The Moroccan tomato-and-lentil soup of Ramadan. Lentils, chickpeas, fresh tomato, coriander, parsley, cumin, ginger, saffron, a finishing thread of flour-water, and cinnamon at the very end.

When is harira eaten?

Most commonly at iftar — the breaking of the fast at sunset during Ramadan — alongside dates, eggs, chebakia, and bread. Some households eat it year-round on cool evenings.

A thick fava bean soup, eaten in winter. Topped with olive oil, cumin, and a pinch of paprika. A breakfast soup in some regions, a supper soup in others.

Kitchen · soups & stews

Soups & Stews

Harira at sundown, bissara in February, the pot that has been on since noon.

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February 28, 2026

Kitchen

The first harira

The pot has been on since noon. The whole house smells of cumin and tomato and that cinnamon-at-the-end thing that only happens in Ramadan. Zahra makes hers thicker than mine. I keep adjusting toward her version, year on year. It is almost there.

Harira

serves six

For the pot

200g brown lentils, rinsed150g chickpeas, soaked overnight1 large onion, fine-chopped4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and crushedA handful of celery leaves (not stalks)A big bunch each of coriander and parsley1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp ground ginger1/4 tsp cinnamon, right at the endA pinch of saffronOlive oil, salt, pepper

To finish

2 tbsp flour mixed with a little cold waterLemon, dates, bread, at the table

Sweat the onion in olive oil. Tomatoes, celery leaves, herbs, spices in — a couple of minutes until the kitchen smells ridiculous.

Lentils and chickpeas, water to cover (about two litres). Bring up, drop to a simmer, walk away for forty-five minutes.

Cinnamon now. Stream the flour-water in slowly, stirring, until it just coats a spoon. Lemon at the table.

Questions

On soups & stews.

What is harira?: The Moroccan tomato-and-lentil soup of Ramadan. Lentils, chickpeas, fresh tomato, coriander, parsley, cumin, ginger, saffron, a finishing thread of flour-water, and cinnamon at the very end.
When is harira eaten?: Most commonly at iftar — the breaking of the fast at sunset during Ramadan — alongside dates, eggs, chebakia, and bread. Some households eat it year-round on cool evenings.
What is bissara?: A thick fava bean soup, eaten in winter. Topped with olive oil, cumin, and a pinch of paprika. A breakfast soup in some regions, a supper soup in others.

Notes that touch soups & stews from elsewhere in the kitchen.

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