Mina Moroccan – Meals Made Easy

Dec 17, 2025 by Chef David

By Chef David

Preparing a savory, hot meal just got simpler with preprepared, Heat & Eat stews and sides from Mina. These plant-based side or main dishes take only minutes to prepare.  Mina Heat & Serve is designed for convenience and is travel-friendly, perfect for winter break. Ready to be heated in the microwave or stovetop and served. Combine a stew with a side of couscous or rice, and create a full, satisfying meal with fresh flavors.

The stews are certified kosher, pareve by the OU, while the sides are certified kosher pareve by KMD Mexico.

The Stews

Mina’s stews have exotic names, which connect them to the traditional dish that was their inspiration. They use Mina’s signature secret ingredient, Moroccan extra virgin olive oil, combined with a base made from garlic, cilantro, parsley, cumin, paprika, ginger, and turmeric.

We were pleasantly surprised that no two tasted alike, with tastes that were subtle and satisfying. The team’s favorite was the Harira Moroccan Chickpea and Lentil Soup, which had a more complex profile, with the addition of cinnamon. Is it a soup or a stew? Who cares, it was delicious.

• Addis Moroccan Lentil Stew is a fusion of lentils, tomatoes, and onions (90 calories per serving).
• Hummus Moroccan Chickpea Stew is a blend of chickpeas, onions, and coriander (140 calories per serving).
• Loubia Moroccan White Bean Stew combines white beans and tomatoes (80 calories).
• Harira Moroccan Chickpea Lentil Soup blends chickpeas, green lentils, onions, and tomatoes, balanced with cinnamon and black pepper (80 calories per serving).

Each package is labeled as being for two servings, and the nutritional value is calculated accordingly. As with many prepared shelf-stable products, the salt content is high. Each ½ cup serving contains 20% of your Daily Value (DV). But they contain no added sugar and provide fiber, protein, calcium, iron, and potassium.

The Sides

Mina recently introduced three varieties of single-serving side dishes to their Heat & Eat line. Each pouch is a single serving and contains no added sugar. There are two rice dishes and a couscous offering that use the traditional flavors of Morocco. These sides provide a starchy side dish with subtle, understated Mediterranean flavors, an ideal complement for Mina stews, or just about any protein main course.

Since they are precooked, they only need to be warmed before serving. The instructions suggest kneading the packages before opening. We concur. The kneading separates the kernels, which over time have fused into a single blob. (We recommend adding more than the recommended two tablespoons of water when using a saucepan or hot plate for warming.)

• Pearl Couscous with Turmeric & Ginger, a comforting dish that combines couscous with turmeric and ginger. Other ingredients include water, tomato, extra virgin olive oil, and cilantro, making it lightly aromatic. Each serving contains 350 calories, with 10 grams of protein and 6% iron.
• Saffron Rice has a rich, golden color and subtle flavor. It contains 390 calories per serving, 7 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and 7% calcium, 18% iron, and 5% potassium.
• Festive Rice is inspired by traditional Moroccan seffa— a sweet-and-savory dish that combines rice with toasted almonds and a hint of cinnamon. It has 430 calories per serving, which provides 4 grams of fiber, 10 grams of protein, 20% iron, and 9% calcium.

Like their stews, the sodium levels in these sides are high, at 530 mg per serving.

We liked the Heat & Eat concept. In minutes, you can prepare tasty meals on the go. Pick up one stew and one side, and voila, you have a simple meal with an exotic flair.