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moroccan harira soup recipe

Hearty Moroccan Harira Soup

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A rich and aromatic Moroccan soup featuring tender lamb, lentils, and chickpeas in a warmly spiced broth. This hearty soup combines vermicelli noodles and a blend of fragrant spices, finished with bright lemon juice for a perfectly balanced comfort meal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Moroccan, North African
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound lamb cubed
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1.5 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 0.25 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons margarine or butter
  • 0.75 cup celery chopped
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 red onion chopped
  • 0.5 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 29 ounce diced tomatoes canned
  • 7 cups water
  • 0.75 cup green lentils
  • 15 ounce garbanzo beans canned, drained
  • 4 ounces vermicelli pasta broken into smaller pieces
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 lemon juiced

Equipment

  • Large soup pot
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Cutting board
  • Knife

Method
 

  1. Place cubed lamb in a large soup pot over low heat with turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne pepper.
  2. Add margarine, celery, both onions, and cilantro. Stir frequently for about 5 minutes to awaken the spices.
  3. Add diced tomatoes (reserve juice) and simmer for 15 minutes.
  4. Add reserved tomato juice, water, and green lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.
  5. Turn heat to medium-high and add garbanzo beans and broken vermicelli pasta. Cook for about 10 minutes.
  6. Gently stir in beaten eggs and finish with lemon juice.

Notes

For a vegetarian version, omit the lamb and double the lentils and chickpeas, using vegetable broth instead of water. You can substitute cilantro with flat-leaf parsley, and margarine with butter or olive oil. The soup can be made ahead and reheated gently. Leftovers will thicken - thin with additional broth when reheating if desired.

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