Traditional Moroccan Harira

Ingredients

• 2 cuillère à soupe Olive oil (To sauté onion and meat)
• 1 unité Yellow onion (Large, finely chopped)
• 200 g Red meat (veal, lamb or beef) (Cut into cubes)
• 1 cuillère à café Salt
• 0.5 cuillère à café Black pepper
• 1 cuillère à café Ground ginger
• 1 cuillère à café Ground turmeric
• 1 cuillère à café Sweet paprika
• 1 pincée Cinnamon (or small stick)
• 30 g Fresh coriander (Chopped, added at end of cooking)
• 30 g Flat parsley (Chopped, added at end of cooking)
• 2 branches Celery stalk (Chopped)
• 3 unités Fresh tomatoes (Grated or blended)
• 150 g Dried chickpeas (Soaked the night before and frozen)
• 100 g Red lentils (Rinsed)
• quelques filaments Saffron threads (Optional, adds color and aroma)
• 1.5 L Boiling water (Not warm water)
• 100 g Very fine spaghetti (angel hair) (Quick cooking, 2-3 min)
• 30 g Unsalted butter (Adds creaminess)
• 1 cuillère à soupe Lemon juice (Juice of ½ lemon, added at end)
• 2-3 cuillère à soupe Tomato concentrate (Or canned tomato purée)
• 2 cuillère à soupe Flour (Dilute in cold water to avoid lumps)

Instructions

1. Ingredient preparation

   Chop the onion, dice the celery, grate the tomatoes, measure the spices, prepare the flour/water mixture in a bowl.

   Time: PT15M

2. Sauté onion and meat

   Heat 2 c. à s. d olive oil in the pressure cooker, add the chopped onion and sweat it for 2 min, then add the meat and brown it for 3 min.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: feu moyen

3. Add spices

   Stir in the salt, pepper, ginger, turmeric, paprika and pinch of cinnamon, then mix for 2 min.

   Time: PT2M

4. Incorporate vegetables and legumes

   Add the chopped celery, grated tomatoes, soaked chickpeas, rinsed lentils and saffron threads. Immediately pour 1.5 L boiling water, stir and cover.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: feu moyen

5. Pressure cooking

   Close the pressure cooker, bring to high pressure and cook 20‑25 min. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 min before opening.

   Time: PT25M

6. Prepare angel hair and butter

   Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, cook the very fine spaghetti 2‑3 min, drain. Cut the butter into small pieces.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: eau bouillante

7. Prepare the binder (flour + water)

   In a bowl, mix 2 c. à s. of flour with 100 ml cold water, whisk until smooth.

   Time: PT3M

8. Thicken the soup

   Open the pot, scrape the bottom, add the flour/water mixture in a stream while stirring. Adjust consistency with boiling water if the soup is too thick.

   Time: PT5M

9. Add tomato concentrate

   Stir in 2‑3 c. à s. of tomato concentrate, let simmer 10 min on low heat, stirring regularly.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: feu doux

10. Incorporate angel hair and butter

    Add the cooked spaghetti and the butter, mix and cook 5 min over medium heat.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: feu moyen

11. Aromatic finishing

    Add chopped coriander and parsley, then the juice of half a lemon, stir 1 min.

    Time: PT1M

12. Serving

    Turn off the heat, scrape the bottom one last time, serve hot with croutons, hard‑boiled eggs, dates or briouats.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

12 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

8 g

Fiber

5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Olive oil: sunflower oil
• Instead of Yellow onion: shallot
• Instead of Red meat (veal, lamb or beef): chicken
• Instead of Salt: sea salt
• Instead of Black pepper: white pepper
• Instead of Ground ginger: fresh grated ginger
• Instead of Ground turmeric: saffron (in small amount)
• Instead of Sweet paprika: mild chili
• Instead of Cinnamon: cinnamon powder
• Instead of Fresh coriander: parsley
• Instead of Flat parsley: coriander
• Instead of Celery stalk: fennel
• Instead of Fresh tomatoes: canned tomatoes
• Instead of Dried chickpeas: canned chickpeas
• Instead of Red lentils: green lentils
• Instead of Saffron threads: extra turmeric
• Instead of Boiling water: vegetable broth
• Instead of Very fine spaghetti (angel hair): rice vermicelli
• Instead of Unsalted butter: olive oil
• Instead of Lemon juice: apple cider vinegar
• Instead of Tomato concentrate: crushed tomatoes
• Instead of Flour: cornstarch

Equipment Needed

• Pressure cooker
• Large pot
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Wooden spoon
• Immersion blender or blender (optional)
• Bowl
• Measuring cup / scale
• Sieve or skimmer (optional)
• Tablespoon and teaspoon

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Sauté onion and meat to brown the meat
• Add boiling water immediately after the vegetables
• Pressure cooking (20‑25 min)
• Thicken the soup with the flour/water mixture
• Add lemon juice at the end of cooking

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use homemade meat broth instead of water for deeper flavor.
• Lightly toast the spices before adding to intensify their aromas.
• Finish the dish with a drizzle of extra‑virgin olive oil for extra shine.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container, 3‑4 days in the refrigerator.

Freezer: Can be frozen up to 1 month, let cool completely before placing in the freezer.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Soak the chickpeas the night before and freeze in portions.
• Prepare the flour/water mixture ahead of time and keep it refrigerated.
• Keep the broth separate if you wish to adjust consistency at serving time.