A bowl of harira with a garnished with green herbs.

Harira

Adapted from: Suzy Karadsheh
A delicious, warming soup that is commonly enjoyed in Morocco.

Ingredients 

  • Olive Oil
  • ½ pound Lamb Optional; chopped into ½-inch pieces (or beef or chicken)
  • 1 Onion Yellow, finely chopped
  • 2 stalks Celery Chopped
  • 1 Carrot Peeled and chopped
  • Salt To taste
  • 4 cloves Garlic Minced
  • teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
  • teaspoons Turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin
  • ½ teaspoon Ginger Ground
  • ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
  • 4 cups Tomato Diced, or 2 cans (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes
  • 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
  • 1 cup Cilantro Fresh, chopped
  • 1 cup Lentils Green, rinsed
  • 1 can Chickpeas Or 1 cup dried chickpeas, cooked
  • 7 cups Stock Vegetable or chicken, low sodium
  • ¼ cup Rice Long-grain, or ¼ cup broken vermicelli

Equipment

  • Stovetop
  • Large Pot with Lid

Instructions

  • In a large pot on medium heat, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan and brown the meat (if using). Cook for a few minutes, stirring to brown all sides.
  • Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Season with salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly until softened.
  • Add the garlic and spices and cook for about 1 minute, stirring regularly.
  • Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, cilantro, lentils, and chickpeas. Add a dash more salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring.
  • Add the broth and raise the heat. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then turn the heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 45 minutes or until the legumes are fully cooked and very tender (check occasionally and plan to add more stock or water. The soup will be thick, but it should not be too thick that you cannot pour it. Make sure to adjust the salt as you add more liquid.)
  • Stir in the rice and cook for another 15 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked.

Notes

  • Make this dish with meat, or leave it out to make a vegetarian soup. If preparing a halal meal, be sure the meat is halal certified.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Harira
Amount per Serving
Calories
 
308
Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
10
g
15
%
Saturated Fat
 
4
g
25
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
4
g
Cholesterol
 
28
mg
9
%
Sodium
 
1210
mg
53
%
Potassium
 
861
mg
25
%
Carbohydrates
 
39
g
13
%
Fiber
 
13
g
54
%
Sugar
 
8
g
9
%
Protein
 
17
g
34
%
Vitamin A
 
3562
IU
71
%
Vitamin C
 
21
mg
25
%
Calcium
 
66
mg
7
%
Iron
 
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword Beef, Cayenne, Chicken, Chickpeas, Cilantro, Cinnamon, Crushed Tomatoes, Cumin, Garlic, Garlic Cloves, Green Lentils, Ground Black Pepper, Ground Ginger, Halal, Lamb, Lentils, Olive Oil, Parsley, Red Lentils, Rice, Tomato, Tomatoes, Turmeric, Vermicelli