Harira is the soup that breaks the fast in nearly every Moroccan home during Ramadan, served with dates and chebakia. It’s thick, tangy and herby — part soup, part stew.
This easy version uses canned chickpeas and a simple flour ‘tadouira’ to give harira its velvety body.
Recipe: Harira (Moroccan Tomato, Lentil and Chickpea Soup)
Prep20 min
Cook1 hr
Total1 hr 20 min
Serves8
LevelEasy
Calories~280
Ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) lamb or beef, diced small (optional)
- 2 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, grated
- 2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped
- 1 big bunch cilantro and ½ bunch parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp pepper, ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¾ cup (150 g) brown lentils, rinsed
- 1 can chickpeas, drained
- 1 kg ripe tomatoes, blended (or 2 cans crushed)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 10 cups water
- ¼ cup broken vermicelli or rice
Tadouira (thickener)
- ½ cup flour mixed with 1½ cups water
- Lemon wedges and dates to serve
Instructions
- In a big pot, cook meat, oil, butter, onion, celery, half the herbs and the spices for 5 minutes.
- Add lentils, blended tomatoes, tomato paste and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer 35 minutes until lentils are tender.
- Add chickpeas, remaining herbs and vermicelli. Cook 10 minutes.
- Whisking constantly, slowly pour in the flour mixture. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring, until silky and thick.
- Season, then serve with lemon wedges, dates and bread.
Tips for success
- Pour the flour mixture in a thin stream while stirring so it never lumps.
- Harira freezes perfectly — make a big batch before Ramadan.
Frequently asked questions
Can harira be vegetarian?
Yes — simply skip the meat and use vegetable stock.
Why is my harira not thick?
Add a little more tadouira and simmer a few minutes longer; it thickens as it cooks.
