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Moroccan Harira Soup Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 77 reviews

Moroccan Harira is a traditional, hearty soup packed with aromatic spices, tender chicken, lentils, chickpeas, and vermicelli. This flavorful and comforting soup combines a blend of warm spices like ginger, cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon, simmered to perfection and finished with fresh herbs and lemon juice, making it a nourishing and satisfying meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¾ pound chicken leg quarters (or lamb shoulder with bone, cut into smaller pieces)
  • 1 large onion (finely diced, about 2 cups)
  • 2 stalks celery with tender leaves (chopped)
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 4 cups crushed tomatoes (canned or diced fresh tomatoes)
  • 8 cups water (or stock, more as needed)
  • 1 cup green lentils (or brown lentils, rinsed)
  • 1 15-ounce canned chickpeas (drained)
  • ¼ pound vermicelli (broken into 1-inch pieces, or ½ cup rice)
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • Lemon wedges (for serving)

Spices and Herbs

  • 2½ teaspoons ground ginger (dried ginger powder)
  • 1½ teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 1½ teaspoons turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • ⅓ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or chili powder)
  • 1 cinnamon stick (or ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (more as needed)
  • ⅓ cup chopped cilantro (parsley or combination)
  • ¼ teaspoon saffron (ground and dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water)

Other Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons flour (durum whole wheat or all purpose)
  • 1 tablespoon ghee

Instructions

  1. Brown Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large cooking pot over medium-high heat. Pat dry the chicken leg quarters and place them in the pot in a single layer. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides over high heat until they develop a golden crust, about 5-7 minutes per side.
  2. Cook Aromatics and Spices: Add the finely diced onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 10 minutes. Then stir in chopped celery, minced garlic, ground ginger, black pepper, turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon. Cook this spice mixture for 2 more minutes to release their aromas.
  3. Simmer the Soup: Add salt, crushed tomatoes, water or stock, rinsed lentils, and half of the chopped herbs to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let it simmer gently until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.
  4. Remove Bones and Shred Chicken: Carefully remove the chicken pieces from the pot. De-bone and shred the meat, discarding the bones. Return the shredded chicken to the soup. Add more water or stock if necessary to keep the soup thick but pourable. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
  5. Add Chickpeas and Pasta: Stir in the drained canned chickpeas and broken vermicelli (or rice). Continue cooking until the pasta is al dente, approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
  6. Thicken the Soup: In a small bowl, mix the flour with water gradually to make a thin paste. Gradually add this flour paste to the simmering soup while stirring continuously. This will thicken the soup, giving it a velvety texture.
  7. Finish and Serve: Stir in the lemon juice to taste. Top the soup with the dissolved saffron water, remaining chopped herbs, and a spoonful of ghee. Serve the soup hot with lemon wedges on the side for extra brightness.

Notes

  • You can substitute lamb shoulder for chicken for a richer flavor.
  • Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper to control the level of spiciness.
  • If vermicelli is unavailable, you can replace it with rice or small pasta shapes.
  • Add more water or stock while simmering if the soup becomes too thick for your liking.
  • For a vegetarian version, omit the chicken and use vegetable stock with extra lentils and chickpeas.
  • Leftover Harira tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop.

Keywords: Moroccan Harira, Chicken Harira, Lentil Soup, Moroccan Soup, Traditional Moroccan Recipe, Chicken Soup with Lentils, Spiced Soup, Comfort Food

Find it online: https://tastybella.com/moroccan-harira-soup-recipe/