Ingredients
Choosing Chickpeas and Lentils for Moroccan Soups
Pulses are the quiet backbone of Moroccan cooking — the chickpeas that give harira its substance, the lentils that thicken a soup, the fava beans that become bissara. Choosing the right pulse and preparing it properly is straightforward but makes a genuine difference to texture and flavour.
At a glance
- Dried chickpeas: soak overnight with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda
- Green/brown lentils hold shape; red lentils dissolve for thickening soups
- Split fava beans cook to a smooth purée for bissara
- Do not add salt or acid until pulses are already tender
Guide
Dried chickpeas are preferred over tinned in traditional Moroccan cooking. They have a firmer, creamier texture and absorb the flavours of the broth as they cook. Soak them overnight in plenty of cold water with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda (this softens the skins and reduces cooking time). Drain, rinse and add to the pot raw — they will cook in the broth over one to two hours. Tinned chickpeas are a legitimate shortcut for weeknight harira; add them in the last thirty minutes since they are already cooked.
Lentils come in several varieties, each suited to different dishes. Green or brown lentils hold their shape and are good in stews and tagines where you want visible, textured lentils. Red (or orange) lentils dissolve as they cook, making them ideal for thickening soups — they are the traditional choice for Moroccan lentil soup (adas). Split fava beans are the base for bissara, the thick, earthy dip; they cook down completely into a smooth purée.
The key to all pulses in Moroccan cooking is patience. Do not add salt or acidic ingredients (tomato, lemon) until the pulses are already tender — acid toughens the skins and extends cooking time significantly. Add the pulses early, cook them gently in the broth, and let them absorb flavour. A well-cooked chickpea in a Moroccan harira should be creamy all the way through, not chalky in the centre. That creaminess comes from long, gentle cooking and a proper overnight soak.
Practical tips
- 1
Soak dried chickpeas overnight in cold water with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda.
- 2
Add dried chickpeas raw to the broth — they need 1–2 hours of gentle cooking.
- 3
Use red lentils when you want them to dissolve and thicken the soup.
- 4
Use green or brown lentils when you want them to hold their shape in a stew.
- 5
Do not add salt or tomato until the pulses are tender — acid toughens the skins.
Frequently asked questions
Dried or tinned chickpeas for harira?
Dried are traditional and give a firmer, creamier result. Soak them overnight with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. Tinned are a fine weeknight shortcut — add them in the last 30 minutes since they are already cooked.
Which lentils for Moroccan lentil soup?
Red (or orange) lentils — they dissolve as they cook and thicken the soup naturally. Green or brown lentils hold their shape and are better for stews where you want visible lentils.
Why are my chickpeas still hard after cooking?
Usually because salt or acid (tomato, lemon) was added too early — these toughen the skins. The soak may also have been too short. Soak overnight with bicarbonate of soda, and add salt only once the chickpeas are creamy.
Try the recipes
Put the tip into practice with these free step-by-step recipes: