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A bowl of Harira soup with a spoon in it.
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4.87 from 15 votes

Moroccan Harira soup

A traditional Moroccan soup very popular during the holy month of Ramadan. A filling soup that is a whole meal by itself.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle East, Moroccan
Diet: Halal
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 223.2kcal
Author: Amira

Ingredients

  • 3 (300g) Roma tomatoes.
  • ¼ cup olive oil.
  • 1 Tablespoon ghee.
  • 1 (150g) medium onion, finely chopped.
  • 200 g lamb meat cut into small cubes.
  • ½ cup (20g) parsley. chopped
  • ½ cup (15g) cilantro. chopped
  • ½ cup (10g) celery leaves. chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger.
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric.
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste.
  • cup (50g) dry chickpeas. soaked in water and a pinch of baking soda overnight.
  • cup lentils.
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste.
  • ¼ cup (25g) vermicelli pasta.
  • 3 Tablespoons flour.
  • Boiled water I have used 2 liter.

Instructions

  • Peel the tomatoes. Tomatoes are traditionally lightly boiled and then peeled. Puree the tomatoes with your food processor.
  • In a deep pot, add olive oil, ghee, and onion. Sauté onion for just 1 minute and make sure not to brown it. Add the meat if using and cook for two minutes.
  • Add the pureed tomatoes, spices, and all the fresh herbs. Mix everything together.
  • Drain and rinse the chickpeas then add to the pot, cover with hot water. Cook for 20 minutes.
  • Add lentils, check for water level and add more if needed.
  • Cover the pot and cook for 10-15 more minutes.
  • Dilute tomato paste with some water to dissolve it a bit.
  • Pour in tomato paste and vermicelli, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes. Make sure to check the water level on every step.
  • Make the thickener (tedouira) by mixing flour with a little water then pour the mixture in. Mix everything well together and check the consistency of the soup. You can thicken it more using more flour if you would like to.
  • Enjoy with lemon wedges on the side.

Video

Notes

  • Onions for harira should not be browned so it is cooked briefly before adding the meat.
  • You can use beef, chicken, bones or skip the meat altogether. You can also use rice.
  • It is better to use dried chickpeas, but if you can't then you might use canned chickpeas. Make sure to add chickpeas towards the end as it will not need much cooking.
  • Some people peel chickpeas after soaking, if this is you then by all means do it.
  • Harira is a traditional recipe that is usually passed through families. So there are many harira recipes as there are families in Morocco. It is a very tasty recipe that can be adapted to your own palate.
  • Thickener must be lump free, so I've mixed it well then strained through a fine mesh to make sure it is smooth.
  • If you would like to make this soup ahead do not add the vermicelli or the thickener. Cook everything and then freeze, when ready to use thaw and then continue with the recipe as is.
Please check the nutrition disclaimer policy.

Nutrition

Calories: 223.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 15.5g | Protein: 10.1g | Fat: 14.1g | Saturated Fat: 3.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7.4g | Cholesterol: 26.7mg | Sodium: 144.6mg | Potassium: 388.2mg | Sugar: 3.4g