50 min
Greek Spanakorizo with Dill, Feta & Lemon
Tender rice and abundant spinach simmer together in one pot, then brighten with fresh dill, lemon and salty feta for a satisfying vegetarian meal.
Photo: Interstates / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0
One-Pot Dinners
Moroccan-Style Vegetarian Harira with Lentils & Chickpeas
Tomato, brown lentils, chickpeas and fine vermicelli simmer with warm spices and fresh herbs for a substantial meatless soup finished with lemon.
Directions
Build the aromatic base
Warm the olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium. Add the onion, celery and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft but not browned. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin and cayenne; stir for 45 seconds until fragrant.
Simmer the lentils
Add the crushed tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, broth, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, black pepper, half the cilantro and half the parsley. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook for 32 to 38 minutes, stirring twice, until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
Whisk the thickener smooth
While the lentils cook, whisk the flour and cool water in a bowl until completely smooth and pourable. Let it stand for 5 minutes, then whisk again; this slurry gives harira its characteristic lightly silky body without cream.
Temper and add the slurry
Ladle 1 cup hot soup into the flour mixture in a thin stream while whisking. Slowly pour the tempered slurry back into the simmering pot, stirring constantly so it disperses without lumps. Simmer uncovered for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the broth lightly coats a spoon.
Cook the vermicelli
Stir in the broken vermicelli and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or according to its package, until just tender. Stir often near the bottom because the flour and noodles can catch. Add up to 1 cup extra broth if the soup becomes thicker than a loose stew.
Brighten and finish
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the remaining cilantro, remaining parsley and lemon juice. Taste for salt and acidity. Ladle into warm bowls, scatter with torn mint and serve with lemon wedges; the visible finish should remain tomato-red with chickpeas and noodles at the surface.
Why this works
Why it worksBlooming the dry spices in oil before liquid wakes up their aromas, while a gentle lentil simmer prevents the legumes from breaking down into paste.
Why it worksTempering a cool flour slurry with hot soup eliminates raw-flour pockets and thickens the tomato broth evenly without dairy.
Why it worksAdding vermicelli only after the lentils are tender keeps the noodles distinct, and the final lemon and fresh herbs balance the soup's deep tomato and spice notes.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
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Compare on Amazon6-quart Dutch ovenA broad heavy pot gives lentils room to simmer and keeps the flour-thickened tomato broth at steady heat.See current options →
Compare on AmazonStainless mesh colanderFine mesh keeps small lentils contained while you rinse away dust and inspect them before cooking.See current options →
Compare on Amazon8-inch chef’s knifeA sharp all-purpose blade makes the fine onion, celery and herb cuts that melt evenly into the soup.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- Use 1 cup cooked chickpeas from scratch in place of canned. Add them with the lentils only if they are already tender; firm chickpeas need a separate longer cook.
- Gluten-free thin rice noodles can replace vermicelli. Thicken with 3 tablespoons cornstarch whisked into cool water and add the noodles for only their package cooking time.
- For a meat version, brown 12 ounces diced lamb shoulder before the onions, then simmer until both lamb and lentils are tender. Reheat leftovers to 165°F.
Cook notes
- Brown or green lentils keep their shape better than red lentils, which would produce a much softer soup than the visible chickpea-and-noodle texture.
- Harira varies by household and region; this is explicitly a meatless, home-kitchen interpretation rather than a claim that one formula represents every Moroccan version.
- The licensed photograph visibly shows a thick red tomato soup with whole chickpeas, fine noodles and mint; the recipe matches those major components, consistency and garnish.
Storage
Cool promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours for up to 4 days. The noodles continue absorbing broth, so loosen each portion with vegetable broth while reheating to a full simmer or 165°F. Freeze for up to 3 months preferably before adding vermicelli; thaw overnight, reheat, then cook fresh noodles in the soup.
Questions
Why is my harira much thicker after it cools?
Both flour and vermicelli keep absorbing liquid. Whisk in broth or water a little at a time during reheating until the soup returns to a spoonable, loose-stew consistency.
Can I skip the flour slurry?
Yes, but the broth will be thinner. For a naturally thicker gluten-free alternative, blend 1 cup of the cooked soup until smooth and stir it back in before adding the noodles.
Can I prepare harira a day ahead?
Yes, and the spice flavor deepens overnight. For the best noodle texture, complete the soup through the thickening step, chill it, then add vermicelli while reheating before serving.
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Moroccan-Style Vegetarian Harira with Lentils & Chickpeas
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1. Build the aromatic baseWarm the olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium. Add the onion, celery and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft but not browned. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin and cayenne; stir for 45 seconds until fragrant.
2. Simmer the lentilsAdd the crushed tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, broth, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, black pepper, half the cilantro and half the parsley. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook for 32 to 38 minutes, stirring twice, until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
3. Whisk the thickener smoothWhile the lentils cook, whisk the flour and cool water in a bowl until completely smooth and pourable. Let it stand for 5 minutes, then whisk again; this slurry gives harira its characteristic lightly silky body without cream.
4. Temper and add the slurryLadle 1 cup hot soup into the flour mixture in a thin stream while whisking. Slowly pour the tempered slurry back into the simmering pot, stirring constantly so it disperses without lumps. Simmer uncovered for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the broth lightly coats a spoon.
5. Cook the vermicelliStir in the broken vermicelli and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or according to its package, until just tender. Stir often near the bottom because the flour and noodles can catch. Add up to 1 cup extra broth if the soup becomes thicker than a loose stew.
6. Brighten and finishRemove the pot from the heat. Stir in the remaining cilantro, remaining parsley and lemon juice. Taste for salt and acidity. Ladle into warm bowls, scatter with torn mint and serve with lemon wedges; the visible finish should remain tomato-red with chickpeas and noodles at the surface.