Moroccan Vegetable Soup Recipe

Prepare all vegetables: finely chop the onion; mince the garlic; dice the carrot, celery, zucchini and butternut squash into roughly 1/2-inch pieces so they cook evenly. Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas. Measure spices and have the crushed tomatoes and broth ready.

Heat oil and cook aromatics

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbs olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt and cook 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent and beginning to soften.

Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant (do not burn).

Stir in the ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, turmeric and cinnamon and cook 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly, to bloom the spices and deepen their aroma.

Add the diced carrot, celery, butternut squash and zucchini to the pot. Stir to coat the vegetables with the spiced oil and cook 3–4 minutes to begin softening.

Pour in the crushed tomatoes (14 oz) and 4 cups vegetable broth. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the bay leaf, harissa (if using), salt and black pepper.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer for 18–22 minutes, or until the squash and carrots are tender when pierced with a fork.

Add the drained chickpeas in the last 5 minutes of simmering to heat through and absorb some flavor without breaking apart.

Remove the bay leaf. Stir in 1 tbs lemon juice and taste; adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon as needed. If you prefer a slightly smoother texture, use an immersion blender to purée 1/3 of the soup in the pot, or transfer a portion to a blender, then return to the pot.

If you want more body or creaminess, stir in up to 1/2 cup plain yogurt or labneh off the heat, then reheat gently (do not boil after adding dairy).

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro and parsley. Add an extra squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil or a dollop of yogurt if desired. Serve hot with crusty bread or flatbread.