harira

Harira is a classic Moroccan lentil and chickpea soup with fresh herbs and loads of warm spices. This satisfying vegetarian soup is even better the next day, so it is the perfect make-ahead pot to feed a little crowd. I typically serve it with lemon slices and warm pita bread.

Harira Recipe

Extra virgin olive oil

onion

celery (chopped)

carrot

Kosher salt

garlic

black pepper

turmeric

cumin

ginger

cinnamon

cayenne

tomatoes

tomato paste

cilantro

green lentils, (rinsed)

red lentils, (rinsed)

chickpeas

vegetable or chicken stock, (preferably low-sodium)

long grain rice, rinsed (or ¼ cup broken vermicelli)

Lemon wedges, (for serving)

In a large Dutch Oven, heat 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Season with kosher salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly until softened.

Add the garlic and spices and cook for a couple of 1 to 2 minutes, stirring regularly.

Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, cilantro, lentils (both green and red), and chickpeas. Add a dash more kosher salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring.

Add the broth and raise the heat. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then turn the heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 45 minutes or until the legumes are fully cooked and very tender (check occasionally and plan to add more stock or water.  The soup will be thick, but it should not be too thick that you cannot pour it. Make sure to adjust the salt as you add more liquid.)

Stir in the rice and cook for another 15  or until the rice is fully cooked.

Serve with lemon wedges.

With its velvety, aromatically spiced tomato base and hearty lentils, every spoonful is like a hug in a bowl. Grab a spoon, cozy up on the couch, and get ready to soup it up!

Moroccan harira (tomato soup with chickpeas and lentils)

beefsteak tomatoes tomatoes

tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, small dice

garlic,

1 stalk celery, small dice

1 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

teaspoons grated fresh ginger

¾ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ tsp cinnamon

2 teaspoons salt

brown lentils, French lentils, or beluga lentils

broken thin vermicelli

chickpeas, drained

Unsweetened plant-based yogurt

parsley leaves

cilantro leaves

Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the tomatoes. Cook until the skins start to shrivel and crack in places.

Drain the tomatoes in a colander and let them cool for ten minutes. Peel off the skins and dice the tomatoes on a cutting board.

In a 6-quart or larger pressure cooker or stock pot, heat olive oil for 60 seconds over medium-high heat.

Add diced onions, garlic, and celery, and sauté for four minutes until golden and fragrant.

Next, add the diced tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, ginger, pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, and salt. Continue to sauté and stir for an additional 3 minutes until the tomatoes start to break down.

Add 4 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover, and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes until the contents of the pot are thick and the vegetables have mostly fallen apart.

Bring to a boil over a high flame, and cook covered for 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender

If you plan to add rice, add it now, and continue cooking over high heat for 15 minutes until the rice is cooked through

Alternatively, add broken vermicelli, and cook the soup for a few minutes until the vermicelli is tender. 

Stir in the chickpeas, and serve. Optionally garnishing the bowls with vegan yogurt, and fresh herbs.

So simple and so delicious, crowd pleaser and I'd only add that you can cut the liquids by a cup or two each. Can tomatoes may feel like a cheat but it is a time saver that won't make a difference if no one has tried it before by the original method. Plus, the cook time for the first portion can be 20 mins i/o 30. Regardless, make this!

Nice quick easy soup to make, even for the beginner cook. One of those recipes where I always have all the ingredients in the house.  I like things spicy, so I added a little extra heat to it, perfect!  Tastes as good, if not better the next day.

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Harira Recipe

Moroccan harira (tomato soup with c...

The most viewed harira recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine