Harira
الحريرة
The Ramadan soup — tomato, lentils, chickpeas, herbs, a little meat if the house wants it.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: الحريرة.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- Mild
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Harira is Morocco's breaking-fast soup: tomato, lentils, chickpeas, celery, coriander and parsley, thickened a little with flour or broken vermicelli. Lamb is common, not mandatory. It should taste of herbs and tomato, not of a generic chilli stew.
What you'll need
12 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Fry onion, celery and optional lamb. Add tomato, spices, lentils and water. Simmer 35 minutes.
40 min
Step 2
Chickpeas, herbs, a flour slurry if you want it thicker. Simmer 10 minutes. Lemon at the table.
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 224 kcal
- Protein
- 15.4 g
- Carbs
- 21.2 g
- Fat
- 8.8 g
- Saturated fat
- 3.1 g
- Fibre
- 5.5 g
- Sugar
- 5.7 g
- Sodium
- 545 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Wheat
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 10 November.
Substitutions
Lamb → Skip it
A vegetarian harira is a real pot.
Tips
- Broken vermicelli in the last 5 minutes is a Fassi extra.
- Smoked paprika is not traditional. Paprika is sometimes there.
History & culture
Ramadan iftars, and also a winter pot. Dates and chebakia on the side when it is a fast.
A Maghrebi soup with Andalusian cousins. The tomato version is after the Americas.
Traditional
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Harira take?
1 hr 10 min all in — 20 min prep, 50 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 6 bowls. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
Mild.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Dairy-free, Nut-free.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Stockpot.
How much salt do I put in?
This recipe does not list a salt amount. We will not invent one.
What can I use instead?
Lamb → Skip it. A vegetarian harira is a real pot.
Any tips from this recipe?
Broken vermicelli in the last 5 minutes is a Fassi extra. Smoked paprika is not traditional. Paprika is sometimes there.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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