Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Base
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 2 carrot, diced
- 2 celery, diced
- 3 garlic, minced
Meat
- 400 g lamb shoulder, trimmed and diced into 1.5cm cubes
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Spices & Flavorings
- 45 g harissa paste
- 30 g tomato paste
- 4 g ground cumin
- 2 g ground coriander
- 1 g ground cinnamon
Broth & Grains
- 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 1000 ml lamb or beef stock, hot
- 100 g pearl barley, rinsed
Garnish
- 15 g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 425 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbohydrates
- 42 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 1523 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 58 mg
- Potassium
- 1257 mg
- Calcium
- 126 mg
- Iron
- 5.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 83 mg
- Phosphorus
- 345 mg
- Zinc
- 5.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 336 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 31 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 29 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.28 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.26 mg
- Niacin
- 7.6 mg
- Folate
- 34 mcg
- Water
- 424 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Pat the diced lamb shoulder dry and season evenly with kosher salt and black pepper. Prepare all aromatics on your cutting board with a chef's knife.
Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned lamb and sear until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove the lamb and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery to the pot. Sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables are softened and the onions are translucent.
Stir in the minced garlic, harissa paste, tomato paste, ground cumin, coriander, and cinnamon. Cook until the tomato paste darkens slightly and the spices are highly fragrant.
Pour in a splash of the hot stock to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Return the seared lamb to the pot along with the remaining stock and crushed tomatoes. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil.
Stir in the rinsed pearl barley. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and maintain a gentle simmer around 90°C/195°F. Cook until the lamb is perfectly tender, reaching an internal temperature well over 74°C/165°F for food safety, and the barley is plump and chewy.
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh chopped coriander and squeeze the juice of one lemon wedge into the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, then serve hot with remaining lemon wedges.
Chef's Notes
- Harissa brands vary wildly in heat level and saltiness. Taste your specific paste before adding the full amount to avoid overpowering the soup.
- Using lamb shoulder provides the necessary intramuscular fat and connective tissue to keep the meat tender during the long braise. Leaner cuts like leg will dry out.
- Pearl barley has its bran removed, allowing it to cook in about an hour. If you substitute hulled barley for a whole-grain option, you will need to increase the simmering time by at least 30 minutes.
- This soup builds flavor overnight. Making it a day in advance allows the spices and tomato base to meld, resulting in a significantly deeper, more complex taste.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Barley will absorb broth over time; add a splash of water or stock when reheating.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in airtight containers; texture of barley may soften slightly upon thawing.
Troubleshooting
Soup is overly thick and stew-like
Cause: Barley absorbed more liquid than anticipated or simmer was too vigorous
Fix: Stir in an additional 100 to 200ml of hot stock or water until the desired consistency is reached
Prevention: Keep the pot tightly covered during the simmer and ensure heat is very low
Barley remains hard or overly chewy after an hour
Cause: Pot did not maintain a consistent simmer or old grains were used
Fix: Add a splash of water if the liquid is low and continue simmering for another 15 to 20 minutes
Prevention: Ensure steady, gentle bubbling is visible throughout the cooking process
Cultural Context
Drawing inspiration from traditional North African mainstays like Moroccan Harira, this robust dish combines the staple grains of the Maghreb with slow-cooked lamb. The defining ingredient is harissa, a fiery, aromatic chili paste originating in Tunisia but beloved throughout the region, which imparts a distinctive warmth and earthy complexity to the rich tomato broth.
