Moroccan Harira Soup

About This Recipe

This harira-style soup combines lamb, chickpeas, lentils, tomato and herbs with a light flour thickening. Vermicelli adds a final delicate texture. It should be substantial but fluid, with the lamb tender before the quick-cooking additions finish.

Equipment

• ✓ Soup saucepan
• ✓ Knife and board
• ✓ Ladle
• ✓ Food thermometer

Ingredients

• 350 g lamb shoulder, 2 cm dice
• 20 ml olive oil
• 220 g cooked chickpeas
• 100 g brown lentils
• 200 g onion, grated
• 500 g crushed tomato
• 15 g celery leaves, chopped
• 15 g coriander
• 15 g parsley
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1.7 litres lamb or vegetable stock
• 35 g vermicelli
• 25 g flour mixed with 80 ml water
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• Salt to taste

Easy Step-by-Step Method

Complete one numbered step before moving to the next. Keep the heat and timing exactly as written.

Chef Notes & Tips

Add the flour liaison slowly; harira should lightly coat a spoon, not become a thick gravy.

Ingredient choices: Use cooked chickpeas and dry brown lentils as specified; their starting states are different. Cut lamb into small even pieces. Mix flour with cold water into a smooth slurry before introducing it to hot soup.

Cooking control: Tenderise lamb and cook lentils in the tomato-stock base. Add the stirred slurry gradually and simmer sufficiently to cook out raw flour. Add vermicelli late and stir to prevent it settling on the bottom.

If something goes wrong: A floury taste needs more proper simmering. If soup becomes too thick, loosen with hot stock before adding more pasta. Firm lamb should be corrected before the finishing vermicelli stage.

Ingredient Substitutions

• ↔ Beef can replace lamb; omit meat and use extra chickpeas for a vegetarian version.

Food Safety & Doneness

For intact lamb chops and roasts, reach at least 63°C and rest for 3 minutes. Shoulder and other braising cuts need longer to become tender. Use separate raw-meat utensils.

Serving & Plating

Serve with herbs and lemon wedges separately. Stir before portioning so meat, pulses and pasta are evenly shared.

Storage

Refrigerate promptly in shallow covered containers at 4°C or below and use within 3 days. Reheat only the portion needed to at least 74°C throughout. Discard food left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C.