harira habit

Having a cup of harira soup on the Jemaa el Fna square, is my fixed habit when I visit Marrakech. (we like stall #75)

Perfect soup weather today, so we are having vegetarian harira soup tonight!

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped into cubes
5 large ripe tomatoes with skin removed, seeded and chopped into cubes
1/2 cup of lentils
1 cup of chickpeas (preferably bought dried and soaked overnight. The 1 cup measurement should be the soaked version)
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon of Moroccan saffron
1/2 cup each of fresh chopped parsley (flat leaf) and coriander
1/4 cup rice
salt and pepper
1/2 lemon


-Take a large soup pot and add the olive oil, onion, fresh herbs, lentils and spices and 7 or 8 cups of water and stir over high heat until the pot is brought to a boil. Include the chickpeas if you have soaked them overnight. If you are using canned chickpeas, you’ll add them later.

-Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. If you are using canned chickpeas, add them after the 30 minute simmer is up.

-Add the tomatoes and another cup of water, as well as salt and pepper.

-Raise the heat again and when your soup is back to a boil, add the rice. Lower heat once more to a simmer for another 30 minutes.

-Serve with fresh parsley and a bit of lemon juice

Bon appetit!

(countless recipes to be found, in all possible variations)

Harira literally means mixture. The word is also used as an expression; Harira! what a mess!