United by Taste
Recipe photo for Harira

Harira

by United by Taste

Harira

by United by Taste

🇲🇦 Morocco ·Africa
Prep
Cook
Total
8 portions
Harira is Morocco's iconic tomato-based soup, rich with lentils, chickpeas, and tender lamb, finished with a velvety flour-water thickener called tedouira and a generous handful of fresh cilantro and parsley. Traditionally eaten to break the fast during Ramadan, it is served alongside dates, chebakia, and hard-boiled eggs. Its warming spices and silky texture make it a beloved comfort dish enjoyed year-round.

Ingredients

Meat and Aromatics

400 g lamb or beef cut into small cubes, on the bone preferred
2 tbsp unsalted butter or smen
2 tbsp olive oil
1 piece yellow onion finely chopped or grated
2 slice celery stalks with leaves, finely chopped

Spices

1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 pinch saffron threads crumbled
1 pinch salt to taste

Soup Base

1 kg ripe tomatoes blended or grated, or 800g canned crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
150 g dried chickpeas soaked overnight, or 1 can drained
100 g brown or green lentils rinsed
1 bunch fresh cilantro finely chopped, divided
0.5 bunch fresh parsley finely chopped, divided
2.5 l water or broth

Tedouira (Thickener)

100 g all-purpose flour
500 ml water cold

Finishing

75 g vermicelli or broken angel hair pasta optional, instead of or with rice
1 tbsp lemon juice or to taste

To Serve

1 pinch lemon wedges for serving
1 pinch dates for serving
1 pinch hard-boiled eggs optional
1 pinch chebakia or honey pastries optional

Ingredients

8 portions

Meat and Aromatics

400 glamb or beef cut into small cubes, on the bone preferred
2 tbspunsalted butter or smen
2 tbspolive oil
1 pieceyellow onion finely chopped or grated
2 slicecelery stalks with leaves, finely chopped

Spices

1 tspground turmeric
1 tspground ginger
1 tspground cinnamon
1 tspground black pepper
1 pinchsaffron threads crumbled
1 pinchsalt to taste

Soup Base

1 kgripe tomatoes blended or grated, or 800g canned crushed tomatoes
2 tbsptomato paste
150 gdried chickpeas soaked overnight, or 1 can drained
100 gbrown or green lentils rinsed
1 bunchfresh cilantro finely chopped, divided
0.5 bunchfresh parsley finely chopped, divided
2.5 lwater or broth

Tedouira (Thickener)

100 gall-purpose flour
500 mlwater cold

Finishing

75 gvermicelli or broken angel hair pasta optional, instead of or with rice
1 tbsplemon juice or to taste

To Serve

1 pinchlemon wedges for serving
1 pinchdates for serving
1 pinchhard-boiled eggs optional
1 pinchchebakia or honey pastries optional

Instructions

Build the base

  1. 1

    Brown the meat and aromatics

    In a large heavy pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the cubed lamb or beef along with the chopped onion and celery. Stir in the turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, saffron, and a little salt. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring, until the meat is lightly browned and the aromatics are fragrant.

  2. 2

    Add tomatoes and herbs

    Stir in the blended fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, and half of the chopped cilantro and parsley. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down into a rich, deepened sauce and the raw smell cooks off.

Simmer the soup

  1. 1

    Add legumes and liquid

    Add the soaked chickpeas and lentils to the pot, then pour in the water or broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and cook for 60–90 minutes, until the chickpeas and lentils are tender and the meat falls apart easily. Top up with water as needed to maintain volume.

Thicken and finish

  1. 1

    Prepare the tedouira

    In a bowl or jar, whisk the flour with the cold water until completely smooth with no lumps. Let it rest a few minutes; this is the tedouira that gives harira its signature silky body.

  2. 2

    Stir in the thickener

    With the soup at a steady simmer, slowly pour in the tedouira in a thin stream while stirring constantly in the same direction. This prevents lumps. Keep stirring frequently for 10–15 minutes as the soup thickens to a velvety, slightly creamy consistency.

  3. 3

    Add pasta and final herbs

    If using vermicelli, add it now and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining cilantro and parsley and the lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt. Simmer a few more minutes, then serve hot with lemon wedges, dates, and hard-boiled eggs.

Credits & Inspiration

  • Marocmama

    Traditional Ramadan harira method, balance of meat, lentils and chickpeas, and the tedouira flour thickener technique

  • Moroccan Zest

    Vermicelli vs rice options and consistency guidance for the final soup

  • Taste of Maroc

    Detailed regional variations, tomato base preparation, and serving traditions with dates and chebakia

  • My Moorish Plate

    Use of smen and saffron for depth, and the finishing herbs and lemon balance

  • The Spruce Eats - Christine Benlafquih

    Authentic spice blend proportions and the slow-stirred tedouira to avoid lumps

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