Let me introduce you to a healthy, easy, flavourful soup recipe - Moroccan Lentil Soup. It's packed with protein, fiber and other nutritious ingredients, filling you up and giving your body what it needs.
I had no idea I would love Moroccan Lentil Soup so much! The warm spices of North Africa take this lentil soup to another level. It's warm and cozy and uses easy to find ingredients that you may already have on hand. If you love easy soups as much as I do check out this Lentil Soup with Curry, Veggie Reset Soup, Beef and Cabbage Soup and Hamburger Soup.
If you have leftover harissa paste and you need an idea of how to use it, try this Baked Chicken with Harissa and Feta. You won't be disappointed!
Jump to:
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Easy to Make: With simple instructions, this Moroccan Lentil Soup is perfect for both beginners and experienced cooks. The use of common kitchen ingredients makes it easy to whip up a delicious and nutritious meal.
Versatile: Switch up the vegetables to use your favourites or whatever you have on hand. Different types of lentils can also be used, as well as beans or chickpeas.
Perfect for Meal Prep: The soup's flavors improve over time, making it an excellent recipe for meal prepping. Prepare a batch on the weekend and enjoy delicious meals throughout the week. Or stash some in the freezer for a later date.
Nutrient-Rich Ingredients: Packed with nutritious ingredients, this soup provides a hearty and wholesome meal that's high in fiber, protein, and essential vitamins.
🥘Ingredients and Substitutions
White Onion: Yellow, red, Spanish or sweet onions will all work for this recipe.
Vegetables: Feel free to switch up the vegetables in any combination you desire. Some great additions could be bell peppers, butternut squash, zucchini, parsnips, fennel, potatoes, and cauliflower.
Spices: If you have a Moroccan or North African spice blend feel free to replace the spices with 3 to 4 teaspoons of the spice blend.
Harissa Paste: If harissa paste is unavailable add in your favourite hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or crushed chili flakes to taste. Or omit it completely.
Brown and Red Lentils: I used a combination of lentils purely for texture. Brown lentils hold their shape while red lentils break down to add a natural thickening agent to the soup. You can use only one type or replace one with yellow, green, or black lentils. Cooking times may vary so continue cooking until lentils are tender. Canned lentils can be used. Rinse them well and adjust cooking times. Canned lentils will take less time to cook.
Fresh Lemon Juice: I often add fresh lemon juice to soups to balance out and brighten the flavours. If you don't have lemon juice a small splash of vinegar will do the trick.
Fresh Cilantro or Parsley: Fresh basil would also be delicious in Moroccan Lentil Soup or you can omit the herbs altogether.
For a complete list of ingredients see the recipe card below.
Variations
Creamy: Make a creamy version of this soup by adding in coconut milk or cream. Or simply blend it to a creamy consistency. Add more broth or water, if necessary, to thin it out.
Spicy: Bump up the heat to make it spicier by adding cayenne pepper or chili flakes to the spice mix. You can also add in diced hot peppers or extra harissa paste or hot sauce.
Protein Boost: If you are a meat eater, you could add cooked chicken, turkey, or sausage. Or add a smokey flavour with diced ham or bacon.
🔪How to Make Moroccan Lentil Soup
Step 1: Sauté vegetables in oil until softened.
Step 2: Add spices and lentils. Stir to coat everything well with the spices.
Step 3: Add broth and harissa paste and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until lentils are soft.
Step 4: Remove from heat and stir in fresh lemon juice and coriander or parsley.
For detailed instructions see the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
Prepare your ingredients - In the restaurant world we call this "mise en place" which means "everything in its place". This is my number 1 piece of cooking advice. Before you start cooking make sure you have all your ingredients measured, chopped, drained etc. This is especially helpful when making one-pan meals that come together quickly.
Rinse the lentils thoroughly under cold water before adding them to the soup. This helps remove any excess starch and prevents the soup from becoming too thick.
Use Low-Sodium Broth: Low-sodium broth allows you to have better control over the salt content. You can always add more salt later if needed.
Adjust the Consistency: If the soup becomes too thick, adjust the consistency by adding more broth or water until you reach your desired thickness.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Place all the ingredients except the lemon juice and fresh herbs in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on the low setting for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Check lentils for doneness. Turn off heat and add lemon juice and fresh herbs.
Yes canned lentils can be used. Rinse the lentils well before adding to the soup. Because canned lentils are already cooked they will need less cooking time.
While the combination of spices contributes to the unique flavor of the soup, you can omit or adjust certain spices based on personal preference. Keep in mind that it may alter the overall taste.
More Lentil Recipes
Tried this recipe? I would love it if you could leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and/or a comment below. You can also follow me on social media here on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Want to say thank you?📖 Recipe
Moroccan Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large white onion ,diced
- 1 celery stalk ,diced
- 1 medium carrot ,diced
- 1 sweet potato ,peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic ,minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon harissa paste ,adjust to taste
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup brown lentils ,rinsed well
- 1 cup red lentils ,rinsed well
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth ,low sodium
- ½ lemon ,juiced
- ½ cup fresh coriander or parsley ,chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onions and celery and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes.1 large white onion, 1 tablespoons olive oil
- Add garlic, diced carrot, and sweet potato. Continue cooking for about 3 more minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften. Stir often to prevent browning the vegetables.1 medium carrot, 1 celery stalk, 1 sweet potato, 3 cloves garlic
- Stir in cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, smoked paprika, and cinnamon. Cook for another minute until the spices are fragrant.1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Add lentils, harissa paste, and salt into the pot. Mix well to coat everything in the spices.1 tablespoon harissa paste, 1 cup brown lentils, 1 cup red lentils, 2 teaspoons salt
- Pour in the vegetable or chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. Cover and let cook for 25-30 minutes or until lentils and vegetables are tender.6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- Remove from heat and stir in freshly squeezed lemon juice and fresh coriander or parsley. Adjust seasonings if needed.½ lemon, ½ cup fresh coriander or parsley
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh extra coriander or parsley.
Suzanne R Lyons says
excellent recipe YUM! and so easy to make...what brand of Harissa paste do you like?
Andrea says
I use Presidents Choice brand. Different harissa pastes have varying levels of spiciness so it’s good to taste yours before adding it to the recipe in case you want to adjust the amount.
Ashley says
Hey! Just wondering if this could be done in a crock pot.
Andrea says
Yes absolutely! I’m not sure about the timing but if you look up a crockpot lentil soup you can follow the same cooking directions with the ingredients of this recipe. Let me know how it works out!
Debra says
This soup is a winner. Better than wrapping yourself in a warm blanket on a winter’s day.
Lauren Wenstrom says
Hello.
I wonder if the Moroccan Lentil Soup would be just as good if I used canned lentils instead of dried. I ask because I have some canned lentils in my pantry, and would like to use them up.
Thanks!
Lauren
Andrea says
Yes absolutely! Just rinse them well and you may not need to cook them as long to reach your desired texture. Hope you enjoy the soup!
Beatrice Schori says
It turned out very well. The flavor is amazing.
I will keep making this soup. 🙂
Ro says
Where did you get the Harissa Paste …. Is that a PC label?
Presidents Choice ?
Andrea says
Yes it is. I picked it up at No Frills 👌