Tunisian Frik Soup

Tunisian Frik Soup is a medium Tunisian recipe that serves 6. 250 calories per serving. Recipe by Love of Cooking Soulef on YouTube.

Prep: 10 min | Cook: 53 min | Total: 1 hr 18 min

Cost: $15.46 total, $2.58 per serving

Ingredients

  • 200 g Barley semolina (Tunisian frik) (Fine barley semolina, different from Algerian frik)
  • 500 g Lamb meat (or beef) (Cut into 2 cm cubes)
  • 250 g Cooked chickpeas (Canned, drained and rinsed)
  • 1 large Onion (Peeled and finely chopped)
  • 3 cloves Garlic (Crushed)
  • 2 c. à soupe Extra-virgin olive oil (Approximately 30 ml)
  • 1 c. à soupe Tomato concentrate (Approximately 15 g)
  • 1 bouquet Fresh cilantro (Coarsely chopped)
  • 1 bouquet Flat-leaf parsley (Coarsely chopped)
  • 1 Green chili (Deseeded and sliced into rounds (optional))
  • 1 c. à café Sweet paprika
  • 0.5 c. à café Ground black pepper
  • 0.5 c. à café Turmeric
  • 0.5 c. à café Cumin (Tunisian)
  • 1 c. à café Salt
  • 2 L Water (Boiling)

Instructions

  1. Ingredient preparation

    Peel and finely chop the onion, crush the garlic, chop the cilantro and parsley, slice the green chili into rounds, and measure all the spices.

    Time: PT10M

  2. Sauté meat and aromatics

    In the pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the onion, garlic and meat cubes. Brown the meat until it is well colored.

    Time: PT10M

    Temperature: medium

  3. Add spices and concentrate

    Stir in the tomato concentrate, paprika, black pepper, turmeric, cumin and salt. Mix for 2 minutes to release the aromas.

    Time: PT2M

  4. Incorporate fresh herbs

    Add the chopped cilantro and parsley, stir and let cook for an additional 2 minutes.

    Time: PT2M

  5. Pressure cooking the meat

    Pour the 2 L of boiling water, close the pressure cooker and cook at high pressure for 20 minutes.

    Time: PT20M

    Temperature: high pressure

  6. Check the meat

    Release the pressure, open the pot and test the meat's tenderness. It should be meltingly tender.

    Time: PT5M

  7. Add the frik and chickpeas

    Stir in the frik, drained chickpeas and green chili (if used). Stir quickly to prevent the frik from sticking to the bottom.

    Time: PT5M

  8. Final cooking of the frik

    Close the pot and cook at medium pressure for 5 minutes, or on low heat for 10 minutes, until the frik is tender.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: medium

  9. Final seasoning

    Open, taste and adjust salt or add an extra spoon of tomato concentrate if needed.

    Time: PT2M

  10. Serving

    Pour the chorba into bowls, garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories
250
Protein
12 g
Carbohydrates
30 g
Fat
8 g
Fiber
6 g

Dietary info: dairy-free, nut-free, low-calorie, low-fat, high-fiber

Allergens: gluten (barley), legumes (chickpeas)

Last updated: April 11, 2026

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Tunisian Frik Soup

Recipe by Love of Cooking Soulef

Traditional Tunisian soup made with barley semolina (frik), meat and chickpeas, flavored with spices, fresh herbs and tomato concentrate. Ideal for Ramadan or winter evenings.

MediumTunisianServes 6

Shop all ingredients on Amazon in one click • Printable PDF with shopping checklist

Source Video
36m
Prep
27m
Cook
10m
Cleanup
1h 13m
Total

Cost Breakdown

$15.46
Total cost
$2.58
Per serving

Critical Success Points

  • Brown the meat before pressure cooking.
  • Do not let the frik stick to the bottom; stir as soon as added.
  • Pressure cook the frik to achieve a tender texture.

Safety Warnings

  • Handle hot oil carefully to avoid splatters.
  • Follow the pressure cooker safety instructions (do not exceed the maximum water level).
  • Use gloves or a thick cloth when opening the pressure cooker.

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