North African Harira Soup (Printable)

Fragrant tomato stew with chickpeas, lentils, and spices, perfect for cozy evenings and gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Legumes

01 - 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained (or 2 cups canned, drained and rinsed)
02 - 1/2 cup dried lentils, rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 2 medium carrots, diced
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 can (400 g/14 oz) chopped tomatoes
09 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
10 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

→ Spices

11 - 1 tsp ground cumin
12 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
13 - 1/2 tsp ground ginger
14 - 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
15 - 1/2 tsp paprika
16 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
17 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Liquids

18 - 6 cups vegetable broth
19 - 2 tbsp tomato paste

→ Sweet & Savory

20 - 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
21 - Juice of 1 lemon

→ Optional Garnishes

22 - Lemon wedges
23 - Extra cilantro or parsley
24 - Cooked vermicelli or rice

# Step-by-step Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in garlic, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, paprika, and cayenne pepper if using. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chopped tomatoes, chickpeas, lentils, and dried apricots.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally until chickpeas and lentils are tender.
05 - Stir in cilantro, parsley, and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.
06 - Add cooked vermicelli or rice for a heartier dish if desired.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with extra herbs and lemon wedges. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of soup that tastes like a warm hug, with unexpected sweetness from apricots cutting through savory spices.
  • One pot, real ingredients, and it actually tastes better the next day—perfect for weeknight dinners or feeding a crowd.
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking dried chickpeas overnight if you're using them—it cuts cooking time significantly and makes them digest better, though canned are a perfectly legitimate shortcut.
  • The apricots might seem like an odd addition, but they're absolutely essential; they add a subtle sweetness that balances the spices and makes the soup feel complete rather than one-dimensional.
03 -
  • If you want deeper flavor, add a pinch of saffron or a small dollop of harissa paste—these aren't traditional additions for everyone, but they change the game if that's your style.
  • Make sure your vegetable broth has real seasoning to it; a bland broth means a bland soup, and that defeats the whole purpose.
Return