SoupMain CourseAppetizer

Harira

Name: Harira
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: moroccan, north_african
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 pcs yellow onion finely chopped; 2 pcs celery finely chopped; 3 clove garlic minced; 1 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp turmeric powder; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground cumin; 800 g crushed tomatoes; 1,500 ml vegetable broth; 200 g brown lentils rinsed; 0.5 cup cilantro chopped; 0.5 cup parsley chopped; 240 g canned chickpeas rinsed and drained; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground; 0.25 cup all-purpose flour; 0.5 cup water; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1 pcs lemon cut into wedges; 0.25 cup cilantro freshly chopped; 6 pcs date pitted (optional)

Harira is a hearty and fragrant Moroccan soup, traditionally enjoyed to break the fast during Ramadan. This vegetarian version combines tomatoes, lentils, and chickpeas with a warm spice blend for a deeply satisfying meal.

An original recipe by Forkin

Total time: 1 hr 20 min
Serves: 6
Difficulty: Medium
Per serving: 310 kcal

VeganVegetarian

Allergen information: may contain celery and gluten. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.

Mise en place

Ingredients

soup

2 tbspolive oil
1 pcsyellow onion, finely chopped
2 pcscelery, finely chopped
3 clovegarlic, minced
1 tspground ginger
1 tspturmeric powder
1 tspground cinnamon
1 tspground cumin
800 gcrushed tomatoes
1,500 mlvegetable broth
200 gbrown lentils, rinsed
0.5 cupcilantro, chopped
0.5 cupparsley, chopped
240 gcanned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tspsalt
0.5 tspblack pepper, freshly ground

tadwira

0.25 cupall-purpose flour
0.5 cupwater
1 tbsptomato paste

garnish

1 pcslemon, cut into wedges
0.25 cupcilantro, freshly chopped

serving

6 pcsdate, pitted(optional)

Equipment

large pot · cutting board · knife · whisk · small bowl

The method

Step by step

1
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
About 2 min
2
Add the chopped yellow onion and celery, and sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
About 7 min
Cook’s note: Cooking the vegetables until soft builds a sweet, aromatic base for the soup.
3
Stir in the minced garlic, ground ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and cumin. Cook for one minute until fragrant.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Toasting the spices briefly helps to release their essential oils and deepen their flavor.
4
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Add the rinsed brown lentils, and the chopped cilantro and parsley intended for the soup.
About 2 min
5
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
About 30 min
Cook’s note: Simmering with the lid on prevents too much liquid from evaporating while the lentils cook.
6
Stir in the rinsed chickpeas and continue to simmer, uncovered, for another 15 minutes or until the lentils are completely tender.
About 15 min
7
While the soup simmers, prepare the tadwira. In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, water, and tomato paste until a smooth, lump-free paste forms.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: For a gluten-free version, you can use cornstarch or a gluten-free flour blend for the tadwira.
8
Slowly pour the tadwira into the simmering soup while whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Adding the thickener slowly is key to achieving a smooth, velvety texture.
9
Continue to simmer the soup for 5-10 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has noticeably thickened.
About 10 min
10
Season the soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste.
11
Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing. Dates are a traditional accompaniment.
Cook’s note: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end brightens up all the flavors of the soup.

Per serving

Nutrition

71%Score

Calories: 310.4kcal
Protein: 14.4g
Carbs: 52.7g
Fat: 6.3g
Fibre: 9.7g
Sugar: 14.1g

Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.

Keep it good

Storage

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Reheating

Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if it has become too thick.