Follow these simple steps at home to make my Dad's traditional Moroccan Harira, a warming soup made to break fast during Ramadan in Morocco (Iftar). This homemade soup combines chickpeas, beef, or lamb stew meat, and rice. It's prepared stovetop, and takes just 45 minutes to prepare.
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A traditional Moroccan soup
This Moroccan chickpea soup is far from ordinary. It's packed with healthy ingredients and makes a delicious meal for breaking the fast during Ramadan.
Like many Moroccan recipes, it uses fresh herbs like cilantro and parsley, and dried spices like ginger to develop rich flavor.
If you enjoy this Iftar soup, be sure to try it with a loaf of Moroccan bread (Khobz), dates, and hard boiled eggs, for the full experience.
Ingredients
Here's everything you'll need to make this Moroccan Harira:
- garbanzo beans (soak overnight if using dried)
- 1 lb lamb or beef (stew meat cut into cubes)
- olive oil
- yellow onion, minced
- minced cilantro
- minced parsley
- pepper
- salt
- ginger (ground)
- tomato puree
- water
- green lentils
- rice or vermicelli noodles
- cornstarch
- water
How to Make It
- If using dried garbanzo beans, soak in a bowl of water overnight.
- In a heavy bottomed soup pot, add diced lamb or beef, chopped onion, half of the cilantro & parsley, salt, pepper, ginger and olive oil.
- Saute on medium high heat for 5-10 minutes or until the meat is browned and the onion translucent.
- Drain the garbanzo beans and add to the pot with the tomato puree and water. Bring the liquid to a boil then cover, lower and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the garbanzos are cooked through.
- In a small pot add lentils and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then cover and lower to a simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside while you wait for the soup to be done.
- Optional: In a small bowl mix together cornstarch and cold water until no clumps remain. Uncover the soup and mix in the cornstarch water slurry to thicken.
- Finally, add rice, lentils and half of the remaining cilantro & parsley. Cook until the rice is done. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and enjoy!
Storing Leftovers & Reheating Instructions
This Moroccan chickpea soup make wonderful leftovers. The flavors seem to develop and become even better after a day or two. Store any leftovers in an air tight container for up to 5 days.
Reheat with a splash of water to loosen the broth up in the microwave or on the stovetop.
This soup doesn't stand up well in the freezer.
What to eat with your soup
Every family in Morocco has nuances and differences in how they break the fast with this Moroccan lentil soup, or what we call Iftar.
In my family, the focus of the meal is the harira accompanied by dates, hard boiled eggs and traditional sesame honey cookies. Bonus points if you include some freshly baked Khobz (Moroccan bread).
The combination of the warm tomato based soup with sweet dates, hearty eggs and the decadent cookies is the perfect meal after a long day of fasting. I should know as I was always so determined to join my dad in Ramadan traditions (fasting included) as a kid.
If you're enjoying this soup on any day of the year, it's wonderful when accompanied by other traditional Moroccan sides.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Making it vegan/vegetarian
The trick to making this Moroccan lentil soup vegan/vegetarian couldn’t be any easier.
Ready for it?
Just leave out the meat. That’s it. That’s the trick.
This recipe packs a ton of nutrition thanks to garbanzo beans, lentils, tomatoes, onion, olive oil and spices. It will be just as flavorful and delicious without it.
A Tribute to My Dad
If there was ever a difficult post for me to write, it’s this one. This soup was the last meal my dad made for my husband and I the last time we saw him before he passed last November. It was one of his favorites.
My dad was always taking care of me. Whether it was making me delicious Moroccan recipes, teaching me how to cook them, or pushing me to buy that new camera I’d been dreaming about.
I think learning from him is what I will miss the most; being his daughter was the greatest privilege. Even as he cooked that last time for me, so full of life in our kitchen, he encouraged me to write down the recipe, take pictures and make notes about his technique and recipe.
This isn’t just any ordinary recipe. This Moroccan harira is a traditional soup prepared annually during Ramadan to break the fast (Iftar) each night. My dad and I enjoyed it all year long.
Because I was too busy enjoying his company to jot down his exact recipe (yes, I’m kicking myself), I have been relying on my broken French, Google translate and my saint of an Aunt in Morocco to bring this super special recipe to you.
So thanks to my Baba (my dad), for teaching me how to explore. I love you endlessly.
Bismillah,
Salima
PrintTraditional Moroccan Harira (Lentil & Chickpea Soup)
Follow these simple steps at home to make my Dad's traditional Moroccan Harira, a warming soup made to break fast during Ramadan in Morocco (Iftar). This homemade soup combines chickpeas, beef, or lamb stew meat, and rice. It's prepared stovetop, and takes just 45 minutes to prepare.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
- Category: Soup, Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Moroccan, North African, Mediterannean, African
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 cup garbanzo beans (soak overnight if using dried)
- 1 lb lamb or beef (stew meat cut into cubes)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- ½ cup cilantro, minced
- ½ cup parsley, minced
- ½ tbsp pepper
- 1 tbsp salt
- ½ tbsp ginger (ground)
- 28 oz tomato puree
- 8 cups water
- 1 cup green lentils
- 1 cup rice or vermicelli noodles
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp water
Instructions
- If using dried garbanzo beans, soak in a bowl of water overnight.
- In a heavy bottomed soup pot, add diced lamb or beef, chopped onion, half of the cilantro & parsley, salt, pepper, ginger and olive oil.
- Saute on medium high heat for 5-10 minutes or until the meat is browned and the onion translucent.
- Drain the garbanzo beans and add to the pot with the tomato puree and water. Bring the liquid to a boil then cover, lower and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the garbanzos are cooked through.
- In a small pot add lentils and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then cover and lower to a simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside while you wait for the soup to be done.
- Optional: In a small bowl mix together cornstarch and cold water until no clumps remain. Uncover the soup and mix in the cornstarch water slurry to thicken.
- Finally, add rice, lentils and half of the remaining cilantro & parsley. Cook until the rice is done. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and enjoy!
Keywords: Moroccan Harira, Harira, Moroccan Soup
Comments
Cordero Santiago
Salima,
What a beautiful homage to your father.
Thank you for posting this delicious recipe and sharing your family legacy.
Your photos show the care and attention you devoted to this Moroccan Queen of soups.
Your father must be so proud.
Ahmed
Salima, there's no need to kick yourself. I, too, missed opportunities to master this dish with him.
This meal tastes as wonderful as your photos look. I'm proud that you demonstrate how to do a vegetarian version too. But my goodness, that meat is mouth watering.
★★★★★
Salima's Kitchen
Thank you Ahmed!
Maryrose Livingston
I'm going to make this soup this week, in honor of your wonderful Dad. He was such a great friend, a marvelous cook, and I will so miss seeing him the next time I'm in Olympia. Thank you for posting this recipe, Salima -- this soup will bring a little bit of Rachid into my home.
Salima's Kitchen
Maryrose, thank you so much for reading the blog and honoring my Father ❤️. I hope the soup warms your kitchen!
Larissa
I made this soup to break the fast during my first Ramadan. It was delicious and so filling that I didn't each much else. It was pretty thick with the rice added, next time I will try without rice. Thank you for the recipe.
★★★★★
Sof
A family favorite for us as well!
★★★★★
Steve
Fabulous soup and memories of your father.
★★★★★
Joyce
This is beautiful. I cant wait to make it this weekend. My daughter went on a trip and discovered a love for Moroccan food. I will make it for her. I do not have family heritage food recipes or stories so I find them and share others stories with my family over the recipes pthey have shared and I prepare. This is such a wonderful one. Thank you for sharing a piece of yourself with us.
Salima Benkhalti
Thank you for sharing that Joyce, I love that your family has discovered Moroccan food!
Sherry Herndon
Awesome just awesome.
★★★★★
Salima Benkhalti
I'm so glad you enjoyed it Sherry!
Noon
This was such a hearty soup! Loved making it and then devouring it for Iftar!
Salima Benkhalti
Hi Noon, thank you so much for your comment! It means the world to me that you used my recipe for Iftar ❤️ Ramadan Mubarak
Larissa
Love this! Made it for the frist time with Ramadan last year and has been my favorite since then. Definitely on the menu this Ramadan also. Thank you and your dad
★★★★★
Audrey
I love this recipe and your story. Keep telling it and feeding our stomachs and our souls. I have broken the fast with harira with many good friends in Morocco, although I am not a Muslim. Thanks for this beautiful reminder.
Salima Benkhalti
Thank you so much Audrey. Your support means a lot!