North African Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Harira
Morocco's soul-warming soup of lentils, chickpeas, and lamb in a tomato-herb broth — traditionally served at sunset to break the Ramadan fast.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- One-pot
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners
Instructions
5 steps- 1
Sauté Base: In a large pot, sauté the chopped onion, cilantro, parsley, ginger, and turmeric in olive oil for 5 minutes over medium heat.
- 2
Simmer Legumes: Add the soaked chickpeas, lentils, and crushed tomatoes. Pour in 6 cups of water or broth.
- 3
Cook Soup: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45-60 minutes until chickpeas and lentils are tender.
- 4
Thicken (Tadouira): Whisk 2 tbsp flour with 1/4 cup water until smooth. Slowly stir this into the soup to thicken it slightly.
- 5
Add Pasta: Stir in the vermicelli pasta and cook for another 5 minutes until pasta is soft. Serve hot with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
77/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving120
Calories
6 g
Protein
22 g
Carbs
1 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Harira is the national soup of Morocco, a thick, nourishing bowl of tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, and fresh herbs that is most famously eaten to break the Ramadan fast at sunset, accompanied by dates and a glass of milk. It is also a universal comfort food throughout the country at any time of year, sold from street carts in Fez and Marrakech and served in homes as a first course or a full meal. The soup's defining characteristic is tadouira, a slurry of flour, water, and sometimes lemon juice stirred in near the end of cooking to thicken the broth to a silky, substantial consistency.
Listahan note
This version skips the traditional flour-based tadouira and relies instead on the starch of the lentils and the natural thickening of the crushed tomatoes for a slightly lighter but still hearty result. The two fresh herbs, cilantro and parsley, are essential and must be added at the end to preserve their brightness.
Technique cues
- Pre-soaked dried chickpeas require 45-60 minutes of simmering before the other ingredients join them; add lentils only after the chickpeas are nearly tender, as lentils cook in a fraction of the time and will turn to mush if overcooked.
- The fresh herbs, cilantro and parsley, should be added in the final 2 minutes of cooking rather than at the start; this preserves the bright green color and the volatile aromatic compounds that give harira its characteristic fresh lift.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice stirred into each bowl at the table is not a garnish but a structural element; the acid brightens the earthy spices and makes the soup taste more dimensional and less flat.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Chop the onion and measure the spices while the soaked chickpeas start their initial simmer; the soup is mostly hands-off once the aromatics are in.
- Make-ahead
- Make the soup without the pasta up to 2 days ahead; add the vermicelli and fresh herbs only when reheating to serve.
- Leftover move
- Leftover harira thickens considerably overnight; thin with a splash of water or broth when reheating and re-season with lemon juice and salt.
- Cleanup rhythm
- One pot only; let it soak with warm water after serving while you eat.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
1/2 cup dried chickpeas (soaked overnight)
hearty body
Purpose: Chickpeas give harira its characteristic substance and nutty flavor; canned work but dried give a firmer texture and contribute more starch to the broth.
Handling: Soak at least 8 hours in cold water, drain, and rinse; add to the pot first and simmer before any other ingredients.
Adaptation: One can of drained chickpeas added in the final 20 minutes of cooking works for weeknight convenience at the cost of some texture.
1/2 cup brown lentils
thickener and protein
Purpose: Lentils break down partially as they cook, releasing starch that thickens the broth naturally without any added flour.
Handling: Rinse well under cold water but do not soak; add to the pot after the chickpeas are nearly tender.
Adaptation: Red lentils dissolve more completely and create a smoother, thicker soup if a silkier texture is preferred.
1 lb crushed tomatoes
acidic base
Purpose: Crushed tomatoes provide the deep red color, acidity, and umami backbone of harira; quality matters here as the tomato flavor is prominent.
Handling: Add after the aromatics are softened and allow 5 minutes to cook down before adding the broth.
Adaptation: Fresh ripe tomatoes, peeled and crushed, can replace canned in summer when tomatoes are at their peak.
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
fresh herb finish
Purpose: Cilantro is half of harira's essential herb pair and provides a citrusy brightness that lifts the earthy, spiced broth.
Handling: Chop both stems and leaves finely; stems have significant flavor and can be added a minute before the leaves.
Adaptation: If cilantro is not tolerated, increase the parsley quantity; the flavor will shift but remain in the spirit of the dish.
1/4 cup vermicelli pasta
filling starch
Purpose: Short vermicelli adds a subtle texture and makes the soup more filling, a traditional addition in the Moroccan version of harira.
Handling: Add in the final 8-10 minutes of cooking; the pasta continues softening off heat so account for carryover cooking.
Adaptation: Rice or broken spaghetti pieces work in the same proportion and cook in a similar time.
Technique notes
- Season in layers: a small amount of salt when the onion goes in, more after the tomatoes, and a final adjustment just before serving; the flavors change significantly as the chickpeas and lentils soften.
- The soup should be thick enough to coat a spoon lightly but still pourable; if it thickens too much during cooking, add warm water a cup at a time.
- Serve with a plate of dates, hard-boiled eggs, and a drizzle of argan oil on the table in the traditional Moroccan Ramadan style, even outside of the fasting season, for a more complete and culturally grounded meal.
Ingredient swaps
- Vegan direction
- This recipe is naturally vegan; ensure vegetable broth is used and the traditional lamb that appears in some versions is simply omitted.
- Gluten-free direction
- Replace the vermicelli with rice or omit entirely; the soup is fully gluten-free without the pasta.
- Add meat
- Brown 1/2 lb of ground lamb or beef with the onion at the start for a more traditional, protein-rich version.
Serve alongside
- dates and honey for the traditional Ramadan pairing
- crusty Moroccan khobz bread for dipping
- hard-boiled eggs halved with paprika
- mint tea
- warm water with lemon
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days; the soup thickens as it sits.
- Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, thinning with water as needed, and add fresh herbs just before serving.
- Freeze without the pasta for up to 3 months; add fresh vermicelli when reheating.
Equipment
- large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- wooden spoon
- ladle for serving
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