This Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup called Harira is hearty, full of protein and loaded with nutrients.  Warming, fragrant spices make this healthy one-pot meal deeply flavorful!  Vegan and Gluten-Free adaptable. Video. Looking for more? Check our 25+ Best Lentil Recipes & 25+ Incredible Chickpea Recipes!

Harira soup in a bowl. Vegetarian recipe.

How are you tending to the emerging story of your life?

Carol Hegedus

Richly spiced, full of deep flavor and hearty texture, this Harira recipe is so satisfying.  As many soups do, it just becomes better and better after a day or two in the fridge.  It is a perfect wholesome meal to make ahead and glean from all week.  Nothing better for me than to open the fridge to an already-made lunch just waiting to be reheated!  Tucking some away in the freezer for a future convenient meal is also always a good thing.

In our meatless version of Harira, red lentils create a rich-bodied broth as they break down quickly, fusing with the tomatoes and broth.  Brown or green lentils and chickpeas give hearty texture.  Spices infuse the soup with warmth and rich flavor.  Fresh cilantro and parsley are added to simmer with the broth and also at the end to add fresh zest and brightness.  Pasta is added near the end and just makes it that much more enjoyable to eat!  (Feel free to use gluten-free pasta.) Served with a fresh squeeze of lemon.  It is common to enjoy this soup with dates on the side.  I highly recommend it!

Harira Soup | 60-Sec Video

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  1. So healthy AND satisfying! The flavor is rich and deep. The lentils and pasta are homey and nourishing.
  2. It is adaptable! Keep it veggie or add lamb or chicken. Use gluten free pasta or swap pasta all together for rice.
  3. It freezes well! Tuck some away for a ready made dinner down the road. You will thank yourself!

Ingredients In Harira

Ingredients in Hariria.

Ingredient Notes in Harira

  • Legumes: Chickpeas and red lentils, or substitute green or brown lentils.
  • Spices: These are what create the delicious flavors- ginger, black pepper, turmeric, cumin, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon stick and saffron.
  • Broth: We use vegetable broth, but feel free to swap for chicken or lamb broth.
  • Pasta: Whatever you want! Wheat, rice, chickpea- your choice.
  • Honey: A touch of honey balances the flavors, however, leave it out if you prefer- it will still be yummy!
  • Lemon: Fresh lemon juice makes this soup sing.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.     

How to make HarirA

Chopped onion, celery and herbs for Harira.

Step One– Prep your veggies, gather spices, chop fresh herbs.

Sautéing onions for Harira.

Step Two– Saute onions for 5 minutes in olive oil, over medium heat.

Adding spices, celery, and garlic to the onions for harira.

Step Three– Add celery, garlic,  ginger, pepper, turmeric, cumin, and cayenne stir for another minute.

Blooming the spices in the oil, deepens the spice flavors bringing out the complexities.

Adding broth and lentils to Harira.

Step Four– Add broth, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, saffron, salt, red lentils, brown lentils, half of the cilantro and half of the parsley.

Simmering Harira.

Step Five– Bring to a simmer, partially covered with a lid, for 30 minutes.

Broken pasta to add to Harira.

Step Six– Add chickpeas and pasta and cook 5-10 minutes more.  Until pasta is cooked.

Expert Tip: If you plan to save the soup for eating later or plan to freeze some of it, cook the pasta separately and add it in per serving.  Especially good for some of the gluten-free varieties of pasta that tend to break down.

Harira soup recipe in a pot.

Step Seven– Add remaining fresh herbs.

Serve with lemon wedges, a swirl of yogurt and dates on the side.

Harira FAQS

What is Harira (“huh-rear-ra”)?

Harira is a traditional Moroccan comfort soup made with lentils and chickpeas in a fragrant tomato broth, infused with Moroccan Spices. During the fasting month of Ramadan, where no food or drink is consumed between dawn and dusk, Harira is often eaten to break the daily fast after sunset.  Loaded with fiber, protein and nutrients this soup is very sustaining and satisfying. There are many many variations of Harira, soften including a type of meat, lentils, chickpeas, pasta, or rice in a richly spiced tomato base.

Can Harira be made vegan?

Yes!  Use vegetable broth and substitute in your favorite sweetener for the honey (if needed). Swirl in vegan yogurt for added creaminess!

What can I substitute for red lentils?

The next best would be yellow lentils, and then also green lentils, or brown lentils will do.

Harira Soup Variations

  • Throw in chard, kale, spinach or other greens
  • Use cooked rice instead of pasta
  • Use orzo pasta instead of broken capellini
  • Add seared lamb, beef, or chicken if you want a meatier version.
A delicious recipe for Harira-a Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup, full of protein and nutrients infused with warming Moroccan spices. Vegan.

More Lentil Recipes Soups!

A delicious recipe for Harira-a Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup, full of protein and nutrients infused with warming Moroccan spices. Vegan.

Hope you enjoy!

Tonia

Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.

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A delicious recipe for Harira-a Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup, full of protein and nutrients infused with warming Moroccan spices. Vegan.

Harira Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 86 reviews
  • Author: Tonia | Feasting at Home
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 10 cups 1x
  • Category: soup, stew, vegan
  • Method: stovetop
  • Cuisine: Moroccan
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Harira is hearty, full of protein and loaded with nutrients.  Warming fragrant spices make this healthy one-pot meal deeply flavorful!  Vegan and Gluten-Free adaptable.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 stalks of celery, inner leaves are fine, chopped small
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/41/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 6 cups broth, vegetable or chicken or water
  • 1 28 ounce canned, whole or crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cinnamon stick (or 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
  • a tiny pinch of saffron (optional)
  • 12 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1/2 cup red lentils, dry
  • 1/2 cup brown or green lentils, dry
  • 1 1/2 cups (1 15- ounce can) chickpeas (garbanzo beans) cooked
  • 2 teaspoons honey (if needed)
  • 1/4 pound capellini pasta, broken into approximately 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, stems are great
  • 1/2 cup parsley

Serve with lemon wedges, a swirl of yogurt (if desired) and dates on the side.


Instructions

  1. Saute onions for 5 minutes in olive oil, over medium heat.
  2. Add celery, garlic, ginger, pepper, turmeric, cumin, smoked paprika and cayenne.  Stir for another minute.  Sautéing the spices allows them to bloom and deepen in flavor.
  3. Add broth, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, saffron, salt, red lentils, brown lentils, half of the cilantro and half of the parsley.  Bring to a simmer, cover with a vented lid, for 30 minutes.
  4. Add Chickpeas and pasta cook 5-10 minutes more.  (see notes)
  5. Add honey and remaining fresh herbs.

Notes

If you plan to save the soup for eating later or freeze it, cook the pasta separately and add it in per serving.  Especially good for some of the gluten-free varieties of pasta that tend to break down more easily.

Salt will depend on the broth used and the amount in canned chickpeas- so salt to taste.

Variations: Throw in chard, kale, spinach or other greens. Use cooked rice instead of pasta. Use orzo pasta instead of broken capellini. Add seared lamb, beef, or chicken.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups
  • Calories: 261
  • Sugar: 6.2 g
  • Sodium: 340.2 mg
  • Fat: 5.6 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 41.9 g
  • Fiber: 7.2 g
  • Protein: 13.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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Comments

  1. Hi,
    FYI
    I have been making your recipes for a long time and enjoying your videos too. I have Persian background and have been making Fesengan dish for years using my mother’s recipe. Unfortunately, yours is not an authentic recipe at all. No Persian put chickpeas in it and we never cook the chicken and the walnuts together.
    Thanks
    Sima

    1. Thanks Sima- yes the chickpeas are not authentic, but rather a vegan option.S o how would you prepare this in a more authentic way?

  2. This soup was amazing. Full of wonderful flavor, great macro breakdown and reheats perfectly. We will make again. No adjustments needed at all.






  3. Recipe was awesome! So full of flavor and not your run of the mill lentil soup. Even my picky mom ate it and wants me to make it again! Thanks for posting a variety of recipes!






  4. Another perfect recipe! Used a little harissa seasoning instead of cayenne and only had egg noodles in hand for the pasta. My husband raved about it- and he didn’t even miss the meat! Thanks!






  5. Absolutely fabulous- bursting with flavor and easy to make! The leftovers the next day seemed to absorb more of the delicious spices and make it better. Love this and will definitely make again!






  6. This is a new favourite! Even without the pasta, this is a flavorful and hearty soup.

    Thanks for the continuing abundance of tasty, healthy, and quick recipes!






  7. This was so good even my 2 year old grandson enjoyed it! Filling, healthy and full of flavor. Will definitely make this one again.






  8. Hi Silvia made this for dinner tonight . My family loved it . They loved all the textures . I cooked it in the instant pot for 11 mins . Turned out great . As you said it definitely needed honey to cut the sourness of the tomatoes . I also added some homemade Harissa which gave extra punch . Next time I may cut back the amount of tomato. Other than that it was a great vegan soup . Another keeper.

  9. I felt the flavors got more intense with each day as leftovers! I used orzo and added yellow pepper. Such a lovely and healthy recipe!






    1. Thanks so much- we are so happy you are enjoying this Angeli! Love the addition of Orzo!

  10. Made this recipe on a cold Texas morning. I wish I could have bottled the aroma, and the soup was delicious. I shared some with the neighbor, who also loved it. Thank you!






    1. Hi Rohini- I’m so sorry, we haven’t tested this in the instant pot- I would say just long enough to cook the brown lentils? 12 minutes high pressure? Totally guessing here!!!

  11. Another amazing recipe from Feasting at Home! I didn’t add the pasta to keep it lower carb and added some kale the last 5 or so minutes.

    I also added a big spoon of pureed preserved meyer lemon with the yogurt–brought it over the top!






  12. Thank you for another easy and healthy recipe. My family enjoyed this. I brought the leftovers to work and shared with a very picky coworker who also liked it.






  13. This is currently simmering on the stove but I was wondering about the “(if needed)” note next to the honey. I don’t see any information about why you would or wouldn’t need sweetener. I’ll add it, but I was curious if there is a reason to or not to

    1. Hi Lori, I find that tomatoes really vary in acidity and sweetness. The honey can balance this out or may not need it! Thanks for pointing this out, I will include a note on the recipe. 😊

  14. I love eating dishes that are heavy on beans and was excited to see this and went out to get the ingredients straight away.
    And wow! It turned out so tasty and it was so easy! I used chicken stock because that’s what I happened to have in the freezer, but I followed everything to the T. This is definitely finding a place in my rotation of meals.






  15. This soup looks so comforting and delicious, perfect for a cold winters day and I can’t wait to try it!
    You mention if keeping the soup to add pasta separately per serving. I understand this is to keep the pasta from absorbing liquid and bloating. However, I have found that roasting pasta prior to adding to soup, on a sheet pan, in a 350 oven, until golden brown (you have to watch it, it goes fast) and then adding to soups keeps it from absorbing liquid and swelling. I do this with all my soups and my pasta doesn’t bloat even after a week of leftovers.
    Will rate this recipe when I make it which will be soon!

      1. Yes, it really does work a treat, Tonia. It should be noted that it may take a bit longer to cook the pasta through because it’s been roasted.
        Now. This soup. Omg, I just finished making it and it is SOOOOOO good! As I said, absolutely perfect for a cold winter day. Thank you so much!






  16. I just made this today and what a hit it was! I made it with a cup of basmati rice as we have a wheat free person in our group. I added the rice with the lentils so it soaked in all those wonderful spices and broth. It ended up being like a stew more that a soup. Served with a nice salad it was amazing! Thank you






  17. Just made Moroccan Lentil Chickpea soup and so far so good! My son added more spice – he likes his food spicy. We also added black lime. I liked the taste as was directed by recipe, but this recipe allows for variation. Will definitely be making this soup again!

  18. Hi! This looks delicious and I am looking forward to making it for dinner tonight. I just had a question – I wanted to confirm that the recipe calls for 2 28oz cans of tomatoes (i.e. 56 oz total), correct? Or is that 28 oz total (i.e. 2 14oz cans)? Thanks very much!!

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