harira soup

Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup (aka Harira) is hearty, full of protein and loaded with nutrients.  Warming fragrant spices make this healthy one-pot meal deeply flavorful!  Vegan and Gluten-Free adaptable.

Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup (Harira)

olive oil

onion, diced

garlic, chopped

ginger

black pepper

turmeric

teaspoons cumin

smoked paprika

cayenne

broth, vegetable or chicken or water

tomatoes

cinnamon (or 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon)

saffron (optional)

sea salt

red lentils

brown or green lentils

chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

honey (if needed)

pasta,

cilantro,

parsley

Saute onions for 5 minutes in olive oil, over medium heat.

Add celery, garlic, ginger, pepper, turmeric, cumin, smoked paprika and cayenne.  Stir for another minute.  Sautéing the spices allows them to bloom and deepen in flavor.

Add broth, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, saffron, salt, red lentils, brown lentils, half of the cilantro and half of the parsley.  Bring to a simmer, cover with a vented lid, for 30 minutes.

Add Chickpeas and pasta cook 5-10 minutes more.  (see notes)

This is a keeper, even my carnivorous grandsons liked it!

Thank you so much for this recipe!  It is by far the best lentil soup I have had.....and I have made multiple recipes, but will search no more!  It made a generous amount and could have been easily halved but I chose not to.  I made it as written with the exception of saffron and parsley which I did not have in the house. I did make my own veggie stock.  I also cooked the pasta separately and we added some to our portions for dinner as we served it.  Can't wait for lunch tomorrow for more!

Thanks for the reply, Went for it in the Instant Pot for 7 minutes high pressure and it came out perfect. No more store bought harira soup for me. 5 stars definitely.

Best soup I’ve ever made!!  Continued to be wowed by these recipes!

One of my favorite recipes thus far! The flavors are so rich, hearty, and complex. Simple recipe that feels very healthy to eat. I used rice noodles and will probably use less noodles the next time.

Oh Mmy this soup is delicious!! I found myself craving for more after the first bowl. 
I love the notes   It helps when you have to watch certain spices or ingredients. 
Thank you :o)

Loved it, I did not use pasta, I poured it over white rice.

What a great recipe!  Loved the warm, comforting spices and texture from the lentils.  Although I didn't have any garlic, cilantro or parsley on hand when I decided to make this recipe, the soup was delicious!  In place of the missing herbs, I added some chopped fresh mint.  I served the soup with lemon, as suggested, which added a nice briteness.  I will definitely make this again!  Thank you for this wonderful recipe!

I've made it twice now. Beautiful flavours and a great meal for vegetarians. This is my new favourite soup recipe. Thanks feasting at home!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/DEX0m3qr.mp4

Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup (aka Harira) is hearty, full of protein and loaded with nutrients. Warming fragrant spices make this healthy one-pot meal deeply flavorful! Video<br />


Moroccan Lentil & Chickpea Stew (Harira Soup) 

Harira is a thick and wholesome Moroccan soup, that is enjoyed all year round. Easy to make, this flavorful one-pot soup can be made in plenty and is a crowd pleaser.

Moroccan Harira Recipe

chicken leg quarters (or lamb shoulder

onion (finely diced, about 2 cups)

celery

garlic

ginger ((dried ginger powder))

cumin

cayenne pepper (or chili powder)

salt (more as needed)

water (or stock, more as needed)

green lentils (or brown lentils, rinsed)

⅓ cup chopped cilantro (parsley

chickpeas

vermicelli

flour (durum whole wheat

lemon juice

saffron (ground and dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water)

ghee

Lemon wedges

Brown Chicken

Heat olive oil in a large cooking pot over medium-high. Pat dry chicken pieces, transfer to pot in a single layer and brown on both sides at high heat.

Cook

Add diced onion and cook until softened and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in celery, garlic, ginger, black pepper, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon and cook for 2 minutes.

Simmer

Then add salt, crushed tomatoes, water, lentils, half the herbs and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until lentils are cooked soft, about 30 minutes.

Adjust

De-bone the chicken and discard the bones. Shred the chicken and add it back to the soup. Add more liquid as needed to keep the soup consistency thick but pourable. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Chickpeas and Pasta

Next add canned chickpeas and pasta to the soup. And cook until pasta is al dente, about 5 to 10 minutes. (see notes)

Thicken

In a small bowl, take the flour and add water, little by little, to make a thin paste. Add this flour paste gradually to the simmering soup, while stirring continuously. The consistency of the soup should be thick and velvety.

Serve

Stir in lemon juice as per taste. Top the soup with saffron water, remaining herbs and ghee. Serve it hot with lemon wedges on the side.

This classic Moroccan Harira soup is zingy, earthy, and comforting, filled with nutritious ingredients like chickpeas, lentils and noodles, and flavoured with warm middle eastern spices.

Authentic Moroccan Harira Soup

350 g Veal or beef cubes (skip if vegetarian)

onions

tomato paste

salt (more per preference)

cinnamon

cayenne pepper (optional

brown lentils

chicken broth ((can be half water))

540 ml chickpeas (1 can)

vermicelli pasta, short noodles (substitute with rice if unavailable)

parsley or cilantro (packed, more for garnish)

lemon

Start by finely dicing the onions, and prepare the veal (or beef) by cutting it into small cubes (maximum 1/4 inch in size)

In a soup pot, heat the olive oil. Then, sear the veal on medium high heat until its nicely browned. If it starts to steam and release water (due to overcrowding), simply allow the water to cook off until the meat starts to brown

Next, add the finely diced onions to the pot and continue to cook the onions with the veal, until the onions are translucent and lightly golden. This will take 5-7 minutes

Next, add the spices and cook for 2 minutes. Then, add the tomato paste and allow it to cook and caramelize for 2 minutes.

Add the chicken stock to the pot, along with the washed and drained brown lentils. Cover the pot and allow it to cook for 15 minutes.

While the soup is cooking, prepare the salsa mixture by blending together the tomatoes, celery, and parsley or cilantro (whichever one you are using) in a blender. See notes if you dislike tomato peel.

After 15 minutes, pour the tomato salsa back into the soup pot, and add the washed and drained chickpeas. Cover and allow to cook for another 10 minutes.

lastly, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if required. Then, add the vermicelli noodles and cook the soup a further 10 minutes until the noodles soften and plump up.

Serve the soup hot, with more parsley/cilantro for garnish and lemon slices for a final squeeze of lemon. Enjoy!

Hi there
What do we do with the "juice of 1 lemon" ? I can't see where to add it ?
Thanks so much 

I cannot say enough good things about this recipe. I tried making Harira during Ramadan and my family absolutely loved it. I actually was asked to make it again multiple times after that. It’s so incredibly flavorful, and so heartwarming and delicious. It was still cold where I live so it was a perfect soup. It is also so filling, you can have it as a weeknight dinner. We keep craving it regularly and always look forward to making it. This soup is what made me fall in love with Amina’s recipes! Must try!

I have made this countless times since I first tried it from Amina’s website and it’s a hit! It’s quite easy to make and such a good soup!

Another lovely recipe Amina!
The whole family loved it. It's very filling. Thank you.

BTW, I’ve made so many of your recipes, and all of them are amazing. You have some delicious food and an extremely beautiful culture.

Fantastic soup! I’m in love! The spices… everything is perfect! Thank you for sharing. Such a beautiful, and delicious soup.

This was so good-easy to follow, delicious and nutritious! I didn't add the meat because I didn't have it on hand but excited to try next time! I also added more broth/water than the recipe asked for because I wanted it a little less thick.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/TK0yfzn9.mp4

Easy and flavourful harira is a tomato based soup consisting of lentils, chicpeas, noodles, and beef or veal. Its seasoned with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger and turmeric.

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Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup (...

Moroccan Harira Recipe

Authentic Moroccan Harira Soup

Top 3 harira soup recipes from across the web

The most viewed harira soup recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

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Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup (...

Moroccan Harira Recipe

Authentic Moroccan Harira Soup

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