The Heart of Every Moroccan Table

Harira is more than just a soup; it’s a fragrant journey to the streets of Morocco. This rich, hearty tomato-based soup is packed with lentils, chickpeas, and fresh herbs. It’s the ultimate comfort food, especially during Ramadan or chilly winter nights

Ingredients 🛒

​Meat: 250g of lamb or beef, cut into small cubes (optional) 🥩
​Legumes: 1 cup dried chickpeas (soaked overnight) and ½ cup green lentils 🫘
​Vegetables: 1 large onion (grated) 🧅 and 500g fresh tomatoes (blended and strained) 🍅
​Herbs: A large bunch of fresh cilantro and parsley (chopped) 🌿, and 1 stalk of celery 🌱
​Spices: 1 tsp ginger 🫚, 1 tsp turmeric , ½ tsp black pepper 🧂, 1 cinnamon stick 🥢, and salt to taste 🧂
​The Thickener: 3 tbsp tomato paste 🥫 and ½ cup flour mixed with water (the Tedouira) 🥣
​Final touch: A handful of vermicelli (thin noodles) 🍜

👩‍🍳Preparation Steps

​Sauté: In a large pot, sauté the meat cubes with the grated onion, celery, and spices in a bit of olive oil.

Simmer: Add the blended tomatoes, lentils, and chickpeas. Pour in about 2 liters of water. Cover and cook until the chickpeas and meat are tender.

Add Herbs: Stir in the fresh parsley and cilantro. Add the tomato paste.

Thicken (The Tedouira): Slowly pour the flour-water mixture into the boiling soup while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. This gives Harira its signature silky texture.

Final Step: Add the vermicelli and cook for another 5–10 minutes. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon and some sweet dates on the side.