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.

Harira is a delightfully flavorful Moroccan soup full of lentils, chickpeas, lamb, and an array of veggies and exotic spices. It is especially popular during Ramadan.

Harira (Moroccan Lentil &amp; Chickpea Soup)

extra virgin olive oil

red onion, diced

celery stalks, diced

carrots, diced

4-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Tbsp ginger, finely chopped

lamb

tsp cumin

paprika

½ tsp red chili flakes

tsp black pepper

½ tsp saffron, crushed

salt,

brown lentils,

red lentils,

chicken stock

long grain rice, rinsed, or ¼ cup broken vermicelli

fresh cilantro, chopped

pomegranate seeds

pistachios, roughly chopped

lemon wedges

In a large dutch oven, heat extra virgin...

In a large dutch oven, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat. Sauté onion, celery and carrots for 5 minutes, till they start to soften up. Add ginger and garlic, and sauté for a couple of minutes.

Add chopped lamb cubes and sauté for a...

Add chopped lamb cubes and sauté for a minute. Add spices (cumin, paprika, red chili flakes, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, pepper and saffron), and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add crushed tomatoes, lentils and cilantro. Mix well....

Add crushed tomatoes, lentils and cilantro. Mix well. Let it cook for 5 minutes.

Add chicken stock and chickpeas, and increase the...

Add chicken stock and chickpeas, and increase the temperature to high. Bring the soup to a low boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until lentils are tender. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water if the soup is getting very thick. (This soup has thick consistency, but you should be able to pour it like a thick soup).

Stir in the rice or vermicelli and cook...

Stir in the rice or vermicelli and cook for 15 minutes, or till it is cooked. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Serve immediately with preferred garnishing and lemon wedges.

Choose the sauté function and heat a little...

Choose the sauté function and heat a little oil in the bottom of the slow cooker. When hot, add the diced onion, carrot and celery. Stir fry for 5 minutes until softened. Add the crushed garlic and ginger. Sauté for couple of minute.Add the lamb. Brown the lamb on all sides, then add spices. Stir to coat the lamb in the spices.Add the crushed tomatoes, chickpeas, lentils and chicken stock. Stir well.Cook for 7-8 hours on low or for 4-5 hours on high, adding rice halfway through the cooking time.Serve with preferred toppings and lemon wedges.

Optional - Sauté the veggies and lamb along...

Optional - Sauté the veggies and lamb along with spices on stovetop, then transfer it to the crockpot and follow the rest of the recipe.

Add all ingredients into crockpot, except rice and...

Add all ingredients into crockpot, except rice and garnishes. Stir so that everything is well combined. Cook for 7-8 hours on low or for 4-5 hours on high, adding rice halfway through the cooking time.

Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Heat extra virgin...

Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Heat extra virgin olive oil and sauté onion, celery and carrots for 5 minutes, till it starts to soften up. Add ginger and garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add chopped lamb cubes and sauté for a minute. Add in spices and cook for couple more minutes.

Add crushed tomatoes along with lentils and chickpeas...

Add crushed tomatoes along with lentils and chickpeas and mix well. Let it cook for 5 minutes, then add chicken stock.

Set the Instant Pot to High Pressure and...

Set the Instant Pot to High Pressure and seal the vent. Pressure cook for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes.

Carefully remove the lid and set the Instant...

Carefully remove the lid and set the Instant Pot to the sauté setting. Add rice and cook till rice is cooked and soup has thickened. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve with preferred toppings.

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Top Tags

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The most viewed harira recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

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