Harira Soup Loaded with Chickpeas and Lentils

Okay, don't come for me.

Apparently, this wonderful traditional soup has a million versions. And after doing a little research, I've learned that everyone swears theirs is THE original recipe.

I can already see the comments: "My mom makes it without noodles!" "What's with the tomatoes?!" "You didn't add Swiss chard?!"

Well, I don't have a Moroccan mom, and I didn't grow up eating this soup. Every time I eat it now, though, I feel like I missed out.

Anyway, I learned that the name harira is associated with "silk" in Morocco, a nod to the soup's soft, soothing texture.

So here's my version: silky, comforting, and just plain lovely.

The secret to that texture is the very thin noodles I add to the pot. They release plenty of starch as they cook, giving the soup its wonderfully silky consistency.

This soup is a complete meal on its own, with a nice amount of protein, fiber, carbs, and fat. Everything you need in one bowl.

Want another soup recipe with chickpeas? 

A Few Notes on Harira Soup

• The base of this soup is red lentils and chickpeas, simmered together until they give the broth a deep, rich flavor.

You can swap the red lentils for green, brown, yellow, or whatever lentils you like.

• I used dried chickpeas that I soaked overnight before cooking.
• If you're short on time, you can use frozen or canned chickpeas instead.
• To get this soup just right, I added a generous handful of very thin noodles and let them cook right in the soup until they were really, really soft. Yes, we're embracing the mush.
• If you prefer noodles with a little more bite, add them toward the end of cooking.
• For a gluten-free version, swap the noodles for rice noodles or gluten-free lentil pasta. Pearl barley is another option if you don't need the soup to be gluten-free; barley contains gluten.
• The spices, tomatoes, and fresh herbs all help build the soup's depth of flavor. Not a fan of one of them? Feel free to make it your own.

Harira Soup Nutrition

One bowl, or 1 of 7 servings, weighing about 500 g (18 oz), contains the following. The serving weight will depend on how much liquid remains in the pot:

• 254 calories
• 12 g protein
• 39 g carbohydrates
• 6 g fat

Harira Soup

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Yield 7 servings

Calories 254 kcal

Ingredients

• 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked in water to cover for about 8 hours
• 1 cup uncooked red lentils
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 3 tomatoes, grated
• 1 teaspoon curry powder, hawaij for soup (a Yemenite spice blend), or another soup spice blend
• 1 level teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 handful thin noodles 100 g (3.5 oz)
• 1 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 bunch parsley leaves, chopped
• 3 stalks celery
• 1 half lemon, juiced
• 2 liters (about 8.5 cups) water

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pot.

2. Add the dry spices and salt, and stir.

3. Cook the spices over low heat for about a minute. Add the sliced garlic and stir.

4. Drain the soaked chickpeas and add them to the pot along with the cup of lentils.

5. Stir well to coat the chickpeas and lentils with the oil and spices.

6. Add the tomatoes, noodles, cilantro, and parsley, and stir well.

7. Add the water and teaspoon of baking soda, and bring to a boil.

8. Cover and simmer over low heat for about an hour.

9. Just before serving, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. Stir and serve hot.