Harira Recipe is a delicious Moroccan soup made with lentils, chickpeas, fresh herbs, and warm spices. It’s a hearty and satisfying vegetarian dish that gets even tastier when you eat it the next day, making it perfect for making ahead when you have guests. I like to serve it with lemon slices and warm pita bread.
What is Harira?
Harira is a popular Moroccan soup made with tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, fresh herbs, and warm spices like turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon. It’s usually thickened with vermicelli pasta or rice. People in Morocco and other parts of North Africa enjoy this flavorful soup throughout the year, but it’s especially associated with the month of Ramadan when it’s often served to break the fast.
The name “Harira,” pronounced hah-ree-rah, comes from the Arabic word “حرير” which means “silk,” describing its smooth texture. I can’t wait for you to try it!
Vegetarian Harira Soup
One of the great things about Harira is that it can be made in many different ways depending on what ingredients you have. For my version, I use a mix of green lentils, red lentils, and chickpeas (you can use canned chickpeas to save time). I also like to add celery and carrots for extra flavor and a touch of sweetness. Instead of vermicelli pasta, I use long-grain rice to make this soup gluten-free.
While Harira is sometimes made with lamb, my version is completely vegetarian. It’s still hearty and satisfying without any meat, just like some other Mediterranean dishes I love.
This Harira soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together. It may thicken in the fridge, but you can simply add a bit of water when reheating to get your desired consistency.
The Spices
What makes Harira special are the warm North African flavors from the spices. Here’s what I use:
- Ground turmeric
- Ground cumin
- Ground ginger
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground black pepper
- A pinch of Cayenne (You can skip this and use a bit of homemade harissa paste for extra deliciousness!)
How to Make Harira: Step-by-Step Guide
1. Cook Onions, Celery, and Carrots
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions, celery, and carrots. Season with salt and cook until softened.
2. Add the Tomatoes, Lentils, and Chickpeas
Next, add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, cilantro, lentils (both green and red), and chickpeas. Add a bit more salt and cook for a few minutes.
3. Add the Liquid and Cook
Pour in vegetable or chicken stock and bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer for about 45 minutes until the lentils are tender. Adjust the salt if needed.
4. Stir in the Rice and Cook
Finally, stir in the rinsed rice and let it cook for another 15 minutes until the rice is fully cooked.
Serve with Lemon Wedges
Squeeze fresh lemon wedges over the soup to brighten up the flavors. Enjoy it with warm pita bread for a delicious meal.
Leftovers Harira
Allow the soup to cool before storing in airtight containers in the fridge. It will stay fresh for 3 to 4 days. If it thickens in the fridge, add some water when reheating.
Harira Recipe Vegetarian
| Prep: | 15 minutes |
| Cook: | 45 minutes |
| Cuisine: | Moroccan |
| Serves: | Up to 6 people |
| Course: | Dinner |
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- Salt
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cayenne (optional, or use harissa paste)
- 2 14-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup packed chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 cup green lentils, rinsed
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 1 14-ounce can of chickpeas
- 7 cups vegetable or chicken stock, preferably low-sodium
- ¼ cup long grain rice, rinsed, or ¼ cup broken vermicelli
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions, celery, and carrots. Season with salt and cook until softened.
- Add minced garlic and spices, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, cilantro, lentils (both green and red), and chickpeas. Add a bit more salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring.
- Pour in vegetable or chicken stock and bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer for about 45 minutes until the lentils are tender. Adjust the salt if needed.
- Stir in the rinsed rice and let it cook for another 15 minutes until the rice is fully cooked.
Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- You can add 1 to 2 teaspoons of homemade harissa paste for extra flavor.
- Allow the soup to cool before storing in airtight containers in the fridge. It will stay fresh for 3 to 4 days. If it thickens in the fridge, add some water when reheating.
