Sweet Potato Harira Maghreb

By Brenda Washnock
@brendasweetandsavory

Harira is a savory tomato and lentil Moroccan soup, it’s known as the national soup of Morocco. It’s served during the month Ramadan to break the fast at sunset each day and often served with dates or honey sweets. Harira is frequently made with lamb or beef, also a popular starter or snack outside of Ramadan.

Rating:

★★★★★ 1 vote

Comments:

7 Comments

Serves:

Prep:

40 Min

Cook:

1 Hr 15 Min

Method:

Stove Top

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Notes from the Test Kitchen:
It's the first time the Test Kitchen tasted Harira and we could not get enough. The herbs and spices blend well together. You taste a bit of spice from the cinnamon, ginger and turmeric. Adding fresh parsley and cilantro to the soup while it's simmering, enables their flavors to infuse the entire dish. Sweet potatoes, lentils and chickpeas make it extremely hearty. This soup is divine!

Ingredients

2 Tbsp: butter
1 large: onion, diced
2 large: sweet potatoes, peeled, diced and sprinkled with salt
2 1/2 c: petite cut canned tomatoes
1/2 c: celery leaves, chopped
4 Tbsp: chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c: chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp: ground ginger
1/2 tsp: ground turmeric
1 tsp: fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp: salt
1 tsp: ground cinnamon
6 c: water
1/2 c: green lentils, dry
1 can(s): chickpeas, drained
4 oz: vermicelli, broken into bite size pieces
2 medium: egg yolks
1/4 c: lemon juice
2 Tbsp: light brown sugar

How to Make Sweet Potato Harira Maghreb

Step-by-Step

1In your favorite large soup or stew pot, melt butter and fry the onion and sweet potatoes at medium to medium-high heat for about 6 minutes. Let the sweet potatoes sit for a couple of minutes at a time to get a nice brown sear.
2Add the tomatoes, celery leaves, herbs, salt and spices (parsley through cinnamon) and cook for 5 minutes then stir in the water and the lentils and slowly bring to a boil.
3Boil rapidly for 10 minutes then reduce the heat; add the chickpeas and simmer for about an hour, not less.
4Add the vermicelli and cook for 5-6 minutes until the pasta is cooked through. If the soup seems thick at this point add more water. Add the brown sugar.
5Beat the egg yolks with the lemon juice and stir into the simmering soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with fresh cilantro