The One-Pot North African Soup I Cook on Repeat

Ramadan traditions vary across the Arab world, but one remains constant: the almost compulsory soup at the iftar table. The presence of soup is so prevalent and expected that one might mistake it for a religious obligation. For many in the Arab world, breaking fast begins with a glass of water and three dates before moving on to soup and salad, eventually crescendoing into the rest of the iftar meal, the evening meal that marks the end of the daily fast.

In Algeria and Tunisia, this soup is often the rich and hearty chorba frik, Arabic for “freekeh soup.” It features tender lamb or beef, creamy chickpeas, and smoky cracked freekeh—pronounced frik in Tunisian and Algerian dialects. Freekeh is made from young green durum wheat that’s fire-roasted, giving it its signature toasty richness and pleasant chew. Layered with warm and fruity spices like paprika and cinnamon, the cooling flavors of fresh cilantro and dried mint, and subtle chile heat, the soup is deeply satisfying, texturally intriguing, and complex.

While eaten year-round in Algeria and Tunisia, chorba frik appears on the table almost every evening during Ramadan. Although it is typically served as a starter, it’s substantial enough to be eaten as a full meal. Variations of the soup exist from household to household throughout both countries. Some versions use chicken instead of the more common lamb or beef, while others incorporate puréed vegetables like zucchini and potatoes or vary the seasonings. Nowadays many people prepare it in a pressure cooker, but I developed this version to be slowly simmered on the stovetop, so there’s no need for a special cooking appliance.

In my recipe the lamb is first lightly seared, which develops a rich, roasted flavor. Dried chickpeas cook with aromatics and the lamb, becoming creamy at the same rate the meat tenderizes. An optional serrano pepper, left whole, lends a mild kick. While some recipes call for cooking the freekeh separately to ensure it’s tender but still retains a slight chew, I’ve streamlined my recipe by adding the freekeh directly to the soup to simmer for the last 15 to 18 minutes. As the freekeh cooks in the broth, the soup will become noticeably thicker. It should be hearty and stew-like but still liquid enough to count as a soup. If it becomes too thick, just adjust the consistency with additional water as you see fit. If adding water, just make sure to taste again for seasoning, and add more salt if needed. 

This soup will serve four as a starter, but because it’s a particularly thick and ample soup, it can make a filling meal for two. Finish the soup with an extra sprinkling of cilantro and a squeeze of bright lemon for a final bright kick of flavor.

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