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Who said the healthiest recipes have to be salad?
Watch the How-To Video Here:
Crockpot Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup from Half Baked Harvest on Vimeo.
Because this soup is packed full of healthy ingredients, and YOU GUYS, this soup is, so, so good! Like it’s got to be in my top ten soups, but then I absolutely adore Moroccan flavors. They’re spicy, full of colorful veggies, and Moroccan foods like this one are usually topped with goat cheese…a major a yes in my book!
In all seriousness though this soup is incredible and the very best part is that literally all of the ingredients get thrown into the crockpot and you are done. DONE! You’ll have soup slow cooking all day long, the house is going to small awesome, and dinner will be ready when you walk in the door. No browning meat, no making extra things when you arrive home, just ladle the soup into bowls and eat…and eat…couldn’t be better.
This soup was inspired by many things, but the main reason is my brother’s girlfriend, Lyndsie. She traveled to Morocco last year and ever since then has been begging me to make a Moroccan inspired soup. Lynd’s is big on beans, veggies and all the spices they traditionally use in Morocco. I feel like Moroccan food has so much flavor and color, I love it. I also love all the incredible home goods Lyndsie brought back from Morocco. The next time she goes, I’m requesting a rug…or two, because they are some of the prettiest rugs I’ve ever seen. You can check out a few of the rugs they brought back here on her sister, Amber’s Interior Design site (click on rugs).
Anyway, I have made a few Moroccan recipes before…
Moroccan Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Soup w/Coconut Ginger Cream + Pistachios
Moroccan Spiced Lamb Burgers with Apricot Chutney + Pistachio Feta Pesto
Moroccan Chicken Salad with Pistachio Crusted Fried Goat Cheese + Garlic Naan
Spring Veggie + Lemon Moroccan Chicken Skewers with Minted Goat Cheese Yogurt
One Pot Moroccan Chicken + Chickpeas with Pistachio Couscous and Goat Cheese
Okok, so more than a few. What can I say, I really dig Moroccan flavors. Like I said, the color of the veggies and the spices they use are SO my kind of food. This soup is one of the more traditional Moroccan recipes I have made…or at least I think so. Meaning I did a little research before fully developing the recipe and learned that a few of my very favorite ingredients are used commonly in Moroccan cooking: cinnamon, cilantro, dates, chile peppers, bell peppers, lemons, and pistachios…literally all of my favorites, and I used all of them except dates in this recipe. See, can’t you tell this is going to be so good?
I also added harissa for some serious flavor, lots of green lentils, chickpeas for protein, and carrots and bell peppers for some veggies. I then topped the soup off with a spoonful of whipped goat cheese, lots of fresh cilantro, mint and lemon juice, plus toasted almonds and pistachios.
Oh, and then a side of, not pictured, naan, because at the time I took these photos, everyone had already eaten all of the naan I had made the day before. We are a naan obsessed family for sure! FYI, I made more for dinner that night. Can’t do soup without bread, and Moroccan inspired soup calls for bread in the form of naan. DUH.
If the whipped goat cheese is feeling a little fancy for you (it’s just goat cheese beaten together with a little Greek yogurt until creamy), just top the soup with crumbled goat cheese or Greek yogurt. Either way you serve it up, it’s going to be GOOD.
ps. this is also REALLY good served the next day wrapped up in naan with a little couscous (to help sock up the extra liquid), goat cheese and pistachios…oh and pomegranate arils. Got to love the leftovers!
Crockpot Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups green lentils
- 1 sweet onion, finely chopped
- 1 inch knob of fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups low sodium veggie or chicken broth
- 1-2 tablespoons red harissa
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 (14 ounce) can chickpeas
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- goat cheese and toasted almonds, for serving
Instructions
- In the bowl of a crockpot, combine the lentils, onion, ginger, garlic, carrots, red pepper, tomatoes, veggie broth, 1/2 cup water, the harissa, paprika, cumin, cinnamon and a large pinch of both Kosher salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
- Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice, chickpeas, and cilantro, cook until heated through. If the soup is thick, add more water or broth to thin. Taste and adjust the salt to your liking.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with whipped goat cheese, almonds, and fresh cilantro. Eat!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Happy Wednesday! Now let’s eat Moroccan soup!
Is it 1/2 cup of water or 2 cups water like you mentioned in the review?? Thank you
Hi Sharon, I use 1/2 cup of water. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! x Tieghan
I made this delicious soup on the stove instead of crockpot and loved it. Found the Harissa paste at my local Kroger.
Thank you! I am so glad you loved this!
I made this recipe this morning before work – so easy just to chop everything up and add it to the pot! I left it on low all day although I stirred it at lunchtime. So it had probably been in for something like 10 hours. It was absolutely delicious! And so healthy because we didn’t have any cheese, just some harissa flatbread. I will definitely be making this again. I am about to try the honey strawberry muffins . . . .
I am so glad you loved this Liz! Thank you! I hope the muffins turn out amazing for you!
Hi! Can the lentils be dried or are you referring to ones in a can? Same question for the chickpeas :))
Hi Mildred! The lentils I used were dried, but the chickpeas were from a can! I hope you love this!
This soup is DE-LISH! I just finished making it. I’ve got enough for lunch for the week. I wound up doubling the recipe so I have loads of it. Thanks again!
Thank you so much Amie!
Just wanted to say I really love this recipe, thank you! I don’t have harissa so I use gochujang, a Korean fermented chile paste. It seems to work!
Great! I am so glad you liked this Natalie!
Very Good !!
Amazing
Thank you!
Loved the exotic aroma that resulted as it comes through the day! It matched the delicious results. The lemon juice really brightens the flavor and off sets the richness of the goat cheese.
Thank you so much Jim, I am so glad you enjoyed this!
My slow cooker broke and I’ve used my instant pot as a slow cooker but it’s not quite the same. Do you know how I should convert this to an instant pot recipe?
I would cook on high pressure for 12-15 minutes, then use the natural or quick release. I think that should be great! Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
I love this recipe! it is so easy and the soup is extremely satisfying – thank you for sharing.
Thank you Dee! I am so glad you like this!
Hi Tieghan! This looks great. Any suggestions on how to modify this to an instant pot recipe?
PS: I have been following your blog for a few years now . I have made and loved many of your recipes! Saw your cookbook in a store recently and wanted to congratulate you on your amazing progress and hard work! You are awesome!
Thank you so much Paige! You can follow the directions as is, only cook on the soup setting on the instant pot for 20-25 minutes and then use the natural or quick release. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
I am really into my crockpot right now and it was just a little rainy today in Southern California so this looked cozy and easy. It did not disappoint, great flavors and so YUMMY, my family loved it topped with the creamy whipped goat cheese.
On a side note, next I am going to try one of your recipes with pomegranates which I grew up eating here in California and love to eat raw. You are very creative and talented, so don’t let that “negative pomegranate person” tell you any differently!
Thank you so much Robin! I hope you love the recipes with pomegranates!
Have you ever frozen this soup? If so, how’d it turn out?
Yes, and it works great! I froze mine for 3 months, then thawed overnight in the fridge. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
This was delicious! The only lentils I had in the cupboard were Belugas but they worked just fine. Made the kitchen smell wonderful on below zero day. I will make this again.
Thank you!!
Hey Tieghan!
This soup is amazing as is but if I were to add link sausage to it how would you suggest doing so? Thank you so much!
HI! I would just slice the sausage into 1/4 inch slices and add to the crockpot with everything else. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂