Skip to content
GetCookMatch
Harira with chickpeas, lentils and tomatoes — Morocco recipeMoroccoMorocco
📝Useful tips
S
Sergei Martynov

The tedouira — the flour slurry stirred in at the end — is what separates harira from any other lentil and chickpea soup. Without it you have a good soup. With it you have harira: that distinctive silky, slightly thick consistency that coats the back of a spoon. The key is to whisk the flour and cold water until genuinely smooth before adding it — any lumps in the slurry will be lumps in the soup. Add it slowly, stirring constantly, with the soup at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil. Once the tedouira is in, stir for at least 5 minutes to cook out any raw flour taste.

💡

Harira is better the next day. The spices deepen and the texture becomes even more cohesive overnight. If making ahead, don't add the tedouira until just before serving — it tends to over-thicken as the soup cools and sits. Make the soup through step 3, refrigerate, and finish with the tedouira and fresh herbs when reheating. Add a splash of water if it has thickened too much.

Soups

Harira

By Sergei Martynov

Harira is Morocco's most important soup. The name comes from the Arabic word for silk — a reference to the velvety texture it gets from a flour-and-water slurry (tedouira) stirred in at the end. Every Moroccan family has their version, but the spine is always the same: tomatoes, chickpeas, lentils, fresh herbs, ginger, and warm spices. It is the soup that breaks the Ramadan fast every evening at iftar, served alongside dates, hard-boiled eggs, and chebakia cookies. It is also eaten through the rest of the year, as a starter or as a meal in itself. The lamb version is the most traditional, but the vegetarian version is nearly as popular.

⏱️
90
Minutes
👥
6
Servings
🔥
320
kcal
Rate this recipe
IngredientsInstructionsCommentsRelated Recipes

Key Ingredients

canned chickpeasgreen or brown lentilscanned crushed tomatoes or 4 large fresh tomatoescilantroground ginger

What you'll need

Ingredients

How to make it

Instructions

  1. 1

    Brown the meat and build the base. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb or beef and brown on all sides — 5 to 6 minutes. Don't crowd the pot; brown in batches if needed. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until golden. Add the garlic, celery, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, and black pepper. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until the spices are fragrant. For a vegetarian version, skip the meat and start directly with the onion.

    Harira — step 1
  2. 2

    Add the tomatoes, herbs, and legumes. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the tomato paste darkens slightly. Add the drained chickpeas, lentils, half the chopped coriander, and half the parsley. Pour in the stock or water. Stir everything together and bring to a boil over high heat.

    Harira — step 2
  3. 3

    Simmer until everything is tender. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 to 55 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are fully cooked and beginning to break down and the meat is tender. The lentils thicken the soup naturally as they cook. If the soup looks too thick, add a little more water. Taste and adjust salt — harira needs generous seasoning.

    Harira — step 3
  4. 4

    Make the tedouira and finish the soup. In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the cold water until completely smooth with no lumps. This is the tedouira — the traditional flour slurry that gives harira its silky texture. With the soup at a gentle simmer, slowly pour the tedouira into the pot while stirring constantly. The soup will thicken noticeably within 2 to 3 minutes. Keep stirring to prevent lumps. Simmer for another 5 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.

    Harira — step 4
  5. 5

    Finish with herbs and serve. Stir in the remaining coriander and parsley. Taste one final time and adjust seasoning. The soup should be thick, silky, and deeply flavoured. Ladle into bowls and serve hot with lemon wedges. Traditional accompaniments: fresh dates, hard-boiled eggs, and warm Moroccan bread (khobz).

Join the conversation

Comments (1)

Leave a comment

  • Sergei Martynov✍ Author
    1d ago

    Харира — это не просто суп, это символ Рамадана. В Марокко её едят первым делом после захода солнца, вместе с финиками и яйцами — это обязательная тройка для ифтара. Секрет шёлковой текстуры — тедуира, разведённая мука, которая загущает бульон в последние 5 минут. Без неё — хороший гороховый суп. С ней — харира: тот самый бархатистый вкус, который дал супу название (с арабского harir означает шёлк). На второй день она становится ещё лучше.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is tedouira and why does harira use it?

Tedouira is a thin paste made from flour whisked with cold water. Stirred into harira near the end of cooking, it thickens the broth and gives the soup its characteristic silky texture — the quality described by the name 'harira' which means silk in Arabic. Some modern versions use cornstarch instead of flour, which produces a cleaner, more neutral thickening. Both work; flour is more traditional.

Can I make harira vegetarian?

Yes, and it's very common. Skip the meat entirely and use vegetable stock or water. The chickpeas and lentils provide plenty of protein and body. The spice profile and fresh herbs carry the flavor. The vegetarian version is lighter and takes less time — about 45 minutes total once the base is built. Add a touch more salt and tomato paste to compensate for the depth that meat adds.

What lentils should I use?

Green or brown lentils are traditional in harira — they hold their shape partially but also break down enough to thicken the soup. Red lentils work and cook faster, but they dissolve completely and make the soup more uniform and smooth, which changes the texture significantly. Either is fine. If using red lentils, reduce the simmering time by about 15 minutes.

What is the traditional way to serve harira at Ramadan iftar?

At iftar — the evening meal breaking the Ramadan fast — harira is typically the first thing eaten after the call to prayer. It is served hot alongside fresh dates, hard-boiled eggs, and chebakia — sesame and honey fried pastries. Moroccan mint tea is prepared at the same time. The combination of harira, dates, eggs, and tea is so culturally embedded that it functions as the iftar template for most Moroccan families.

Can harira be frozen?

Yes, but without the tedouira. Freeze the soup after the lentils and chickpeas are cooked through but before the flour slurry is added. The tedouira doesn't freeze and reheat well — the texture can become gluey. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat gently, and stir in a fresh tedouira and the remaining herbs when it comes back to temperature.