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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Lamb harira with dates and bread

Lamb harira is a thick Moroccan soup made with lentils, chickpeas and tomatoes, served with dates, lemon and bread. For 4 people, it takes 1 hour 30 minutes and stays easy to make. It costs €2.80 per serving. The key is mixing the flour into cold water first so it thickens the broth without lumps.

Tonight, a big lamb harira, that thick, fragrant soup from Morocco, with dates, lemon and bread to break it the traditional way.

Lamb harira with dates and bread
Total time
1 h 30
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.80
Calories per person
630 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Harira is a soup that actually fills you up, thick with lentils and chickpeas simmered in a tomato broth warmed by ginger and turmeric. Diced lamb gives it body, while fresh coriander and parsley add a green note that balances the richness. A squeeze of lemon at the end wakes up every spoonful.

This is a patience dish, not a technical one, perfect for a winter Sunday when the pot can simmer while you do something else. The dates and bread on the side aren't just a garnish, they're part of the ritual, you bite into a date between spoonfuls of soup. It's a dish to share with family or friends, a full meal on its own.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Boneless lamb shoulder 400 g

Pantry

  • Green lentilsoften in the pantry 100 g
  • Cooked chickpeasoften in the pantry 200 g
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Flouroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Vermicellioften in the pantry 40 g
  • Ground gingeroften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Turmericoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 2
  • Celery stalk 2
  • Fresh coriander 1 sprigs
  • Flat leaf parsley 1 sprigs
  • Dates 8
  • Lemon 1

Bakery

  • Round bread 1

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the lamb into small cubes and brown it in a pot with the chopped onion and celery. 10 min

    Don't overcook the meat, the goal is just to give it a bit of color.

  2. Add the spices, tomatoes, rinsed lentils and 1.5 liters of water, then let it simmer. 40 min

    Green lentils hold their shape during cooking, they won't fall apart.

  3. Add the chickpeas, chopped coriander and parsley, and keep cooking. 15 min

    Save a bit of fresh herbs for serving.

  4. Mix the flour into a bowl of cold water, pour it into the soup in a thin stream while stirring, then add the vermicelli. 8 min

    Keep stirring nonstop at this stage, the soup turns velvety.

  5. Serve the harira piping hot with a squeeze of lemon, the dates and the bread.

    Eating a date between spoonfuls is the Moroccan way to enjoy it.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick ripe crushed tomatoes or a good quality canned brand, they give the broth its color and tang.
  • If the soup thickens too much as it cools, loosen it with a splash of hot water when reheating, rather than diluting it ahead of time.
  • Taste and adjust the salt only at the end of cooking, the chickpeas and reduced broth shift the balance along the way.

The variations

  • Swap the lamb for diced stewing beef, the flavor turns milder but the texture stays the same.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the meat and double the lentils and chickpeas, the broth keeps its thickness.
  • For a faster version, use canned chickpeas and cut the simmering time to 25 minutes, the soup will be slightly less tender.

What to serve it with

  • Round bread for dipping
  • Fresh dates to eat between spoonfuls
  • Hot mint tea

Storage

Harira keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well before you add the vermicelli, which is best cooked fresh when reheating. Warm it gently in a saucepan, adding a little water if it has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can you use red lentils instead of green lentils?

Red lentils cook faster and break down, which changes the soup's texture. If you use them, cut the simmering time to 20 minutes and watch them closely.

Can you make lamb harira ahead of time?

Yes, prepare the soup up through the chickpea step the day before, it only gets better. Add the flour mixture and vermicelli just before serving.

Why mix the flour into cold water before adding it?

Adding flour directly to hot soup creates lumps that are hard to fix. Mixed into cold water first, it blends smoothly and thickens the broth evenly.

What bread works best with harira?

A dense, round loaf like a country style bread holds up well against the thick soup. It's also great for mopping up the bowl at the end of the meal.

How long does it take to make a lamb harira with dates and bread?

Count 1 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a lamb harira with dates and bread?

About 630 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a lamb harira with dates and bread cost?

About €2.80 per serving, or €11.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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