Harira

• servings: 6
• active time: 20 mins
• total time: 1 hour 40 mins

Ingredients

¾-1 lb boneless lamb, cut into ½ pieces (leave out for vegetarian / vegan)

1 large onion, diced

2 ribs celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable for vegetarian / vegan)

15 oz can of chickpeas, drained

15 oz can of crushed tomatoes

¾ cup green lentils, rinsed

½ cup vermicelli, broken into ½ inch pieces

1 tbsp all purpose flour, dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water to form a slurry

1 tbsp tomato paste

1½ tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp cinnamon

⅛ tsp cayenne pepper (to taste for spice preference)

½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Lemon juice to taste

Olive oil and salt

Directions

Season the cubed lamb with salt and pepper, and allow it to rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Pat down excess moisture with a paper towel.

In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat until it’s shimmering. Add the lamb and cook until nicely browned on as many sides as possible, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the fond. Remove the seared lamb from the pot and set aside for now.

Add the diced onion into the pot with a pinch of salt. Saute, stirring often, until the onion is soft and lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes. Use the moisture from the onion to scrape up as much fond as possible. Once the onion is lightly browned, add the tomato paste, spices and minced garlic, and stir frequently until fragrant. It should only take about 30 seconds - 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and celery. Stir well to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once it’s boiling, add the chickpeas and green lentils. Season with salt to taste, and simmer uncovered over medium low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After the soup has been simmering, add the flour and water slurry to thicken. Add ½ of the fresh cilantro and parsley, then bring back to a boil and simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the chickpeas and lentils are fully cooked through.

Lastly, add in the vermicelli and cook until it’s tender, about 10-15 minutes. You can add water here if you want a looser soup. Add the rest of the fresh herbs, and add cayenne pepper, salt, and lemon juice to taste. Serve hot with an optional drizzle of olive oil over top. Enjoy!

Notes

A traditional North African soup prepared in Morocco and Algeria, especially popular during Ramadan. The recipe listed here is the Moroccan version that contains lentils. A hearty tomato based soup with lentils, chickpeas, and vermicelli pasta, this is a perfect filling dish to warm yourself in colder weather. As a one pot recipe, it’s fairly simple to prepare and easy to make extras and freeze as leftovers. As with most soups, this pairs well with fresh bread, but it’s substantial enough without it.