Spiced Moroccan Harira

Name: Spiced Moroccan Harira
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 50 ml olive oil; 2 medium onion (finely chopped); 1 carrot (peeled and finely chopped); 1 stalk celery (finely chopped); 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped); 75 g tomato purée; 1 x 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes; 1 litre chicken stock (or veg); 125 g red lentils; 1 x 400 g tinned chickpeas (drained); 1 x 400 g tinned green lentils (drained); large handful flat leaf parsley (finely chopped); 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1/2 tsp ground ginger; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground cardamom; sea salt; ground black pepper; lemon (wedges); natural yoghurt (for drizzling); extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)

75 mins

185 cals per serving

Donal's Notes

This Spiced Moroccan Harira is a warm, fragrant hug in a bowl. Packed with earthy spices and hearty lentils, it’s a comforting dish that balances deep flavors with a bright, fresh finish. The slow-sautéed veggies, cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom make it rich and aromatic, while the dollop of yogurt and squeeze of lemon bring the perfect tang. It’s an effortless yet impressive bowl of soul-soothing goodness. Perfect for cozy nights or a nourishing lunch!

Equipment

Large pot

Knife

Wooden spoon

Ladle

Small bowl

Method

Place a large pot over a medium-low heat and add the olive oil, onions, carrots and celery. Season well with salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes until softened, translucent, sweet and only just starting to turn golden

While the vegetables cook, combine the ingredients for the spice mix.

After 15 minutes, add the spice mix to the sautéed vegetables and cook for a few minutes to cook out the spices. Add the garlic and cook for a further few minutes then add the tomato purée and stir to combine. Add the tinned tomatoes, chicken stock and red lentils and bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.

Stir the drained chickpeas and green lentils into the soup and season again to taste with salt and pepper. Allow the soup to simmer for a further ten minutes to warm everything through then stir through most of the chopped herbs, reserving some for garnish.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and serve sprinkled with the remaining chopped herbs. Drizzle with a little natural yoghurt and extra-virgin olive oil to finish and serve with some lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.