Harira (Moroccan Tomato, Lentil and Chickpea Soup)
Local name: الحريرة
In short: A thick Moroccan soup of tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas and lamb with cilantro, ginger and cinnamon, served to break the Ramadan fast. It takes about 1 h 50 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 h 25 min
- Total
- 1 h 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 320 kcal
Harira is the soup that opens the fast every evening during Ramadan in Morocco, and it also appears on cold winter nights all year. Tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas and a little lamb simmer with celery and plenty of herbs, then a flour and water slurry gives it its silky body. Lemon juice lightens it. Moroccans eat it with dates and honey sweets, and every family claims its own proportions.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the lamb, onion, celery, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, pepper and saffron and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the meat loses its raw color.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, half of the herbs and the water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 30 minutes.
- Stir in the lentils and chickpeas and simmer for another 25 minutes, until the lentils are soft and the lamb is tender.
- Whisk the flour with the cold water until completely smooth. Pour it slowly into the soup, stirring constantly so no lumps form.
- Add the vermicelli and salt. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until the noodles are cooked and the soup has thickened to the texture of a thin stew.
- Stir in the remaining herbs and the lemon juice, and taste for salt. Serve hot with lemon wedges and dates on the side.
Tips
- For a vegetarian harira, skip the meat, add 1 extra tbsp of oil and use vegetable stock in place of the water. Add 50 g (1/4 cup) more lentils so the soup stays substantial.
- Some cooks whisk one beaten egg into the simmering soup at the end for silky ribbons. Pour it in slowly while stirring so it cooks into fine strands.
Questions and answers
Can I freeze harira?
Yes, but freeze it before adding the vermicelli. Cool it, pack it in containers for up to 3 months, thaw overnight and cook fresh noodles in it when you reheat.
What is the flour for in harira?
The flour and water mixture, called tadouira, thickens the soup and gives it a smooth, velvety body. Whisk it well and pour it in slowly while stirring to avoid lumps.
What do you eat with harira?
In Morocco it comes with dates, hard-boiled eggs, lemon wedges and sweets such as chebakia, especially during Ramadan. Bread is also common.
How long does it take to make Harira (Moroccan Tomato, Lentil and Chickpea Soup)?
About 1 h 50 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 1 h 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Harira (Moroccan Tomato, Lentil and Chickpea Soup)?
About 320 kcal per serving, with 15 g of protein, 41 g of carbohydrates and 11 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 320 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 41 g |
| Fat | 11 g |
| Fiber | 9 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Sodium | 1100 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
