Moroccan Lentil Chickpea Stew
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A hearty North African legume stew blending lentils, chickpeas, and aromatic spices like saffron, cumin, and turmeric. Uses vegetable broth and fresh ginger with a subtle heat from harissa. Slow simmered until lentils soften perfectly; spaghetti added near the end for texture. Enriched with a beaten egg drizzle for silkiness and fresh cilantro for brightness. Rustic, chunky, and deeply flavored comfort food with layers of warmth. Adaptable spice levels and flexible ingredient swaps keep it accessible. A satisfying vegetarian dish with no dairy or nuts, great with bread for soaking up the rich broth.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
65 min
Total:
100 min
Servings:
6 servings
#Moroccan
#vegetarian
#comfort food
#legume stew
#spices
#slow simmer
Nothing beats a bowl filled with earthy legumes, fragrant spices, and a touch of ginger heat. Moroccan soups pull in saffron’s subtle floral scent layered with cumin’s earthiness and a kiss of cinnamon warmth. Over years, I learned slow is key. Not a mad boil, but a gentle bubble where flavors simmer and meld. Lentils soften but don’t collapse—listen for the quieter boil. Pasta added at end keeps texture alive, no mush there. Harissa adds grunt but tweak to mood. The egg drizzle? Surprise silky silk inside the rustic broth, an old chef’s trick from my travels in Marrakesh markets. Ditch heavy creams—here, whole flavor with nothing wasted. Simple, filling, and full-flavored. Bread on the side? Not optional but mandatory.
Ingredients
- 40 ml olive oil (slightly more for sauté)
- 1.5 litres vegetable broth
- 0.7 ml saffron threads (about 12 pistils)
- 4 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 12 g coriander stems, chopped
- 20 ml fresh ginger, grated
- 6 ml ground cumin
- 3 ml ground cinnamon
- 1.5 ml ground turmeric
- 70 g brown lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1 can 400 ml diced tomatoes
- 80 ml tomato paste
- 4 ml harissa paste (adjust to taste)
- 1 can 500 ml chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 50 g broken spaghetti, about 2.5 cm pieces
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 15 g fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 25 ml all-purpose flour, sifted
- 125 ml vegetable broth for slurry
About the ingredients
Flour slurry—key thickening without heaviness; avoid lumps by sifting flour and incorporating gradually in liquid. Saffron—buy threads, not powder; a pinch infuses color and aroma without bitterness. Fresh ginger sharpens and keeps things bright. Replace spaghetti with orzo or small pastas if unavailable. Chickpeas canned for ease but soaked dry cooks better texture if time permits. If no harissa, substitute hot paprika or cayenne in small amounts but be cautious—spice balance critical. Coriander stems often discarded but pack herbaceous power; don’t skip. Oil choice affects aroma; olive oil preferred but neutral oil can step in.
Method
- Whisk flour into 125 ml broth until fully dissolved, no lumps; set aside. Heat remaining 1.5 litres broth with saffron threads to infuse, warm and fragrant.
- Warm olive oil in large heavy pot over medium heat; add celery, onion, garlic, coriander stems, ginger. Sauté about 4 min until translucent, soft but not browned. Smell intensifies; aromatic base building.
- Sprinkle in cumin, cinnamon, turmeric; stir quickly 1-2 min till spices bloom, vibrant aroma releases but no burning. If too hot, lower heat to avoid bitterness.
- Pour in rinsed lentils, diced tomatoes with juices, tomato paste, harissa. Stir. Pour hot saffron broth over all. Crank heat; bring to steady simmer. Tiny bubbles emerge on sides. Cover loosely, simmer gently 45-50 min. Lentils should soften but hold shape, glean when to test by texture: tender, not mushy.
- Add drained chickpeas, broken spaghetti pieces. Stir to keep pasta submerged. Continue simmer ~12 min or until pasta al dente; cooking time varies on pasta thickness. Taste frequently.
- Gradually stream in flour slurry while stirring, thickens broth gently; helps body without clumps. Immediately pour in beaten egg in thin steady stream, do not stir after pouring; egg forms silky ‘ribbons’ inside, soft strands cook by residual heat, ~1-2 min.
- Finish with fresh cilantro leaves, fold gently. Let flavors marry a few minutes off heat. Serve hot with warm naan or crusty bread to soak juices.
- Store leftovers in fridge; reheat over low heat, may need splash extra broth if thickened too much.
Cooking tips
Start by dissolving flour in cool broth; prevents clumps later. Toast aromatics until softened but not brown; burnt onion or garlic ruins depth. Add spices and warm gently; smell changes are your cue. Broth should just bubble, not roar. Patience here avoids grainy lentils or bitter spice notes. Pasta timing varies–check early, texture is everything. Stirring egg in turns soup murky and gloopy; the trick: stream egg in and no stirring so ‘ribbons’ form naturally. Add fresh herbs last to preserve bright color and flavor. Leftovers thicken as starches swell—thin with broth on reheating. Naan or thick bread ideal to mop thick broth, don’t skip.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start broth with saffron early; subtle color change signals infusion. Don’t let broth boil hard or saffron turns bitter. Gentle bubble, low simmer works best. Smell intensifies when ready. Infuse longer if brothy flavor too weak.
- 💡 Toast spices quickly after aromatics soften; you want aroma but avoid char. Watch closely, cumin and cinnamon burn fast. Lower heat if smell sharpens to burnt. Bloom spices with oil, architecture forms here. Stir constantly 1-2 minutes max.
- 💡 Broken spaghetti timing tricky. Add near end but stir to keep submerged. Pasta absorbs broth fast; no mush. Cook 10-12 minutes checking texture. Too early- raw flour taste lingers; too late- pasta overcooked and clumpy.
- 💡 Flour slurry key to smooth broth clampdown. Add slowly while stirring steady; lumps form if poured fast or heat too high. Use cold broth for slurry mix — hot broth cooks flour instantly, clumps happen. Take your time to avoid gritty texture.
- 💡 Egg drizzle turns soup silky ribbons; no stirring after streaming egg in or strands break and turn cloudy. Patience here. Residual heat cooks egg gently; 1-2 minutes max keeps ribbons soft, glossy, soulful. Don’t add cold egg; temperature difference causes curdling.
Common questions
Can I skip saffron?
Yes you can but broth loses that warm golden hue, aroma drops. Use turmeric maybe but flavor is different. Saffron subtle yet vital. If no saffron, boost cumin-saffron combo with extra fresh ginger to compensate.
What if lentils get mushy?
Overcooking lentils happens fast under high heat. Lower heat sooner, watch smaller bubbles. Rinse well beforehand to remove starch. Add lentils early only if broth simmer steady and timed. Otherwise throw lentils in later with less cook time.
Alternatives to harissa?
Hot paprika or cayenne work in pinch but be cautious—all spice profiles differ. Harissa has depth—blend smoked paprika with a little chili powder might mimic some warmth. Add small amount, taste often; spice balance crucial.
How to store leftovers?
Cool completely before fridge. Thickens in cold, add splash broth reheating over low heat, stir gently. Freeze in airtight container for up to a month. Defrost slowly in fridge overnight. Texture shifts but taste stays hearty. Bread sides resist sogginess.
