The Best Moroccan Harira Recipe
A healthy and delicious one-pot meal, Harira is perfect for warming up on chilly days or an irresistible iftar treat during the Holy month of Ramadan.
Harira is a staple soup in Moroccan cuisine that is enjoyed year-round but is famously associated with Ramadan. During Ramadan, harira is often served as part of the iftar meal alongside pita bread and other traditional foods.
This soup’s warm and comforting flavors, combined with its nourishing properties, make it the perfect dish to replenish and rejuvenate the body after fasting. While traditionally used to break the fast in Holy month of Ramadan, I make it more often – it’s simply tasty and nutritious.
Adding lentils and chickpeas enhances its flavor and makes it a complete package of hearty and wholesome goodness, providing your body with all the essential nutrients it needs.
What is Harira?
Harira is a traditional Moroccan soup typically made with a tomato base, thickened with lentils and chickpeas, and seasoned with various warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric and turmeric and fresh herbs like cilantro and parsley.
Harira can be made with different types of meat, such as chicken, beef, or lamb, and is usually accompanied by crusty bread. With its bold flavors and satisfying texture, Harira is a beloved dish in Morocco and a popular choice for a delicious and comforting soup.
Ingredients to make Harira
Here are the ingredients required to make Harira:
Meat – The most popular meat choices for Harira recipe are lamb or beef, but you can also use chicken. The meat is usually cut into small pieces and charred on olive oil over medium heat before adding the other ingredients.
Onion – Harira requires a large onion, diced finely, to flavor the soup. The onion is sautéed with the meat until it is softened and translucent.
Tomato Puree – Tomato puree is made by cooking down ripe tomatoes and straining out the seeds and skin, resulting in a smooth and thick liquid with a concentrated flavor. Using tomato puree in this recipe helps to g4ive the soup a richer and more consistent texture while ensuring that the tomato flavor is evenly distributed throughout the dish. It’s a convenient and time-saving option that many home cooks appreciate, especially during the off-season when fresh tomatoes may not be readily available.
Lentils – Red or brown lentils are used in Harira soup, providing a good protein and dietary fiber source.
Chickpeas – Cooked chickpeas are added to Harira soup, providing a good protein and dietary fiber source. They are usually added to the soup along with the lentils.
Spices – Harira soup is flavored with ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, and turmeric. If you crave a spicy harira soup, add cayenne pepper.
Herbs – Fresh parsley and cilantro are added to Harira soup, which provides a fresh and herbaceous flavor.
Lemon Juice – Harira soup is finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, which adds brightness and acidity. The lemon juice is usually added just before serving.
How to make Harira Soup
To make harira soup, the preparation process can be divided into three main parts: sautéing the aromatics, adding the legumes and simmering, and simmering the soup with finishing touches.
1. Sautéing the aromatics
The first step of making Harira soup involves sautéing the aromatics. It includes browning an onion in olive oil until it’s golden. This process releases their natural sweetness and adds depth to the soup’s flavor. The onion is then removed from the pan and set aside.
Next, the meat you choose (chicken, beef, or lamb) is added to the same pan and heated.
Once the steak is nicely charred, add tomato paste, ground celery stock, carrots, salt, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, and turmeric, and mix well until the spices are fragrant.
Once the herbs are mixed, tomato puree and water are added to the pan, and everything is cooked for 40 minutes.
2. Adding the legumes and simmering
The next step of making Harira soup involves adding the legumes to the pan.
It includes lentils and cooked chickpeas.
Once the legumes are added, the soup is simmered for 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
3. Simmering the soup with the finishing touches
The final part of making Harira soup involves simmering the soup with finishing touches. It includes adding a bunch of chopped cilantro and parsley to the soup and mixing everything.
A flour and water mixture is then added to thicken the soup, which is cooked for 5 minutes.
FAQ’s
How to store and reheat Harira
To store leftover Harira, allow it to cool to room temperature and then transfer it to an airtight container. You can keep it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
When ready to reheat, pour the soup into a saucepan and warm it over low heat until heated. You may need to add a splash of water or broth to thin it out, as it will thicken as it sits.
Can I freeze Harira?
If there’s one soup perfect for freezing, it’s harira. To freeze harira, allow it to cool to room temperature before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. It will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating on the stove.
Can I make Harira in advance?
You can make Harira ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Just reheat it on the stove before serving.
Can I use canned lentils and chickpeas instead of dried ones?
It’s possible to use canned lentils and chickpeas for harira, but it may affect the soup’s texture. Dried legumes have a firmer texture and hold their shape better in the soup. If you use canned lentils and chickpeas, rinse them well before adding them to the soup and reduce the cooking time accordingly.
Can I substitute the meat with tofu or other vegetarian alternatives?
Yes, you can make Harira vegetarian or vegan by omitting the meat and using vegetable broth instead of water. You can also add tofu or other plant-based protein sources to make the soup more filling.
Harira Recipe
Ingredients
- Meat of choice (beef, lamb, chicken)
- olive oil
- 1 onion
- 5 cloves of ground celery stock
- 1 carrot
- 1 ½ cup tomato puree
- 6 cups water
- ¼ cup green lentil
- 3 tbsp noodles
- 2/3 cup cooked chickpeas
- Bunch of parsley
- Bunch of cilantro
- Flour water slury
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 2 tbsp black pepper
- ½ tsp turmeric
- Lime juice (optional)
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili (optional)
- 2 tsp cumin (optional)
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a pan. Add the chopped onion and sauté until it turns golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from the pot and set aside.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the meat to the same pot. Sauté until the meat is nicely charred.
- Add the tomato paste, cloves of ground celery stock, carrot, salt, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, and turmeric. Stir well and cook until the spices are fragrant.
- Pour in the tomato puree and water once all spices are mixed well, and stir well to combine. Then reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 40 minutes.
- After 40 minutes, add the green lentils, noodles, and chickpeas to the pot. Allow to simmer for an additional 30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
- Add the chopped cilantro and parsley to the soup, and stir well.
- Mix the flour and water in a small bowl to make a paste. Slowly pour the paste into the soup, constantly stirring to prevent lumps.
- Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the soup thickens slightly.
- Serve hot, garnished with additional cilantro and parsley if desired.
Notes
- Browning the onions and meat is essential to build a robust flavor, so brown them nicely before adding the other ingredients.
- To make the soup vegetarian, omit the meat and use vegetable broth instead of water.
- Add more water or broth to achieve the thickness you desire.
- Add flour and water slurry near the end of cooking to thicken the soup.
