Moroccan Harira Soup Recipe

An authentic recipe for a hearty version of Moroccan Harira, a zesty tomato, lentil, and chickpea soup. Plan ahead to allow for overnight soaking of the chickpeas or to prep ingredients in advance. Cooking time is for a pressure cooker; double this time if simmering the soup in a conventional pot.

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: African

Keyword: Moroccan harira recipe

CookingStyle: Simmering

Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 2 5

Total Time: 2 55

Servings: people

Calories: 318kcal

Author: Black Pie

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Equipment

Food Processor

Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

8 ounces of diced lamb beef, or chicken
3 tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil
Various soup bones optional
2 pounds of ripe and soft tomatoes about 6 large
1 handful of dry chickpeas soaked and peeled
2 handfuls of dried green or brown lentils
1 large onion grated
1 celery stalk leafy, chopped
1 bunch of flat parsley finely chopped
1 scoop of coriander finely chopped
1 tablespoon of Smen optional
1 spoon of salt
1 tablespoon of ginger
1.5 teaspoons of black pepper
1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
3 tablespoons of tomato paste combined with 1 or 2 cups of water
3 tablespoons of uncooked rice or sliced spaghetti
1 cup of flour combined with 2 cups of water
Coriander and lemon wedges optional for garnish

Instructions

Soak the chickpeas overnight. Drain and peel the next day. You can do this simply by pressing the chickpeas between your index finger and thumb or by vigorously rubbing on a cloth. (You can freeze the prepared chickpeas until ready to use.)
Remove stones and dirt from the lentils. Reserve until you need it.
Stew the tomatoes and put them in a food mill to obtain a puree. Throw away the skins and seeds. Alternatively, quarter the tomatoes and blend them in a food processor.
Grate the onion or make a thick pulp using a food processor. (You can combine the grated onions with the tomato puree and freeze until needed.)
Wash the celery and chop finely. Put it aside. Remove and remove large stalks of parsley and coriander. Wash the parsley and coriander and drain well before cutting by hand or in a food processor. (You can combine all the veggies together and put in the refrigerator until needed)
Fry the meat in oil in a pressure cooker of at least 6 liters or in a pan over medium heat. Add the chickpeas, soup bones, tomato puree, spices, grated onions, smen (if used), and 3 cups of water. Leave it to boil, cover, and simmer at medium heat for 50-60 minutes.
Add lentils, herbs, tomato puree, and 2 liters of water. Cover and leave to cook.
Cook the soup over medium heat for 30 minutes. Add the rice and cook for further 15 minutes (or 30 minutes on low heat).
However, if you want to use vermicelli, boil the soup over medium heat for 45 minutes before adding the broken noodles. Simmer for further few minutes until the noodles are soft.
Adjust seasonings if needed. Add tedouira (flour and water mixture) to the soup to get silky, creamy consistency with constant stirring so that it is well mixed. Use only what you need to get the consistency you prefer.
Cook the soup for further 5-10 minutes. Stir occasionally to remove the foam on the surface.
Remove from the heat and serve.

Video

Notes

A skin will form on the soup as it cools. This can be stirred and blended back into the soup.
When reheating the soup, use medium or low heat and stir frequently to avoid lentils sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.
If you'd like to freeze the soup, do so before adding the thickener and preferably before adding the rice or broken vermicelli. Allow it to cool completely before freezing. On the day of serving, thaw the soup over low heat then resume cooking from where you left off.
Lemon wedges may be served on the side for those who like a squeeze of fresh lemon juice as a condiment for the soup. If desired, garnish with a little fresh parsley or cilantro.
Blending the flour and water tedouira ahead of time will help ensure that it's lump-free when adding it to the soup.

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Nutrition

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the Spoonacular Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

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