Moroccan Harira soup with chickpeas
Moroccan Harira soup with chickpeas: a comforting, fragrant and nourishing dish… in short, a truly comforting vegetarian dish, exactly as we like it.
With Eid marking the end of Ramadan, I wanted to share a traditional recipe that’s easy to prepare and delicious to share. Plus, with the temperatures still a bit chilly, we all crave warm and comforting dishes that feel good from the first bite. I guarantee this Moroccan chickpea soup will warm you body and soul.
What I love about this homemade harira is how easy it is to make and how incredibly delicious it tastes. It can easily be prepared in advance, keeps very well, and, most importantly, it’s healthy, balanced, and satisfying. It’s the kind of recipe you’ll want to make again and again once you’ve tasted it. Actually, I thought I could save one bowl for lunch the next day, but the children took two… 😉
But what exactly is harira? Traditionally, it’s an iconic soup in Moroccan cuisine, often prepared with meat (lamb or beef), vermicelli or rice, vegetables, and legumes such as lentils and chickpeas. The dish is seasoned with spices like cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, or ras el hanout, not to mention fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro, and sometimes a touch of smen (fermented butter).
Here’s my vegetarian version of harira, just as delicious, but lighter and more practical for everyday meals. Trust me, you won’t regret it! It’s a really quick and easy dish to prepare, which you’ll love enjoying in the evening, summer or winter, or as a starter in small portions. Plus, it keeps well and can therefore be prepared in advance! 🙂
Moroccan Harira soup with chickpeas
Here are the ingredients you will need to prepare this meatless Moroccan Harira soup recipe:
- Finely chopped onions and pressed garlic cloves
- Diced carrots
- Spices: turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, ground coriander, ras el hanout
- Crushed or fresh tomatoes + tomato paste
- Vegetable or chicken stock
- Cooked chickpeas and/or lentils
- Thin pasta: vermicelli, orzo, or pearl pasta
- Olive oil and a little butter
- Salt and pepper
- Flat-leaf parsley or fresh cilantro
- Harissa (optional)
- You can add a stalk of celery and, for a more traditional version with meat, about 200g of braising lamb.
Here are some other oriental or Mediterranean recipes you might enjoy:
Moroccan Harira soup with chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 carrots
- 2 onions
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ras el hanout
- 400 g 400g chopped or fresh tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 liter vegetable or chicken stock
- 260 g cooked chickpeas (equivalent to 120g dried chickpeas)
- 50 g vermicelli or pearl pasta
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Salt and pepper
- Flat-leaf parsley or fresh cilantro
- Harissa (optional)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, heat a generous drizzle of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter over medium heat.Add the finely chopped onions and diced carrots. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring regularly.2 carrots, 2 onions, Olive oil, Butter
- Add the crushed garlic and spices (cumin, cinnamon, ground coriander, ginger, turmeric, ras-el-hanout) and cook for another 3 minutes while stirring.2 garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon ras el hanout
- Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato purée. Season with salt and pepper.Pour in the vegetable broth, stir, and simmer for 10 minutes.400 g 400g chopped or fresh tomatoes, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, Salt and pepper, 1 liter vegetable or chicken stock
- Add the chickpeas and pasta, then bring to a boil.Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.260 g cooked chickpeas, 50 g vermicelli or pearl pasta
- Divide the soup among four large bowls and garnish with chopped flat-leaf parsley or fresh cilantro.You can also add harissa. In that case, ladle some soup into each bowl, stir in the harissa, and serve individually according to each person's taste.
