Description
Harira is a traditional Moroccan soup brimming with lentils, chickpeas, fresh herbs, and a harmonious blend of warm spices. This comforting, vegetarian soup is perfect as a make-ahead meal and is best served with lemon wedges and warm pita bread for a satisfying, flavorful experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Herbs
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup packed chopped fresh cilantro
Spices
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Legumes and Grains
- 1 cup green lentils, rinsed
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 1 14-ounce can chickpeas
- ¼ cup long grain rice, rinsed (or ¼ cup broken vermicelli)
Liquids and Other Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 14-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 7 cups vegetable or chicken stock, preferably low-sodium
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large Dutch oven, heat 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the finely chopped onions, celery, and carrots. Season with kosher salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables are softened and fragrant.
- Add Garlic and Spices: Stir in the minced garlic along with black pepper, turmeric, cumin, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently to release the aromas of the spices without burning them.
- Add Tomatoes, Herbs, and Legumes: Incorporate the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped fresh cilantro, rinsed green and red lentils, and chickpeas into the pot. Add a dash more kosher salt. Cook everything together for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to meld flavors.
- Simmer with Broth: Pour in the vegetable or chicken stock and increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Let it boil gently for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and checking the consistency. Add more stock or water as needed to keep the soup pourable but thick. Adjust salt to taste as you add liquid.
- Cook the Rice: Stir in the rinsed long grain rice (or broken vermicelli) and continue cooking uncovered for an additional 15 minutes, or until the rice is fully tender and integrated into the soup.
- Serve: Ladle the harira into bowls and serve hot with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the soup to brighten the flavors.
Notes
- Harira is a classic Moroccan lentil and chickpea soup filled with fresh herbs and warm spices.
- This recipe is vegetarian and makes a hearty, healthy meal.
- The soup thickens as it cools and is even better the next day, making it ideal for meal prep.
- Serve it with lemon wedges and warm pita bread for a complete, authentic experience.
- You can adjust the spice level by modifying the cayenne pepper to your preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 304.3 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 2.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 24.9 g
- Protein: 22.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
