Harissa Lentil Soup with Cilantro Salsa

Whenever I want nutritious comfort food in a hurry, I reach for the red lentils to make a quick harissa lentil soup. This flavour-packed Moroccan-style red lentil soup with harissa is my favourite pantry-friendly dinner that I rustle up when I only have 30 minutes to cook.

I love the sweet, earthy red lentils with a fiery harissa flavour boost. And to complete the meal, top the red lentil soup with yoghurt and a quick cilantro salsa (or pesto) for a fresh, zesty kick.

The result is a delicious, easy, pantry-friendly meal sure to become a go-to in your winter weeknight repertoire.

Ingredients and substitutes

This simple vegan lentil soup is full of flavour and takes no time at all to assemble. And with a quick and easy coriander salsa to top it off, it becomes a complete meal.

• Olive oil: I use a good-quality extra virgin olive, but you can use your preferred cooking oil.
• Aromatic vegetables: Onion, garlic, and chilli are the main aromatics in the soup base. But you can also add finely chopped celery stalks, carrots, or any other vegetables you have on hand.
• Spices: This recipe calls for ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, and ground turmeric. Substitute any one of these for ground ginger. Or use a pre-made spice blend like Ras el Hanout instead.
• Harissa: Rose harissa is a fragrant and flavourful Middle Eastern paste with just the right amount of heat for and a gorgeous floral fragrance. You can also use normal harissa, or smoked harissa paste. And if you don’t have any harissa, try any of these harissa substitutes.
• Tomato paste: It adds a deepness to the tomato flavour. But, depending on your type of harissa, you may choose to omit the tomato paste – some shop-bought harissa pastes already contain a lot of tomatoes.
• Tomatoes: I use canned whole tomatoes in juice or canned crushed tomatoes. You can also use fresh diced tomatoes when they’re in season.
• Red lentils: Split red lentils cook quickly and are perfect for this simple soup. But you can also use green or brown lentils – they’ll just take a little longer to cook.
• Vegetable stock: Use a good-quality store-bought or homemade vegetable broth.

Add freshness with a cilantro salsa

The zesty cilantro salsa (coriander leaf salsa) adds a fresh and spicy kick with a good hit of acidity. But if you don’t have fresh cilantro on hand, skip the salsa and serve the harissa soup with fresh lemon wedges instead.

This salsa makes use of the soft cilantro stems in addition to the leaves. It means more flavour and less waste!

You can even make this salsa with only stems if you plan on using the leaves in a different dish. You can refrigerate leftover salsa in a sealed glass jar and add it to any dish in need of some magic. Keep the salsa in the fridge for up to 5 days.

You can swap the chopped cilantro for fresh parsley if you’re not on team cilantro.

For a delicious Moroccan twist, you can add finely diced Moroccan preserved lemon (or this easy preserved lemon substitute).

And if you want to try something different, use any zesty fresh herb or hot sauce. Try basil pesto, shatta (Middle Eastern hot sauce), zhoug (spicy cilantro sauce) or green hot sauce.

What to serve with lentil harissa soup

Moroccan red lentil soup is a flavourful, hearty, and nourishing meal. Serve it simply with a generous dollop of Greek or coconut yoghurt, freshly ground black pepper, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive for a quick weeknight meal.

Or if you have the time, add a few side dishes to turn into a midweek feast.

Bread: Let’s face it, the time-honoured tradition of mopping up the last bit of soup with a piece of bread never gets old. Try a loaf of crusty sourdough, a traditional Moroccan bread (khobz), or quick and easy yoghurt flatbread.

A mezze spread: Serve the lentil and harissa soup with a small mezze platter featuring Middle Eastern dips and sauces like lemony hummus, Persian yoghurt and cucumber sauce (mast-o khiar), and zhoug sauce (spicy cilantro sauce). Place a little mezze on your plate, scoop up some with pita bread, and then alternate with spoonfuls of your hearty red lentil soup.

Zesty salads: For a refreshing side dish consider classic Middle Eastern salads like Arabic chopped salad or a tahini salad with tomato and cucumber.

Grains: This harissa lentil soup is thick enough (almost like a red lentil stew) to scoop over cooked grains. Light and fluffy couscous is a natural pairing for the Moroccan flavours. But I love to serve it with cooked barley (see how to cook barley) tossed with loads of chopped fresh herbs.

Add vegetables: Turn leftovers into a main course with canned chickpeas and extra vegetables like cubed butternut squash and sweet potato. And most certainly serve this with a cooked grain.

Make a big batch of harissa red lentil soup and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. And let me know how you served your soup in the comments below!

Frequently asked questions