A vegetarian soup, flavoured with Moroccan spices is healthy, hearty and warming, making a perfect one pot meal to see you through the colder months.
This Moroccan chickpea and lentil soup is full of nutritious ingredients to comfort and warm through the long winter evenings.
Whether you are rushed off your feet or need some time to unwind, a pot of this tasty soup can see you though your meals for an entire weekend. As the flavours develop over time, this soup tastes even better the next day!
Enjoy it warm with toasted bread or stir in some boiled rice or boiled orzo for a quick and comforting meal.
If you are entertaining serve it alongside these finger-licking good Turkish ribs (always a crowd pleaser), with a side of roasted carrots and this fragrant orange blossom basbousa for dessert.
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About the ingredients
These are the ingredients you will need:
- olive oil
- red onion – sliced thin so they maintain their shape during cooking.
- ground cumin – for a slight earthy flavour
- ras el-hanout – gives amazing aroma and flavour, available from most Middle Eastern grocery stores. It is a mixture of varying amounts of cardamom, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, allspice, coriander, turmeric, paprika, fenugreek and chilli peppers
- smoked paprika – if you’ve run out use regular paprika
- canned tomatoes – or 12 medium fresh tomatoes, diced
- tomato puree
- vegetable stock – homemade or store bought, either way taste the soup to adjust the amount of salt.
- red split lentils – rinse well and drain several times till the water runs clear.
- cilantro – (fresh coriander), use the stalks and leaves (optional as not everyone like cilantro).
- chickpeas – canned, from a jar or freshly boiled
- salt – adjust after tasting
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed
- Greek yogurt – or any other strained yogurt such as Turkish
Pro tip: Cilantro (fresh coriander) stalks add just as much flavour as the leaves. Chop the cilantro stalks and add to the soup while cooking. Reserve the leaves to use as a garnish after cooking.
Commonly asked questions
Ras el-hanout is an aromatic and flavoursome North African spice mix. It literally means ‘head of the shop’ as it is an expert blend prepared by a skilled shopkeeper comprising around a dozen carefully selected spices. Commonly used spices are cardamom, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, allspice, coriander, turmeric, paprika, fenugreek and chilli peppers.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a large skillet or pan heat the oil on medium-low sautéing the onions till softened, then add the spices and mix well.
- Add chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, tomato purée, lentils, cilantro stalks (optional) and salt and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add chickpeas and cook for a further 10 minutes.
- By now the soup will have thickened. Turn off the heat and taste for seasoning adding more salt if required. Note: vegetable stock often contains salt so you may not need to add any more.
How to serve it
Serve the soup warm garnished with a squeeze of lemon juice, chopped cilantro leaves (optional), a dollop of Greek yoghurt.
Toast some bread such as ciabatta to serve on the side or stir in some boiled rice or boiled orzo.
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Are you making this vegetarian Moroccan soup? Let me know how it turned out in the comments below and don’t forget to give it a star rating.
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Recipe
Moroccan Chickpea And Lentil Soup
Ingredients
Soup
- olive oil 2 tablespoons
- red onion - thinly sliced 1 medium
- ground cumin ¾ teaspoon
- Ras-el-Hanout spice mix 1½ teaspoon
- smoked paprika 1 teaspoon
- canned chopped tomatoes - 14 oz can 400 g
- tomato purée 1 tablespoon
- vegetable stock - (2 cups), hot 500 mls
- red split lentils - ⅓ cup, rinsed and drained 5 tablespoons
- cilantro - /coriander (optional). Separate the leaves from the stalks then roughly chop both. 5 sprigs
- salt - add more if required after tasting ½ teaspoon
- canned chickpeas - 14 oz can, drained 400 g
- lemon ½
- Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons
Instructions
Soup
- In a medium pan heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium heat and sauté 1 medium red onion till softened.
- Add ¾ teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1½ teaspoon Ras-el-Hanout spice mix * and mix well.
- Stir in 400 g canned chopped tomatoes, 1 tablespoon tomato purée, 500 mls vegetable stock 5 tablespoons red split lentils, cilantro stalks and ½ teaspoon salt and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add 400 g canned chickpeas and simmer for another 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and taste adding more salt if required. Serve warm, garnished with juice of ½ lemon, cilantro leaves, 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt and some crusty bread grilled on the side.
Notes
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Equipment
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically per serving and accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
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Claire shroff says
Yum!
Claire shroff says
Very tasty, even better the next day
Nicole says
I think so too, thank you!
Hebe says
This sounds delicious. Now that the weather is colder, I’m so in the mood for stews with big hunks of bread.
Hebe
Ashley says
👌
Nicole says
Thanks Ashley!
The Happy Whisk says
Looks wonderful! Happy Eating and boogie boogie.
Nicole says
Thanks Ivy, I knew you would like it!