Moroccan Harira (Tomato Lentil and Chickpea Soup)

About This Recipe

Harira is Morocco's most iconic soup, a thick, tomato-based stew of lentils, chickpeas, and often small pieces of lamb or beef, seasoned with a distinctive blend of ginger, cinnamon, and fresh herbs, and thickened at the end with a flour-and-water slurry called tedouira. It holds deep cultural significance as the dish traditionally served to break the fast each evening during Ramadan, though it's eaten year-round as a filling, warming meal. The technique that defines harira is the tedouira thickening method: a smooth flour-water (or sometimes cornstarch) mixture is whisked into the simmering soup at the very end, stirred constantly to avoid lumps, which gives harira its signature velvety, slightly thick consistency rather than a thin broth. A generous amount of fresh cilantro and parsley, added early in the cooking, along with celery, builds the herbal backbone that makes harira distinct from other tomato-lentil soups. Served with dates, hard-boiled eggs, and a squeeze of lemon, especially during Ramadan, harira is substantial enough to be a full meal, and its aroma -- warm with ginger and cinnamon -- is instantly recognizable in Moroccan households.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 3 tbspolive oil
• 1onion(diced)
• 2 stalkscelery(diced)
• 200 glamb or beef stew meat(cubed, optional)
• 1 tspground ginger
• 1 tspground turmeric
• 0.5 tspcinnamon
• 800 gcrushed tomatoes
• 0.75 cupbrown or green lentils(rinsed)
• 1 canchickpeas(drained and rinsed)
• 6 cupswater or stock
• 0.5 cupfresh cilantro(chopped)
• 0.5 cupfresh parsley(chopped)
• 3 tbspflour
• 0.5 cupwater(for slurry)
• 1lemon(cut into wedges)

Instructions

1. 1

   Saute the base

   Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion and celery 5 minutes until softened. Add meat if using and brown on all sides.

2. 2

   Add spices

   Stir in ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon, cooking 1 minute until fragrant.

3. 3

   Add tomatoes and lentils

   Add crushed tomatoes, lentils, and water or stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

4. 4

   Simmer

   Cover partially and simmer 30-35 minutes until lentils and meat are tender.

5. 5

   Add chickpeas and herbs

   Stir in chickpeas, cilantro, and parsley. Simmer 10 more minutes.

6. 6

   Thicken

   Whisk flour with 1/2 cup water until smooth, then stir into the simmering soup, whisking constantly for 3-4 minutes until thickened and glossy.

7. 7

   Serve

   Season to taste and serve hot with lemon wedges.

Variations

• •

  Make it fully vegetarian by omitting the meat and using vegetable stock -- still hearty thanks to the lentils and chickpeas.

• •

  Add a handful of broken vermicelli noodles in the last 10 minutes for extra texture, a common variation.

• •

  Serve with dates and hard-boiled eggs alongside, the traditional Ramadan iftar accompaniment.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container; it thickens further as it sits. Reheat gently on the stovetop, thinning with water or stock as needed. Freezes well up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions