Vegan Harira soup is the most comforting Moroccan soup, full of vegetables, spices and flavor. This is a hearty and delicious meal in itself!
What is harira soup?
It’s a traditional Moroccan soup, with a tomato base and chickpeas, lentils, warm spices, and tangy lemon juice. The flavor combination is unbeatable! It’s enjoyed year round, but especially significant in Ramadan. It’s often made with chicken or lamb, but I made a vegetarian/ vegan harira soup. Both easier, and more than filling enough!
Why should I make vegan harira soup?
It’s so hearty, it can definitely suffice as a meal on its own. The chickpeas and legumes offer a great source of protein and fiber.
It’s healthy and so full of flavor that you won’t feel you are missing out by having this as a meal!
Once you get the chopping out of the way, the soup comes together very easily.
The soup has an exotic flavor profile, but it’s so comforting that it’ll appeal to all tastebuds. It uses easy to find spices and ingredients, everything you’ll already have in your pantry
It’s vegetarian, vegan, and easily gluten free if you use cornstarch instead of the flour, and use gluten free noodles or rice instead of the vermicelli.
What ingredients do I need to make this?
The legumes: Chickpeas and green lentils. Filing and healthy! I used canned chickpeas instead of soaking dry ones and adding more work.
The veggies: Onion, celery, and carrots. A wonderful veggie base for any soup or stew.
The herbs: Fresh coriander and parsley are trademarks in this soup and give such fresh and zesty flavor.
The spices: Instead of using a pre made spice mix, or some harder to source Middle Eastern spices, we simply use salt, pepper, red chili flakes, cinnamon powder, and turmeric powder. That simple! Taste and adjust once the soup is done simmering, and add a little more salt and pepper if needed.
The base: The tomato sauce, and vegetable broth. You can use ready made vegetable broth, or vegetable stock dissolved in water.
Lemon juice: Quite a lot! It gives the soup a tangy, delicious flavor. You can taste and adjust according to preference.
Vermicelli noodles: These are optional. Some people use rice instead, some people don’t add any rice or noodles. I think this big handful of vermicelli noodles really helps complete the soup and make it more of a meal. Feel free to substitute gluten free noodles, rice, or leave out entirely.
Flour and water: A traditional way to thicken the soup. It’s known as a tedouira. I added enough to get my desired consistency, which is not as thick as a stew, but not a very loose liquid- you can tell in the video in the recipe card how thick I got mine to be!
How do I make the soup?
I prefer pre-soaking the lentils, just while I prepare the rest of the ingredients to give them a head start when it comes to cooking time.
Chop up all your veggies, and saute them in olive oil for 6-8 minutes until onions soften.
Add the spices, and the fresh herbs, the tomato sauce and stock and boil, then add the chickpeas, and drained lentils and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the vermicelli, which only needs a few minutes to cook, at which point you add the lemon juice and the flour/water thickener.
What to serve Harira soup with?
Traditionally, in Ramadan, we have dates with soup! Also, a very popular (and delicious!) accompaniment is samosas. Try these delicious cheesy potato samosas, or these musakahan chicken ones.
You can serve this with some pita bread or thicker bread, but this stands up very well on it’s own!
Storing leftover Harira Soup:
Leftover soup will last very well in the fridge 3-4 days. Reheat on low-medium heat to avoid scorching the soup at the bottom of the pot.
Harira soup can also be frozen for 3-4 months in an airtight container in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or just place the frozen block of soup in a saucepan on low heat and it’ll thaw quickly.
If you liked this recipe, you might like:
Vegan Harira Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- pinch red chili flakes
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped coriander(cilantro)
- 1 can tomato sauce 15 oz (430g)
- 7 cups vegetable stock or 2 stock cubes dissolved in 7 cups water
- 1 can drained chickpeas 15 oz (400 g)
- 1 cup green lentils
- 1/2 cup vermicelli noodles 50 g
- 2 lemons, juiced 1/4 cup juice
- 2 tablespoon flour, dissolved in 1/4 cup water* use cornstarch if gluten free
Instructions
- Start by adding the lentils to a bowl of water and soaking as you prepare the rest of the ingredients, this helps them cook through faster.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and add the onions, celery and carrots. Saute for 6-8 minutes, until onions soften and turn golden brown.
- Add all the spices, the chopped parsley and chopped coriander, the tomato sauce, and the vegetable stock. Bring the pot to a boil, then add the drained chickpeas and drained lentils. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until chickpeas and lentils are tender.
- Add the vermicelli, and let it boil for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Add the lemon juice, and the flour water mixture. Let it simmer another minute or until it thickens, then taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.
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