Harira Lamb Stew

A richly spiced and warming Moroccan lamb stew, traditionally featuring tender lamb, lentils, chickpeas, and aromatic vegetables, all slow-simmered to perfection. Served with fluffy couscous and fresh cilantro.

• Prep: 25 min
• Cook: 1 hr 30 min
• Total: 1 hr 55 min
• Servings: 4
• Cuisine: Moroccan
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $7.29/serving

Dietary

• Dairy-Free
• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber

Tags

• comfort food
• savory
• slow cooker
• spicy

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1.25 pound lamb stew meat (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 1 yellow onion (chopped)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 15 ounce chickpeas (rinsed, drained)
• 0.5 cup brown lentils (rinsed)
• 4 cup beef broth
• 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1.5 teaspoon kosher salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 cup dry couscous
• 1 cup water (hot)

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season the lamb stew meat with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add the lamb to the pot and brown on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Remove lamb and set aside.
2. Add the chopped yellow onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Stir in the diced tomatoes, chickpeas, rinsed brown lentils, beef broth, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped fresh parsley, tomato paste, ground ginger, ground turmeric, ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper (if using), and remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Return the browned lamb to the pot.
4. Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the lamb is very tender and the lentils are cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
5. While the stew is simmering, prepare the couscous: Place 1 cup of dry couscous in a heatproof bowl. Pour 1 cup of hot water over it, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
6. Taste the stew and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve the Harira Lamb Stew hot over fluffy couscous, garnished with extra fresh cilantro.

Notes

For best flavor, consider simmering the stew for even longer, up to 2-3 hours on low heat. If the stew becomes too thick, add a little more beef broth or water to reach desired consistency.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 610
• Protein: 51.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 59.8 g
• Fat: 19.3 g
• Fiber: 15.2 g
• Sodium: 1400 mg
• Saturated Fat: 6.8 g
• Sugar: 7.1 g
• Cholesterol: 125 mg