Harira
Harira is a thick Moroccan soup of tomatoes, lentils and chickpeas, warmed with ginger, turmeric and cinnamon and full of fresh coriander and parsley. Small pieces of lamb or beef make it hearty enough for a meal, and a flour and water mixture stirred in at the end gives it a silky body. It is a favourite for breaking the fast at iftar, served with lemon wedges and dates.
Published
- Prep Time
- 20 mins
- Cook Time
- 1 hr 20 mins
- Total Time
- 1 hr 40 mins
- Servings
- 6 servings
How do you make Harira?
To make harira, cook 450 g diced lamb or beef with onion, celery, herbs, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon, then add crushed tomatoes, lentils and 2 L water and simmer for 50-60 minutes until tender. Add chickpeas and vermicelli, thicken with a flour and water mixture for 8-10 minutes, and serve with lemon and dates.
- Total time
- 1 hr 40 mins
- Calories
- 460 per serving
- Protein
- 28 g
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Method
- Simmering
Ingredients
Soup
To thicken
To serve
Equipment
Large pot (at least 5 L) · Whisk · Small bowl
Quick Directions
Start the soup
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Simmer with the tomatoes and lentils
Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the crushed tomatoes, lentils and water.
Add the chickpeas and vermicelli
Stir in the chickpeas, vermicelli and salt and simmer for 5 minutes.
Thicken the soup
Whisk the flour into the cold water until completely smooth.
Finish and serve
Stir in the rest of the coriander and parsley, then taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect harira.
Start the soup
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the meat, onion, celery, half the coriander and half the parsley, the ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes, until the meat has lost its raw colour and the onion has softened.
Simmer with the tomatoes and lentils
Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the crushed tomatoes, lentils and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 50-60 minutes, stirring now and then, until the meat is tender and the lentils are soft. Add a little more water if it gets too thick.
Add the chickpeas and vermicelli
Stir in the chickpeas, vermicelli and salt and simmer for 5 minutes.
Thicken the soup
Whisk the flour into the cold water until completely smooth. With the soup at a steady simmer, pour the mixture in slowly in a thin stream, stirring all the time. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring often so it does not catch on the bottom, until the soup turns silky and no longer tastes of raw flour.
Finish and serve
Stir in the rest of the coriander and parsley, then taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot, with lemon wedges to squeeze over and dates on the side.
Recipe Tips
- Use halal lamb or beef if you keep halal.
- Cut the meat small. Harira is a soup, so each piece should fit on a spoon with the lentils and chickpeas.
- Stir often once the flour mixture is in. The thickened soup sticks to the bottom of the pot and scorches easily.
- Harira thickens as it stands, so thin leftovers with a little water when you reheat them.
Variations
- For a vegetarian harira, leave out the meat, use vegetable stock instead of water and add an extra 1/2 cup lentils.
- Use 1/3 cup long-grain rice instead of vermicelli, adding it 20 minutes before the end.
- After thickening, pour in a beaten egg in a thin stream while stirring, for soft ribbons through the soup.
- Add a pinch of saffron threads with the other spices.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 460 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 28 g |
| Carbs | 51 g |
| Fat | 17 g |
| Saturated fat | 5.5 g |
| Fibre | 10 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Sodium | 730 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Refrigerate within 2 hours in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
- Freezer
- Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. The vermicelli softens a little after freezing.
- Reheat
- Reheat over medium heat, adding water to loosen it, until steaming hot all the way through.
Harira FAQs
What is harira?
Harira is a Moroccan soup of tomatoes, lentils and chickpeas with fresh herbs, warm spices and usually small pieces of lamb or beef. It is thickened at the end with a flour and water mixture and is a favourite for breaking the fast at iftar during Ramadan, often with dates on the side.
Can I make harira vegetarian?
Yes. Leave out the meat, use vegetable stock instead of water and add an extra 1/2 cup lentils. The soup will be lower in protein but still filling.
Can I make harira gluten-free?
Yes. Use 1/3 cup long-grain rice instead of vermicelli, adding it 20 minutes before the end, and thicken the soup with 3 tbsp cornstarch whisked into the cold water instead of flour.
Why is my harira lumpy?
The flour mixture went in too fast or was not smooth. Whisk the flour into cold water until no lumps remain, pour it in slowly and keep stirring. A minute of hard whisking in the pot will break up small lumps.
Can I make harira ahead?
Yes. It keeps for 4 days in the fridge and tastes even better the next day. It thickens as it stands, so add water when you reheat it.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
