Moroccan Harira Soup, Fassi Harira
I grew up eating bowls of Harira on chilly evenings and during Ramadan — its bright tomato broth, tender lamb, and comforting grains make it the kind of soup you crave when you want something both homey and celebratory. This Fassi-style Harira is rich without being heavy, built from simple pantry staples, and perfect for feeding a family or making ahead for weekday lunches.
What makes this recipe special
Harira is more than a soup in Morocco — it’s a ritual food, served at the end of fasting days and at family gatherings. This version (Fassi Harira) balances tender lamb, chickpeas and lentils, and a tomato-broth thickened gently with a flour slurry so it finishes silky rather than gluey. It’s both nourishing and economical: inexpensive cuts of lamb and dry legumes stretch into a hearty bowl that keeps well.
Why make this now: it’s ideal for cool weather, busy weeknights (make a big pot and eat for days), or when you want an authentic North African soup without a complicated ingredient list.
Step-by-step overview
- Prep the aromatics: dice the onion, finely chop parsley, cilantro and celery, and puree or skin tomatoes.
- Brown lamb and soften the aromatics briefly in the pot.
- Add spices, stock cube, chickpeas and water; simmer to develop flavor.
- Stir in lentils and tomatoes; simmer until tender.
- Make a flour slurry with water and dilute the tomato concentrate; whisk into the pot to thicken gently.
- Add rice and small pasta (or vermicelli) and cook until tender. Finish with fresh herbs and a final seasoning check.
This quick roadmap helps you time the recipe and know when you can pause or speed up steps.
What you’ll need
- 250 g lamb, cut into small dice (stewing cut or shoulder recommended)
- 250 g chickpeas, soaked overnight (or use canned chickpeas — add later in cooking)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp smen (traditional) — substitute 1 tbsp vegetable oil + 1 tbsp margarine or butter
- 100 g lentils (brown or red)
- 1 bunch coriander (about 50 g)
- 1 bunch parsley (about 50 g)
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- 300 g juicy tomatoes (or 1 can tomatoes, puréed)
- 150 g tomato concentrate (tomato paste)
- 50 g flour (for slurry)
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 poultry cube (or 1–2 tsp bouillon powder)
- Salt to taste
- A pinch saffron (or 1/4 tsp turmeric as an economical swap)
- 50 g rice
- 100 g or "langues d’oiseaux" pasta (or a handful of vermicelli)
- Black pepper to taste
Notes: If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse and add them near the end to avoid overcooking. For a richer broth, leave bone-in lamb; remove bones before serving.
How to prepare Moroccan Harira Soup, Fassi Harira
- Chop the onion, parsley, coriander, and celery finely. Puree or finely chop tomatoes — if using fresh, blanch, peel and seed them first.
- Heat the smen (or oil + margarine) in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced lamb and brown on all sides.
- Add the chopped onion, parsley, coriander and celery. Cook until the onion softens and the herbs wilt, about 3–4 minutes.
- Stir in the spices: ginger, cinnamon, saffron (or turmeric), salt, and black pepper. Crumble in the poultry cube and stir to dissolve.
- Add soaked chickpeas (if using dried) or set aside canned chickpeas to add later. Pour in about 2 liters of water and bring to a simmer. Cook covered for 30 minutes to tenderize the lamb and rehydrate chickpeas.
- Add lentils and the pureed tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- In a bowl, whisk the flour into cold water until smooth to make a slurry. Dilute the tomato concentrate in a little water too.
- Gradually pour both the flour slurry and diluted concentrate into the soup while stirring constantly. Continue stirring and simmer for 10 minutes until the soup thickens slightly.
- Add the rice and the small pasta (vermicelli or langues d’oiseaux) by sprinkling them in. Cook uncovered, stirring regularly, for about 15 minutes or until rice and pasta are tender.
- If you used canned chickpeas, stir them in now and heat through for a few minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Finish with a squeeze of lemon (optional) and a sprinkle of fresh herbs.
Short, active steps help keep the rhythm in the kitchen and prevent lumps or overcooked pasta.
01Ingredients
For the Soup
02Method
- Preparation
- Cooking
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0 OF 10 DONE03Recipe notes
- 01For a richer broth, leave bone-in lamb; remove bones before serving. If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse and add them near the end to avoid overcooking.
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Best ways to enjoy it
- Ladle Harira into deep bowls and finish with extra chopped cilantro and a lemon wedge for bright acidity.
- Serve alongside warm flatbreads (khobz) or baguette slices to soak up the broth.
- For a Ramadan table, pair with dates and chebakia (sweet sesame pastries).
- Garnish ideas: a drizzle of olive oil, a spoonful of Greek yogurt, or toasted pine nuts for texture.
Presentation tip: serve with small bowls of chopped herbs, lemon wedges and extra vermicelli on the side so guests can customize.
Storage and reheating tips
Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers within 2 hours of cooking. Keep up to 3–4 days.
Reheat gently on the stove over low-medium heat. Add a splash of water or stock if the soup has thickened in the fridge.
Freeze portions in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat; note that pasta may absorb more liquid after freezing. If the texture changes, add extra broth or a spoonful of tomato purée to refresh the flavor.
Food safety: cool the pot by dividing into smaller containers before refrigerating to ensure it cools quickly.
Creative twists
- Vegetarian Harira: omit lamb, use vegetable stock, increase lentils and add extra chickpeas. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon to finish.
- Gluten-free: replace flour slurry with a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + cold water). Use gluten-free pasta or extra rice.
- Spicier: add 1/2 tsp harissa or a pinch of cayenne when adding spices.
- Tomato-forward: stir in extra crushed tomatoes or a splash of beef broth for depth.
- Smoky lamb: use smoked paprika and a little smoked salt for a different profile.
- Quick weeknight: use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, shred it, and add in place of lamb for a faster version.
Helpful answers
Can I use canned chickpeas?
A: Yes. Drain and rinse, then add canned chickpeas near the end of cooking to avoid mushy beans.
How long does this take from start to finish?
A: Active time about 25–35 minutes; simmering time 45–60 minutes depending on chickpea type and lamb cut. Plan roughly 1¼ hours total.
Can I make Harira in a slow cooker or pressure cooker?
A: Yes. In a slow cooker, brown the lamb and aromatics first, then cook on low 6–8 hours. In a pressure cooker, follow the same order and pressure-cook for 20–25 minutes (check chickpea doneness). Add rice and pasta after pressure cooking and simmer until tender.
What is smen?
A: Smen is fermented butter used in Moroccan cooking. If you don’t have it, use vegetable oil or butter plus a bit of margarine for richness.
How do I prevent the vermicelli from dissolving?
A: Add small pasta late in the final 10–15 minutes and keep the soup just at a gentle simmer. Overcooking causes pasta to break down.
Conclusion
If you want a reliable, comforting Moroccan soup that scales easily and stores well, this Fassi Harira recipe is a great choice — authentic in flavor, flexible in ingredients, and forgiving in technique. For an alternate take on the classic and more context about Harira’s tomato-and-legume base, see this detailed Harira recipe – Moroccan Tomato Soup with Chickpeas and Lentils. Looking for more? Try my Moroccan Chicken Briouats Recipe.
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