Hearty Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup
A deeply flavorful and satisfying Moroccan soup featuring lentils, chickpeas, and a blend of warm spices. This hearty vegetarian dish is perfect for making ahead and serving a crowd.
- Prep15 min
- Cook45 min
- Total1h
- DifficultyEasy
- Servings6
Harira is a beloved Moroccan soup, traditionally enjoyed during Ramadan but delicious any time of year. It's a robust and nourishing blend of legumes, vegetables, and aromatic spices that fills the kitchen with an incredible aroma.
This recipe focuses on building layers of flavor, starting with a sautéed base of aromatics and spices, then simmering everything together until the lentils and chickpeas are perfectly tender. It's a wonderfully comforting and healthy meal that's even better the next day.
Ingredients
Converted amounts are rounded.
Method
- Heat 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the finely chopped onion, chopped celery, and chopped carrot. Season with salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the minced garlic, black pepper, turmeric, cumin, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper to the pot. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped cilantro, rinsed green lentils, rinsed red lentils, and rinsed chickpeas. Add another pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Pour in the vegetable or chicken stock and increase the heat to bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 45 minutes, or until the lentils and chickpeas are very tender. Check occasionally and add more stock or water if the soup becomes too thick; adjust salt as needed.
- Stir in the rinsed rice (or vermicelli) and continue to simmer, uncovered, for another 15 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked and tender. The soup should be thick but still pourable.
- Ladle the Harira into bowls and serve hot with fresh lemon wedges on the side.
💡 Tips
- For a richer flavor, you can add a diced tomato along with the crushed tomatoes.
- If you don't have both green and red lentils, using only one type will still yield a delicious soup.
- The soup thickens as it cools; add a splash of water or stock when reheating if needed.
Inspired by a recipe from The Mediterranean Dish