Marrakech Small Group Cooking Class: Riad Experience & Market Visit

Summary

Moroccan Cooking Workshop with Local Market Tour in Marrakech

You’ll dive into Marrakech’s food scene by shopping local markets and baking bread at a hidden oven before cooking classic Moroccan dishes in a riad courtyard. It’s hands-on, personal, and full of real flavors you’ll want to recreate at home.

What’s the experience like?

The first thing that hit me was the smell—fresh bread baking somewhere close by. Our group met just inside the old medina walls, where Karima greeted us with a wide grin and a quick “salaam.” Hassan, always ready with a joke, handled the translations as we wandered out into the maze of narrow alleys. The morning air was cool but already buzzing with voices and the clang of carts heading to the souq.

We ducked into the furan, Marrakech’s communal oven. It’s tucked behind an unmarked wooden door; you’d never spot it if you didn’t know where to look. Inside, locals were sliding trays of dough onto hot stones—some chatted quietly while others just nodded at us, flour dusting their hands. The scent of warm khobz (bread) mixed with wood smoke is something I still remember.

At the market, Karima showed us how to pick out zucchini that’s just right—not too soft—and she haggled for bunches of mint like she’d done it her whole life (she probably has). We grabbed aubergines, tomatoes so ripe they almost burst in your hand, and plump lemons for our tagine. Back at the riad courtyard, sunlight filtered through orange trees as we chopped and stirred together. Karima explained every step—how much cumin goes in the salad, why you layer onions under chicken in a tagine—while Hassan kept things light with stories about his childhood here.

Once our salads were plated and the tagine simmered away on its clay stand, Karima handed out cinnamon sticks for dessert prep: oranges sliced thin and sprinkled with spice. Hassan brewed mint tea—he poured it from high up so it frothed just right—and we all sat down to eat what we’d made. Recipe sheets came out at the end (I’ve used mine back home), but honestly, nothing beats tasting it fresh in that courtyard with new friends around you.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Marrakech Cooking Class Experience

• Visit local communal oven
• Shop at local souq market
• Cooking class at riad courtyard
• Prepare traditional Moroccan salads and tagine
• Make Moroccan dessert: orange slices with cinnamon
• Learn to make Moroccan mint tea

Top questions

Is this cooking class suitable for beginners?

Absolutely! Karima explains each step clearly and helps everyone along. No experience needed—just curiosity and an appetite.

Will I get recipes to take home?

Yes, you’ll receive recipe sheets for all dishes prepared during class so you can try them again later.

Are vegetarian options available?

Definitely. Just let us know when booking—we can focus on vegetable tagines and salads if you prefer.

How big is each group?

The class is small—never more than six people—so it feels friendly and relaxed.

What’s included

You’ll get bottled water throughout the class plus lunch made from everything we prepare together. All ingredients are included, along with recipe sheets to take home.