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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.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 632 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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!
Happy Wednesday! Now let’s eat Moroccan soup!
An excellent tasty dish and a hearty meal.
Thank you so much Maggie!
Hi Tieghan! Do you think a salty crumbly feta would garnish this soup nicely? I don’t have goat cheese on hand, but I’m not sure if that will create the same creamy, tangy flavour goat cheese would. This looks delish, can’t wait until its ready!
Yes! I am sure it would taste amazing in this! Thank you so much Fay!
I dont see cilantro in the pictured finished photo but mint instead…I guess either would work?
HI! Yes, you can use cilantro or mint, either is great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Pistachios aren’t listed in the ingredients list but I see them in the picture and then saw them mentioned in the description. Do you toast these as well?
PS I was directed by a friend who made this for a luncheon and begged her for the recipe. She didnt have any nuts on top and it was still delish. With the nutty adjuvant I can only imagine it to be absolutely scrummy!
HI Bethy! You can added toasted pistachios to the top of this soup. That will be delicious!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe with the addition of the nuts even more! Thank you! xTieghan
Made this for dinner just as directed. We have not eaten many things with this particular spice family in it, but this was really yummy. My eleven-year-old has eaten the leftovers almost single-handedly! Very good exactly as written.
Thank you so much Bethany!
This sounds so delicious and going by all the comments, it must be a good recipe (except for those exceptions, that probably either did something wrong or had wonky ingredients). My question is what can I do about whipped goat cheese? It’s not available where I live in Edmonton, Canada. Can I make some myself? If so, what would the best process be?
Thanks so much!
Hey Jane! I would just crumble some goat cheese on over the soup. that will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan
This was super delicious! Just enough spicy and the goat cheese was an amazing addition. Thanks for all your awesome recipes!
Hi Heidi! I am so glad you enjoyed this soup! Thank you so much!
Thank you for this amazing recipe! I’m going to try it out tonight and I was wondering if I could subsitute the green lentils with red split lentils? I already have them in my pantry. Would I need to put them in the recipe a bit later or do they cook the same as green lentils? Thank you!
Hi! I am sure red lentils will be awesome! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan
hey have you considered adding to the ingredient list the other ingredients that you mention? — the 1/2 cup water and the nuts?
Hey JT! I like to keep the water in the instructions. The nuts are already in the ingredient list. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Holidays!! xTieghan ?
Hi,
Can you give directions on how to make this yummy sounding soup using an Instapot please? I now use only dried beans since buying my Instapot, and the difference in taste is astounding. Thank you!
HI! I am sorry, I am not comfortable providing instant pot directions for this as I have not tested the recipe for the instant pot and do not want to give you inaccurate timings. Please let me know if you have any other questions. sorry I could not help more. Thanks so much!! xTieghan ?
Recipe looks great. I wish I could get the ten minutes of my life back it took to read your personal story. Who cares?
Hey Don,
I am pretty sure no one forced you to read the entire blog post. We provide a “skip to the recipe” button at the top of every blog post for those who are just looking to get the recipe. It’s very visible and very easy to click. If you don’t like my writing, that is totally fine, but no one forced you to read it. Just simply click away and find your recipes elsewhere. Hoping your day turns around for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
How big is you’re crockpot? Mine is 3 liters.. I wonder how much should I scale down the amount of ingredients 🙂 thanks!
Hey Anna! I have a 7 quart crockpot. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan
Final instruction: Nuts???
Hi Mary Jane! Yes, the nuts are used as a topping along with the cilantro and whipped goat cheese! I hope you try this!
Chopped almonds, if you would like. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Did you use harrisa powder or the paste type?
HI Shawn! I use harissa paste. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Hi! Love your blog Tieghan. I have some pre-steamed lentils that I need to use up. If I’m making this stew, when should I add in the pre-cooked lentils? With the chickpeas, or before?
HI! I would add the lentils when directed in the recipe. I think they’ll still need some cooking time! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan