is not fresh or active and should be discarded.
- Pour in the water mixture into the flour along with the oil.
- Knead into a dough until smooth and elastic. This will take 5-10 minutes.
- Separate the dough into two balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a towel and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Once rested, flatten the balls into round circles about ¼ inch thick. Cover them with a towel and let rise for about one hour in a warm place. It will take longer in a cold room. Preheat your oven to 435°F.
- The dough will spring back when you press on it and will about double in thickness.
- Score the top of each loaf with a fork in several places and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. The loaves should sound hollow when you tap on them.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can keep this at room temperature for about 4-5 day. Keep it sealed in a container or zip-top bag to prevent drying.
Yes, I actually like to freeze slices or even the whole loaf. Be sure to freeze in airtight freezer bags and it stores nicely for up to 3 months.
When you tap on the bottom it should sound hollow. Take it from the oven with mitts and I usually use a spoon because it is hot and it if sounds hollow and not a dense "thud" it is done.
If you love North African and Arabic cuisine you might also want to check out some other exotic very easy to make recipes:
Spicy North African lamb meatballs with dried apricots and mint in a tomato sauce.
Tabouleh is a very fresh and healthy salad made with bulgur wheat, parsley tomato, onion and lemon juice.
For dessert bake some of these super easy Middle Eastern style shortbread cookies with pistachios and rosewater.
This recipe has been adapted from pastry Chef Edward Gee's book Bake
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Moroccan Country Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour bread flour works well
- 2 tsp salt Kosher
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1¼ cups water warm - 105° to 110°
- 1 Tbsp dry active yeast
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Add ¼ tsp of the sugar to the water and then add the yeast.
- Stir the sugar and yeast to combine then allow the yeast to bloom and form bubbles. If no bubbles form your yeast is not fresh so start again with fresh yeast.
- In a large bowl mix flour, salt and remaining sugar. I like to use my stand mixer bowl.
- Pour in the water and yeast mixture to the flour and then the oil.
- Knead with a dough hook for 5-10 minutes until smooth. The dough should be elastic and not sticky. You can adjust by adding a little flour or water as needed.
- Divide the dough into two equal balls. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchement paper. Cover with a towel and let them rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Once rested, flatten the balls into round circles about ¼ inch thick. Cover them with a towel and let rise for about one hour in a warm place. It will take longer in a cold room. Once it is ready the dough will spring back when you press on it.
- Preheat your oven to 435°F.
- Score each loaf with a fork in several place and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. The loaves should have a hollow sound when you tap on them.
- Transfer the loaves to a cooling rack to cool.
Nutrition
Originally published September 2014 and updated May 2022.
Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen
You always give such wonderful information on the dishes you present, Analida! It's always fun to see how different parts of the world prepare bread, and this Moroccan one looks absolutely delicious!
Analida
Thanks Ashley! I love finding out about the origins of foods.
Sarah
I'm not much of a baker, but fresh bread is one of the best things on the planet. Can I have you come make this for me? 😉
Analida
🙂 Sure! I'll be right over.
Paige
This bread looks really easy and delish! I can see making a nice big sandwich out of it too!
Analida
Paige, it's pretty easy to make. Give it a try!
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
This is my kind of recipe. I love making homemade bread. Dipping it in delicious oils and spices is the perfect way to enjoy it too.
Analida
Yes Gloria, dipping bread in delicious oils and spices is heavenly.:)
Helene
We have a friend who is Moroccan but who has lived a big chunk of his live in France and his mother would make khobz du maghreb for us guests together with a crazy addictive tajine. You really made it look simple to prepare from scratch.
Analida
Helene! Those two food items are highly addictive. Tajine is one of my favorite foods, and so perfect for the cold weather. I think I will make both, khobz du maghreb and tajine very soon. 🙂
Veena Azmanov
This is my kind of recipe. Simple, Easy and Effortless. I love making bread at home and having been to Morocco I have tasted some of the beautiful Moroccan bread. This sounds delicious. Can't wait to try.
Analida
Veena, hope you get to try it soon. Thank you for your kind comments.
Elena
I can see how well this bread would fit to shakshuka or anything saucy to soak up the juices! I'm totally making it!
Analida
Hi Elena!I am so glad you want to make this bread. And yes, it would be perfect with shakshuka. 🙂
michel
I really enjoy the info you share about the foods you share... I learn something each time!
Analida
Thank you Michel for your kind words. I think part of the fun of enjoying new foods is learning about them.
Monica | Nourish & Fete
You make this sound so delicious, and so accessible! I love making homemade bread, but have really made much less of it since moving to Belgium, only because "regular" bread is so amazing and so easy to buy each day here from local bakeries. This would really be something special, though, and makes me want to go get busy in the kitchen right now!
Analida
Monica, I am so jealous that you have access to wonderful bread every day. This is not the case in the US.
Yes, by all means, try my Moroccan Country bread. It's easy to make and so delicious.
Abby @ WinsteadWandering
You're right, this recipe does look so easy! I'd definitely want to dip it in one of the dishes you described.
Analida
🙂 Go for it!
Julie
This looks delicious -- especially dipped in that za'atar olive oil. One of my favorite spice blends for sure!
Analida
Julie, I am so glad you like za'atar. I make my own. You can find the recipe on my blog. 🙂
Renee Gardner
I have been on a homemade bread kick lately and am so excited to try this recipe too! Looks like it would be great with a big bowl of soup.
Analida
Renee, YES, the Moroccan Country Bread is awesome with any soup. 🙂
Wanda
I would love to make this recipe, but it’s too much for my husband and me, especially with our limited freezer space. Could you cut the recipe down for me? I’m concerned I won’t get the ratios right. I am going to make it with your Moroccan tagine chicken recipe. I’ve been to Morocco and can’t wait to enjoy this dish with the lovely bread.
Analida
Hi Wanda,
You can adjust the recipe right on the page when you click the arrow next to: "Servings: Change to adjust->"
Print out the adjusted recipe.
Enjoy!