This is the soup that Moroccans traditionally use to break the fast every night of Ramadan. Season with salt, pepper, mint leaves and cinnamon to taste.
I can attest that this recipe is authentic!! I have had many a night to break the fast during Ramadan. It reminds me of my home in Khemisset, Morocco. I am sad to say that I need to come to the web to learn to cook foods from my country because I was rasied in this country. Yet this truly is an authentic recipe, and I recommend it to all.
Read MoreThis just didn't live up to the hype. I used 3/4 cup couscous in place of the vermicelli - big regrets on that, it sucked up all the liquid. Although the b.f. didn't mind the couscous addition, he said it made it "goulash-y." The lamb came out tender and very flavorful, which surprised me because most stew recipes call for searing the meat first, so when this recipe suggests just stirring it in, I was skeptical, but it made for some delicious lamb and even a nice lamb flavor to the broth (which was then usurped by the couscous). Also, the flavor was a little bland, and if I make this again I will double the spices and use chili powder instead of cayenne - that made it have this weird southwestern flavor that seemed out of place. The beaten eggs added at the end got lost and I didn't notice their impact at all. Next time, if there is one, I will definitely skip the whole pasta and egg part.
Read MoreI can attest that this recipe is authentic!! I have had many a night to break the fast during Ramadan. It reminds me of my home in Khemisset, Morocco. I am sad to say that I need to come to the web to learn to cook foods from my country because I was rasied in this country. Yet this truly is an authentic recipe, and I recommend it to all.
Very different soup! Next time I would add some salt along with the other ingredients in Step 1. It definitely needed some salt, and adding salt after the fact didn't seem to help. My husband complained of a "vinegar" taste, which we attributed to the juice of a whole lemon. Perhaps only 1/2 of a lemon should be used. The taste of the lamb is very distinctive, so if you don't like lamb, perhaps you could substitute pork or beef.
Thanks so much for the recipe. My husband is Moroccan and loved it. It felt it had a truly authentic taste, but was missing salt in STEP 1. I was adding so many ingredients, it didn't even hit me until he said it was saltless. Easy fix- we just added at the table. I didn't add the lemon, since I thought that would make it taste funny...other than that. This is an excellent way for an American woman like myself to give my husband some good ole' home cooking!
Very good ethnic recipe. I followed the recipe for the most part - 3 cups water, 4 cups beef broth; fresh tomatoes instead of canned, no pasta or egg, but just 1 lb of lentils. Served over basmati rice - excellent! Made a ton and the lamb was very, very tender after being in the slow cooker for 8 hours.
My moroccan husband said this was very authentic and we loved the taste. I added beef broth, left the onions whole and then removed them and skipped the vermicelli. Also, according to my husband, the recipe would be better off with a tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes. It was really great though and the taste was just like the soup my husband's sister made for us in Morocco.
Okay, I do not know how to correctly pronounce the name of this soup so I have been calling it the "Rockin' Moroccan Soup!" I made the soup exactly like the recipe says, but one change... I used 3/4 cup couscous instead of the vermicelli pasta, since so many people said it was unnecessary. It was perfect!!! Absolutely delicious!!! All the spices gave it a wonderful authentic taste. Hubby and I both loved it!!! I will definitely be keeping this one on my personal recipe book to make over and over again. Thanks!!!
Thanks Usman for a superb recipe and I'm definitely giving it a 5 cos we love middle-eastern food! I added 2 nos. of marrow bone, blanch it with the cut lamb & simmer it for an hour before adding in the other ingredients. I left out the pasta and egg. Served it with bread & lemon wedges at the side instead. Next time, I'll add in the eggs just before serving. Certainly taste better next day & family loves it.
Very good and interesting!You really have to like lamb-it really permeates the flavor.I added about 6 cloves of garlic and about 4 Tb salt,since I can't seem to cook anything without either!I also didn't have noodles so I used 3/4 cup dry cous cous instead.I don't know if these changes are Harira faux pas,but they were good anyway!My kids even ate it!
This is delicious and very easy to make. I did mine without the pasta and it was great. My only suggestion is to add more lamb...it got a bit lost in the stew.
A wonderful and very different recipe. Make sure you break up the vermicelli so that you are not trying to contend with long noodles in addition to the rest of the ingredients. Also, I would probably use slightly less cinnamon next time. Nevertheless, this soup came out superb. Also: The turmeric can turn things yellow like it did my wooden spoon.
I've made this soup about 50 times, and we love it, we eat it every night during Ramadan. My husband is from Morocco and he's certified it moroccan with the following changes. I don't add the eggs and only use 1 red onion. Also, instead of 1 can of diced tomatoes and cayenne, I use 1/2 can chili tomatoes. We find a whole can to be too much tomato for our tastes. You can also substitute chicken for the lamb. I add 2 leg & thigh pieces bone and all and after 1.5 hours I remove and shred. I also mash about half the chickpeas before adding to the soup to thicken it all up a bit.
My friends and I loved this, but if I remake, I'd change a few things. There was way too much onion, so I'd half that, and probably double the lentils. Don't skip the eggs though, they sound weird, but they finish up and give it a nice creamier texture. Just be careful to lower the heat afterwards, or they will break down.
Nice healthy recipe. Thanks for uploading. Changes I made: There is no mention of stock in this recipe and without it I found the soup a little bland. Addition of a little vegetable bouillon powder lifted things. Also right at the end, I added a whole raw egg directly into the hot soup and quickly whisked it in. Delicious.
Amazingly wonderful flavor and very hearty! We loved it, thanks for the recipe!! My wife, daughter and I ate this for three nights in a row on the amounts shown here. We only wish we had made a good flatbread to go with it...maybe next time. Following on suggestions from reviewers and based on our own preferences, we made some modifications: 1) cut the onions in half and ground them down in a food processor, 2) ground tomatoes in food processor before adding, 3) doubled lentils, 4) used only one egg, 5) substituted vegetable broth for water, 6) used orzo instead of vermicelli (no verm available at our store), 7) upped ginger to 1 tbsp, 8) doubled cinnamon and tumeric.
This is a delicious soup!!! However, I omitted the lamb, and added some cumin. Other than that, I followed directions explicitly. Delicious, delicious, delicious.
This just didn't live up to the hype. I used 3/4 cup couscous in place of the vermicelli - big regrets on that, it sucked up all the liquid. Although the b.f. didn't mind the couscous addition, he said it made it "goulash-y." The lamb came out tender and very flavorful, which surprised me because most stew recipes call for searing the meat first, so when this recipe suggests just stirring it in, I was skeptical, but it made for some delicious lamb and even a nice lamb flavor to the broth (which was then usurped by the couscous). Also, the flavor was a little bland, and if I make this again I will double the spices and use chili powder instead of cayenne - that made it have this weird southwestern flavor that seemed out of place. The beaten eggs added at the end got lost and I didn't notice their impact at all. Next time, if there is one, I will definitely skip the whole pasta and egg part.
An instant family favorite! Sticks to the ribs but does not weigh too much on the stomach. Using a can or two of organic lentil soup will shorten cooking time in half (adjust amount of water added accordingly). Add a little pinch of crushed bay leaves and some oregano for a slight French twist. Great alone or with a side dish of couscous.
Absolutely lovely, everything a soup should be! Served best with warm batbout (pita)! I use cubed chicken breast instead of lamb. Everyone complimented on it when I brought it to Bible study, along with Moroccan rice. Don't let the "scary" spice combinations fool you, everything works wonderfully together for the average American palate. Also, I don't recommend using the crock pot; it takes around 6 hrs on high heat to get those lentils soft...
Good recipe, I did not measure the ingrediants .. but next time I think i'll add cumin to my mix and more salt. Thank you!
My favourite soup/stew recipe. It is so hearty and flavourful! I have made this recipe about 6 times. I tried making it in the slow cooker once and it turned out awful. I highly recommend making it in the pot like the directions say. I have never used pasta or eggs in the recipe. Instead of the pasta I use quinoa. I realize that this takes away from the authenticity, but it tastes so good! I put in 1-2 cups of quinoa about 45 minutes before the cooking is done. I always use extra cilantro, olive oil instead of margarine and broth (preferably beef) instead of water. Update Feb 19/10: Used a lamb shoulder with some bits of meat on it from a left over recipe. I rubbed the lamb with the spices and browned it in a pan with some olive oil, the onions, celery, cilantro and some carrots that I added. Then I put it in a crock pot with the rest of the ingredients during the day, minus the chickpeas, lentils, quinoa and lemon juice that I added with an hour left. Update March 12: Made soup without any meat, but added extra garbanzo beans and lentils and it still tasted great!
My husband and I loved this recipie! as soon as we fiinshed it, he wanted me to make it again :)
Very authentic. I used firm tofu instead of lamb meat because I'm a vegetarian. I also used olive oil instead of butter and fresh ginger instead of ground ginger. I left out the egg, noodles, and lemon. This tasted fabulous! This is spicy so make sure to cut down on the cayenne if you are not a fan. Next time I will use dried garbanzo beans instead of the canned ones and toss them in with the lentils. Like another review stated, you just can't get that brine taste out of the canned garbanzos.
This is awesome - I substituted ground turkey for lamb because I dont like lamb and I didnt want the fat in a red meat - and the recipe was fabulous! I will make this many times over!!
Loved it! Will certainly remake it many times. Like someone else, i'm not a fan of canned garbonzo...i boiled then soaked fresh beans. I used turkey instead of lamb. I used tiny shells for pasta. I used less pepper than suggested, and a bit more ginger and tumeric to match my own tastes. Simply terrific!
Surprisingly good! Once I combined the spices with the lamb and veggies I was worried that It would taste too much like cinnamon, but the end result had no taste of cinnamon at all and was very hearty. I did add garlic salt and celery salt at the end and that was a great addition. Next time I will omit the pasta as it was totally unneccessary in my point of view. Some reviews show people adding rice instead, maybe I will try that next time. All in all, a great hearty fall or winter recipe.
Delicious!! I used a bit of garlic and salt and left out the egg and noodles. A good middle- eastern flavour. Will definitely make again.
My family really liked this. I had a friend over (who is notoriously picky: she likes her meat, veggies and starch all separated), but she had seconds! I don't think she was being polite... I did make a few changes (cooked shredded chicken, slightly less cinnamon, no vermicelli). Very good.
Absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe exactly and it was amazing! The lemon juice gives it such an interesting tang and the lamb was melt-in-the-mouth tender. Thanks!
Fabulous, nourishing, comnfort food. Not loved by kids
Great soup...our kids enjoyed it as well, but it may have too many different tastes for most kids. We live in North Africa and the availability of fresh ingredients here make the soup even more tasty. Thanks to Usman!!
As good as this smelled, it was bland! I added extra salt at the beginning as suggested in other reviews, but it still tasted like it needed salt (or something). The only change I made was ground lamb. I was excited to try something different and its palletable, tasted healthy, *but* for all of the trouble it was, wouldn't make it again. I really don't know what would fix it 'cause adding anything else probably wouldn't be authentic.
Fantastic! My butcher keeps large bones in their lamb stew meat - which makes for delicious broth - but next time I'll get 2 lbs so I have MORE MEAT! Followed everything else except I used jasmine rice in place of noodles. And I crockpot'd everything, adding the beans and lentils in the last two hours, and the lemon and egg at the very end. Fanfreakintastic.
I've had harira a couple of times in Moroccan restaurants and decided to try and make it at home. While this soup was a very tasty and hearty dish, it wasn't what I was trying to achieve. This recipe creates a very (VERY) thick stew with little to no liquid to soup it up. And the addition of pasta killed it. Everytime I took the cover off the pot for leftovers the first thing I smelled was pasta and it killed my appetite. I'll be trying this recipe again, but with some major adjustments--the spicing is spot-on, but the texture needs some dramatic work. Next time I'll leave out the pasta and only use half the lemon juice. I'm also thinking I'll use 2-14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes, liquid drained, one can pureed and the second as-is. I'll also puree 1/2 - 3/4 of the can of chickpeas using some liquid from the pot.
This was fantastic! Decided to make a batch of this tonight since hubby wasn't going to be home for dinner (not his fav type of meal). Anyway, have never had lamb so opted to make this vegetarian (although would likely be great with chicken or pork). Used parsley instead of cilantro as I don't like cilantro, used all veggie broth, fresh ginger instead of dried (about 1/2tsp), left out the pasta/egg/lemon based on other reviews and upped the lentils to a full 1lb (bit more than 2 cups). Makes a TON! Will gladly eat this for lunch again and again and likely freeze some too, yummy!
This was very good, I made some changes for our taste, and by looking at other harira recipes. I will be making this again. Thanks for adding this recipe and bringing a taste of Morocco into our home!
This is an unusual and very hearty stew. I used stew beef, as I was unable to get fresh lamb. I also substituted 2 cups of vegetable juice and reduced the water accordingly. I also omitted the pasta, egg, and lemon. It's fantastic without it. My family loves this! Thanks for the post.
I will definitely make this again. Its so simple and filling. Thanks for sharing.
This was good, but I feel like something is missing...followed the recipe, except for putting the egg in. Other posters said that wasn't needed, but maybe it was...
Outstanding! Based on the ingredients that I had on hand, I did make a few changes. Chicken sausage, olive oil, chicken broth, and brown lentils were substitued for lamb, margarine, water and green lentils respectively. I was looking for something a little different and this recipe delivered. Not only is it healthy, it is loaded with flavor. Can't wait to make again!
One of the best soups I have ever made...really! I believe I would add a half pound more lamb next time and perhaps a little less celery. A truly marvelous find!
It's rare that my grocery store has boneless lamb meat, so I was excited to try this recipe. I made a couple of changes due to personal preference, and also for the fact I was making this a day ahead for Husband who'd been out of town, and I was going to be at work when he got home. First, I left out the celery and turmeric as he isn't a fan. I also chose to omit the beaten egg and vermicelli so that he could just heat up the stew, and serve it over rice (He knows how to make rice. He's awesome like that). Despite these changes, this turned out great! What a wonderful combination of spices. Very flavorful. Thanks, Usman!
We loved this soup. The only thing I would change is the vermicelli pasta, either changing the type or omitting it all together. The soup doesn't really need it.
Very good recipe. I used chicken breast instead of lamb and chicken stock instead of water. So I had to cut the salt down a little. I did not add the noodles. Delish! Thanks
Yummo. I served it with some wonderful Naan. I used ground lamb and probably spent more time "softening" the vegetables in step one, but other than that, I did it exactly. I'll make it again and again I'm sure.
I did not find this soup worth even 4 stars and here is why: 1)Look how much pepper is used in the recipe (black pepper and cayene). The soup is extremly hot, burning. 2) On top of that, the recipe calls for canned garbanza beans which, no matter how well you wash them, retain the smell and the taste of sulfites. 3) The recipe does not call for salt. My first attempt to make this soup went down the drain, because of the first two reasons mentioned above. Salt did not help. My second attempt was better. I used dry garbanza beans soaked overnight, I cooked them without salt for more then an hour before using, then 30 more minutes with the salt. I used just a little pinch of cayenne pepper and no black pepper at all. Plus I added salt. No vermicelli, because soups with pasta better be eaten right away. Pasta tends to absorb water and become a dough again. So, since the quantity of the souop was too big for my family to eat in one day, I decided not to use pasta. We did not miss it. The soup was allright, might make again, but not by the original recipe - modified version.
Excellent IMO. you have to like both lamb and beans though....
Yummy, really enjoyed this! all the family approved.. especially mum, as its easy preparation and is left alone to cook. not very complicated at all!
Thank you so much for contributing this amazing recipe. I prepared this before the Month of Ramadan so I can make adjustments. My husband loves it, he and his nephew said that I did it better than other Moroccans :-) Thank YOU!!!
Lovely stew. I used regular lentils and beef but otherwise followed instructions closely. I only needed to add salt to taste at the end, and topped with fresh chopped cilantro.
A very good and filling main course soup. Probably a bit too much flavour for children!
My husband immigrated from Rabat Morocco 2 years ago. I made this for him this Ramadan and he said it is very authentic and good. BTW other reviewers - THIS IS A SOUP NOT A STEW. This is for breaking fast in the evening when you have fasted all day. My in-laws do not add egg and pasta is optional also. The lemon in a wonderful addition - do not be afraid
We loved this one. One pot meals are such a breeze to clean up after. It was hearty and delicious. I didn't have a big enough pot, so I cut down a little bit on the water. It was probably a bit more concentrated than it should have been, but it was still yummy. I didn't have any vermicelli so I used orzo instead. I don't think the eggs added anything, so next time I will leave them out. They weren't bad, but I don't see the need for the extra cholesterol since there was already lamb. I had to use lamb chops, but they turned out very tender. I can't wait to have the leftovers tonight.
This came out well and I will be making it again. I couldn't find vermicelli in the store when I needed it, so I used spaghettini instead. It was a good thickness for the stew. My husband's only complaint was that he would have liked more pasta in it! If you have leftovers, it keeps well in the fridge and tastes very good reheated.
tried, true & tasty! It fills the mind with memories of Marakesh, My friends now claim my Harira is better than anyy morrocam restaurant.
Super tasty! I fell in love with this soup when in Morocco, and have been searching for a close replica ever since. This will definitely become one of my "regulars". I substituted beef for the lamb, and doubled the lemon juice. I served the soup with plenty of lemon wedges - its supposed to have a sourness to it, and I think the lemon adds a lot. I used a teaspoon of crushed red chili instead of the Cyanne, and though my husband and I loved it, my kids found this to be too spicy.
This soup was AMAZING!!!!!! As most users, I did a few modifications. I omitted the meat and pasta, and added more lentils. I also used about 4 cups of vegetable broth and 3 cups of water. I was able to use freshly grated tumeric and the taste was outstanding!!!! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I always make this to keep warm in the dead of winter, I use any type of meat on hand...beef, chicken, ect, although the lamb does make it special. I also skip the egg, use EVOO, and add carrots. I add the chick peas with the lentils so they simmer with the rest of the stew and become buttery soft, and I add minced garlic and cilantro at the very end (with the vermicilli)to retain their flavor. I could eat this forever!
This recipe is a bit of work, but so worth it. However, if you like thin soups, this is not for you! It is incredibly thick and hearty. The spicing is tasty; I'd never used cinnamon in a savory dish, but it works very well. We've eaten this with the pasta added, but I agree that it probably could be left out as there's already so much going on in the soup. It does need salt added, especially if you've added garbanzo beans that you've cooked from dried beans instead of the can. My husband likes lamb and loves this recipe. We've made it many times.
As with most red meat soups this one is best left to age for a day. The fat solids will rise and skim off easily when cold. I forgot the noodle and egg at the last minute but the soup was not lacking. The cinnamon was a nice change for a soup recipe. I also used dry garbanzo beans instead of a can, this allowed me to put them in with the lentils and not have to forget them later.
Awesome recipe! I changed around a lot though. I used rice instead of pasta and didnt put any meat but it was still fantastic! Recommended
No, seriously. This is the most amazing recipe...the flavors are absolutely stunning together! I made it just like the recipe states other than using fresh tomatoes from my garden...loved it, loved it, loved it!
Crockpot - came home from work to a wonderful aroma. Didn't have turmeric so used a big pinch of saffron, used 3 Tbs dried cilantro because that's all I had, dropped in some dehydrated shallots because I didn't have red onion. Put in crockpot this a.m. with 2 cups water and 4 cups beef broth. Used just a bit of corn starch to thicken at the very end. Delicious! When I make it again I'll do it on a lazy weekend winter day, on the stovetop, but really it was great in the slowcooker! Thanks for the awsome recipe.
This ended up turning out to be just what I wanted...a spicy lamb and lentil dish. I made the following changes: added 1 tsp sea salt with the spices, substituted two peeled and grated bulbs of ginger for the ground ginger...this made it VERY spicy...but a good warm-up for a wintry February day...I also added two bay leaves along with the lentils. Used tomoato puree instead of diced tomatoes and left out the pasta, eggs, and lemon. Mmmmmm good.
The best! Perfect on a cold winter's night.
This soup was really good. Made a few changes but over all followed the recipe exact. Used fresh tomatoes, added salt, added 2 lbs of lamb, and I did not add the lemon. This soup was really good.
Excellent soup! Filled our kitchen with the smell of exotic spices and lamb...Will continue to make this delicious soup.
This recipe is absolutely wonderful. Definitely a keeper.
This is an excellent recipe! My whole family loved it!
great stuff usman, thanks. update 2008: after having tried many a moroccan's harira...Its worth noting that the meat should be reduced to 1/2 lb of meat, cut in small pieces; Otherwise this is more of a STEW instead of harira.
A wonderful blend of flavors. A very satisfying dish!
Excellent! I was so impressed with even the presentation of this soup that I sent over some to my neighbours without even tasting it (they loved it btw!).
I was so nervous, I made this for my Yemeni boyfriend and 2 of his coworkers. They LOVED it, I felt so good. As suggested by another review I added salt, and I also used 2 cans of beef broth and 3 cups water. I also took off the shell /skin of the Garbanzo beans. I always do that just makes a softer bean. I have already been requested to make this for the upcoming Ramadan holiday. This was a very hearty meal with a great blend of spices. Thanks so much
Very unusal, yet very tasty! My house was filled with a lovely aroma, and family really enjoyed this dish. (I used crumbled ground turkey in place of lamb and added twice as much pasta, resulting in much less liquid at the end - mine wasn`t a soup when I was done with it.)
I used ground lamb b/c that's what I had on hand. I didn't have celery or cilantro or pasta, but otherwise I followed the recipe pretty closely (but I left out the lemon since other reviewers didn't rave about the addition). And it was SO good! Also, with the ground lamb, the cooking time was cut in half but all of the flavor remained.
my husband and i really enjoyed this soup. easy to make. delicious, alot going on there. great on a cold winter's night. definitely a keeper. thanks usman.
Wonderful soup! I substituted a cut of tri-tip for the lamb, and added zucchini to mine. The possibilities are endless really. Its the spices that make this soup. I left out vermicelli, and cooked some rice on the side. My husband is a super picky Salvadorean man who's only every had the same five dishes all his life. It's so satisfying to find recipes from around the world that he loves.
Substituted the lamb with chicken thighs and substituted the margine with Avocado oil. Also added more beans and made with rice vermicelli. Came out delicious each and every time! Love this dish :D
I used beef instead of lamb, and I used about 1lb of lentils so it's thick in the end. I didn't use the eggs or the lemon. I used egg noodles that I had already and I smashed them into really small bits. Also added some carrots that I wanted to use up. I really enjoyed it, and think that the recipe is very forgiving and can be adapted according to taste.
Delicious! Hearty and makes plenty. I hardly noticed the lamb flavour. Enjoyed as part of an armchair travel day to Morocco. Grateful for all of the reviews noting its authenticity. Would make again as an alternative to chili.
Really enjoyed this and was asked to make again. I used beef as it was on hand, lamb is likely even better. Also, I skipped the pasta as I had a thick and consistent soup at the end. Thanks!
I was looking for a recipe with lentils and pasta and this hit the spot! I made it in the crockpot, and cooked the pasta separately at the end, so only used 2 C water. I browned the onions for about 5 minutes, then added the meat (I used hamburger as DH is not a fan of lamb), then garlic and the spices. I didn't have any canned chickpeas so used chana dal, which takes slightly longer to cook than lentils, so I put it on the bottom of the crockpot, followed by the tomatoes, then carrots (out of celery), then the ground beef/onions/ spices when it was done, and last the water. Took about 5 hours on Low. Cooked the pasta right before serving and tossed it and the eggs in. (Did the lemon separately as DH is not a fan of that either.) He didn't like the way it smelled but liked the taste and had seconds.
A few years ago we visited Morocco and stayed in a Riad in the ancient Medina section. This is a soup they served us each evening, prior to our meal. I could never remember the name and am thrilled to have the recipe. It tasted so much like I remember, but agree that it needs a bit of salt.
Substituted chicken breasts for the lamb; my daughter was pretty adamant about not eating lamb. Absolutely delicious and cuts down on the cooking time. Really nice flavor profile!
I was not a fan. I made it exact and it was very bland. I added a ton more spices and salt and it was better, but still not what I expected.
I make this for my Saudi guy and he loves it. (In all fairness, though, we all love it in my home!)
We absolutely loved this dish! We used ground lamb & egg noodles instead of vermicelli, because we didn't have it. Oher than that, we followed the recipe. Very flavorful and a nice change from the other soups that we make. Thank you for the recipe!
So delicious!! Lamb was super expensive, so I got ground lamb and made meatballs. Seasoned with the spices from the recipe.
Delicious, hearty, and very adjustable to whatever ingredients you have on hand. Made great leftovers.
This is my go-to recipe for harira. I would suggest to add salt to taste. Also I do not add the lemon juice to the main pot of soup. Instead we serve lemon wedges on the side of our bowls of soup.
