Moroccan Harira
Warm up with this comforting, aromatic Moroccan soup packed with tender lamb, lentils, chickpeas, and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- •2 tablespoons olive oil
- •1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- •half a pound lamb shoulder, cut into small bite-sized cubes
- •1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- •3 stalks celery, finely chopped
- •1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- •half a cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
- •1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- •quarter of a cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- •quarter of a cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- •2 tablespoons fresh celery leaves, chopped
- •1 teaspoon ground ginger
- •1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- •half a teaspoon ground cinnamon
- •1 teaspoon salt
- •half a teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- •6 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
- •2 tablespoons tomato paste
- •quarter of a cup all-purpose flour
- •half a cup water for the slurry
- •half a cup broken vermicelli pasta or fine hair pasta
- •Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- 2
Add the diced lamb and chopped onion, cooking until the meat is lightly browned and the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes.
- 3
Stir in the chopped celery, crushed tomatoes, lentils, cilantro, parsley, celery leaves, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper.
- 4
Pour in the 6 cups of water or chicken broth, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes until the lentils and lamb are tender.
- 5
Add the chickpeas and tomato paste to the pot, stirring well to combine.
- 6
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and half a cup of cold water until completely smooth and free of lumps to create the slurry.
- 7
Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer, then slowly pour in the flour slurry while stirring constantly to thicken the soup without clumping.
- 8
Add the broken vermicelli pasta and cook uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently so the pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
- 9
Remove the soup from the heat, taste and adjust seasoning if needed, and serve hot with fresh lemon wedges on the side.
💡 Chef tips
- You can easily make this vegetarian by omitting the lamb and using vegetable broth instead.
- Harira tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld, so feel free to make it ahead and gently reheat it on the stovetop with a splash of water if it thickens too much.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished Harira should be a rich, velvety soup with a deep reddish hue, offering a fragrant aroma of warm spices and fresh herbs, and a savory, deeply comforting flavor.