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A bowl of harira with a garnished with green herbs.
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Harira

A delicious, warming soup that is commonly enjoyed in Morocco.
Course Main Course, Soup
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
Dietary Need Halal
Cooking Method Stovetop
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 308kcal
Author Adapted from: Suzy Karadsheh

Equipment

  • Stovetop
  • Large Pot with Lid

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
  • 1½ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
  • 1½ 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

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

Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 1210mg | Potassium: 861mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 3562IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 4mg