Our chef’s perfected Harira Soup recipe is simply the best! Just read all our 5-star reviews! Easy, flavorful, and vegetarian (vegan-adaptable). Video.
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Carol Hegedus
Richly spiced, full of deep flavor this Harira soup recipe is so satisfying! As many soups do, it just becomes better and better after a day or two in the fridge.
In our meatless version of Harira, red lentils create a rich-bodied broth as they break down quickly, fusing with the tomatoes and broth. Chickpeas give hearty texture and savory spices infuse the soup with warmth and rich flavor.
Pasta is added near the end and just makes it that much more enjoyable to eat! It is common to enjoy this soup with dates on the side. I highly recommend it!
Watch how to make Harira Soup
Table of Contents
Harira Soup and Ramadan
Harira Soup is a traditional Moroccan dish most often associated with Ramadan, where it is served to break the fast at the evening meal, or iftar. Because it is so nutrient-rich, it restores vital energy after a long day of fasting. Traditionally, harira is served with chebakia, which are Maghrebi sesame and honey fried cookies. Most Moroccan families eat harira every day for the entirety of Ramadan. Harira has become a heartwarming tradition and symbol of Moroccan hospitality and pride.
Why You’ll Love This Harira Soup Recipe
- So healthy AND satisfying! The flavor is rich and deep. The lentils and pasta are homey and nourishing.
- It is adaptable! Keep it veggie or add lamb or chicken. Use gluten free pasta or swap pasta all together for rice.
- It freezes well! Tuck some away for a ready made dinner down the road. You will thank yourself!
Harira Soup Ingredients
- 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 Soup
Step One– Prep your veggies, gather spices, chop fresh herbs.
Step Two– Saute onions for 5 minutes in olive oil, over medium heat.
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.
Step Four– Add broth, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, saffron, salt, red lentils, brown lentils, half of the cilantro and half of the parsley.
Step Five– Bring to a simmer, partially covered with a lid, for 30 minutes.
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.
Step Seven– Add remaining fresh herbs.
Serve with lemon wedges, a swirl of yogurt and dates on the side.
Harira Soup Recipe 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.
Harira FAQS
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.
Yes! Use vegetable broth and substitute in your favorite sweetener for the honey (if needed). Swirl in vegan yogurt for added creaminess!
The next best would be yellow lentils, and then also green lentils, or brown lentils will do.
Serve with a dark, leafy green salad like our Cozy Fall Butternut Squash Salad!
More Lentil Recipes Soups!
- Red Lentil Soup
- Moroccan Kale, Chickpea & Sweet Potato Salad
- Minestrone Soup with Spring Veggies & Chickpeas
- Moroccan Carrot Soup
- Healthy Middle Eastern Instant Pot Lentil Soup
- African Peanut Soup Recipe
- Harvest Vegetable Soup
You may also like our quick and easy Vegetable Barley Soup, Chickpea Curry, Sweet Potato Soup, or Harissa Chickpeas! For another vegan noodle soup, try our Curry Ramen!
Hope you enjoy! For another cozy, one-pot vegetarian dish, try our Baked Beans with Butternut Sauce!
~ 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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Harira Soup Recipe
- 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
- 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
- 1/4–1/2 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)
- 1–2 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
- Saute onions for 5 minutes in olive oil, over medium heat.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add Chickpeas and pasta cook 5-10 minutes more. (see notes)
- 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
Absolutely delicious! So hearty and perfect comfort food for cold days. The only replacement I made was using orzo pasta – the size complimented the chickpeas. Poached chicken added for meat eaters. A definite repeat.
Perfect Kat! Glad you enjoyed this one.
Ditto to Mimi’s comment and thanks to Costco Connection for directing me to your wonderful website. We will be enjoying this soup AGAIN the day before our vegetarian thanksgiving feast.
Wonderful Debbi, so glad you found us!