I am very happy to show you my take on what I'm told is Morocco's most popular soup – and once you taste it you'll understand why since the combination of pasta, lentils, and chickpeas is so hearty, so flavorful, and so satisfying, it is without a doubt one of the best soups you'll ever enjoy. If you like a vegetarian harira soup, you can leave off the lamb.
Ingredients
- extra-virgin olive oil: 2 Tbsp (for garnish)
- ounces boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1/2 -inch pieces: 12 piece (optional)
- yellow onion: 1 piece (diced)
- kosher salt: 1 tsp (divided, to taste)
- ½ teaspoons smoked paprika: 1 piece
- ground coriander: 1 tsp
- ground cumin: 1 tsp
- ground ginger: 0.5 tsp
- black pepper: 0.5 tsp (freshly ground)
- ground cinnamon: 0.25 tsp
- garlic: 4 clove (minced)
- tomato paste: 1 Tbsp
- chicken broth: 4 cups
- tomatoes: 1 can (15 ounce can, crushed)
- ribs celery with leaves: 2 piece (chopped)
- water: 2 cups (to taste)
- chickpeas: 1 can (15 ounce can, drained)
- green lentils, rinsed: 0.75 cup
- all-purpose flour: 1 Tbsp
- water: 2 Tbsp (cold)
- fresh cilantro: 0.5 cup (divided, chopped)
- fresh parsley: 0.5 cup (divided, chopped)
- vermicelli, broken into 1/2-inch pieces: 0.5 cup
- cayenne pepper: 0.125 tsp
- lemon: 1 piece (juiced)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Gather all ingredients. ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO
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Heat olive oil in a stock pot over medium-high heat and cook cubed lamb until nicely browned and some of the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO
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Toss in diced onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until onion is soft and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with smoked paprika, coriander, cumin, ground ginger, black pepper, and cinnamon. Add minced garlic and cook and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO
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Add tomato paste and cook and stir for about 1 minute. ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO
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Add chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and celery; stir until well combined. Add water and bring to a boil over high heat. ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO
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Once soup is boiling, add chickpeas and green lentils; season with salt to taste. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO
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Mix flour and 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl and drizzle slurry into the soup to thicken. ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO
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Bring back to a simmer and add 1/2 of the cilantro and 1/2 of the parsley; stir to combine. ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO
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Simmer on medium-low heat until meat and lentils are perfectly tender and soup has thickened, about 20 more minutes. ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO
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Stir in vermicelli and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with cayenne and salt. Add remaining chopped cilantro and parsley and finish by drizzling lemon juice to taste into the soup. ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO
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Serve immediately with a drizzle of olive oil. ALLRECIPES / NELLY CUANALO
