Moroccan Lentil Soup
Submitted by firesig
Moroccan lentil soup with chickpeas, wheat berries, saffron, and a lemon-egg finish called taktira. A hearty North African soup spiced with turmeric, ginger, and cilantro.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsThis Moroccan lentil soup is closer to a harira, the traditional North African soup that’s eaten to break the Ramadan fast. Lentils, wheat berries, and chickpeas simmer together with saffron, turmeric, ginger, and a generous handful of cilantro into a thick, hearty pot.
The lemon-egg finish is the Moroccan signature. A beaten egg mixed with fresh lemon juice gets stirred into the hot soup right before serving, where it cooks into delicate silky strands that enrich the broth. This technique, called taktira, adds body and brightness in one move.
Wheat berries need the full simmer to become tender and chewy. They hold their texture beautifully alongside the softer lentils, giving each spoonful something to bite into.
Chef Tips
- Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer before adding the egg-lemon mixture. Boiling soup scrambles the egg into clumps instead of strands.
- Stir the egg mixture in slowly while swirling the soup. This creates thin, even ribbons.
- Add the chickpeas near the end so they warm through without turning mushy.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice into each bowl before ladling in the soup for an extra hit of acid.
Variations
- Make it in a slow cooker on low for 8 to 10 hours for a hands-off version.
- Swap wheat berries for broken vermicelli pasta added in the last 10 minutes for a more traditional harira.
- Add a diced potato for extra body and starch.
Ingredients
Directions
In soup pot, sauté onions in 2 tablespoons broth until softened. In blender or food processor, combine tomatoes with their juice, spices and cliantro.
Purée until fairly smooth.
Add to onions.
Simmer covered 5 minutes.
Add lentils, wheat berries and broth or water.
Cover tightly.
If using crockpot, set on medieum heat 8 to 10 hours, or low heat overnight.
On stove, simmer until wheat is tender, about 1½ hours.
About 15 minutes before serving, add garbanzos.
About 10 minutes before serving, beat egg with juice of one lemon.
Reduce heat to simmer; stir egg mixture into soup until forms strands.
Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, squeeze juice of remaining lemon into soup bowls before ladling in soup.
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