Moroccan Bean Soup Recipe
This Mediterranean-inspired Moroccan Bean Soup is a quick-fix but hardy meatless soup filled with beautiful, fragrant flavors. It's a healthy one-pot meal, cooked in 20 minutes, that can be served with poached eggs or even chicken, lamb, or beef for additional protein.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 123kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 carrots chopped
- 2 celery ribs chopped
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 to 5 cups water
- 1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes
- ½ cup dried green lentils
- 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas drained
- 2 (15-oz) cans butter beans or Fava beans, drained
- Fresh cilantro or parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large saucepan or medium-sized Dutch oven. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until tender. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and ginger; stir and cook for a few seconds or until fragrant. Then stir the water, tomatoes, dry lentils, chickpeas, and fava beans (or bean of choice). Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked through. Add additional water if necessary.
- To make it a heartier meal, serve with poached eggs on top or with added cooked chicken, beef, or lamb. Top with fresh cilantro or parsley.
Notes
- Lentils: Red, green, or brown lentils all work here. Red lentils cook the fastest and will give the soup a softer texture, while green or brown hold their shape a bit more.
- Beans: Traditional Harira often includes chickpeas and sometimes broad beans (fava). If you don’t have broad beans, substitute with more chickpeas, kidney beans, or even white beans.
- Broth: Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version, or chicken/beef broth if you’d like a heartier flavor.
- Make Ahead: The flavor improves as it sits — this soup is even better the next day. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
- Freezing: Let the soup cool completely before freezing. Store in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot. If the soup has thickened in storage, add a splash of broth or water to loosen.
- Serving Tip: Brighten bowls with a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh herbs (cilantro or parsley) just before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 421mg | Potassium: 300mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5111IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg