Tunisian Chorba Frik Vegetable Soup

Name: Tunisian Chorba Frik Vegetable Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Tunisian
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling, optional; 1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, finely diced; 2 stalks (120 g) celery stalks, diced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; 4 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced; 3 tablespoons (48 g) tomato paste; 2 tablespoons (30 g) harissa paste, plus more to taste; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground caraway; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground coriander; ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground turmeric; 1 cup (240 ml) canned crushed tomatoes; 7 cups (1650 ml) vegetable broth or water; ¾ cup (125 g) cracked freekeh, rinsed and drained; 1½ cups (one 15-oz can) (250 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 2 medium (160 g) carrots, peeled and diced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; 2 medium (about 12 oz) (340 g) zucchini, diced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; 1½ teaspoons (9 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste (reduce if broth is salted); ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ½ cup (12 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped; 1 large (120 g) lemon, half juiced (about 2 tablespoons), half cut into wedges for serving

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A deeply savory, brick-red Tunisian soup of cracked smoked freekeh, chickpeas, zucchini and tomato, spiced with harissa and finished with fresh mint and lemon. Fully vegetarian and hearty enough for a meal.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: About 9 cups (2.1 liters), 6 bowls

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Ingredients

6 servings

3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling, optional
1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, finely diced
2 stalks (120 g) celery stalks, diced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
4 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons (48 g) tomato paste
2 tablespoons (30 g) harissa paste, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground caraway
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground coriander
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground turmeric
1 cup (240 ml) canned crushed tomatoes
7 cups (1650 ml) vegetable broth or water
¾ cup (125 g) cracked freekeh, rinsed and drained
1½ cups (one 15-oz can) (250 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 medium (160 g) carrots, peeled and diced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
2 medium (about 12 oz) (340 g) zucchini, diced into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
1½ teaspoons (9 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste (reduce if broth is salted)
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
½ cup (12 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 large (120 g) lemon, half juiced (about 2 tablespoons), half cut into wedges for serving

Equipment (5)

5-quart (4.7 liter) heavy-bottomed soup pot with lid
Fine-mesh sieve
Wooden spoon
Chef's knife and cutting board
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Use cracked freekeh (the small, broken green wheat kernels); whole-grain freekeh needs much longer to cook.
Rinse the freekeh in a fine-mesh sieve and pick out any stones or debris.
Harissa brands vary widely in heat; start with the lower amount and add more at the end.
Dice all vegetables to a similar size (about ½ inch / 1.25 cm) so they cook evenly.
This soup is made entirely on the stovetop; no oven is needed.

1
Sauté the aromatics
- Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart (4.7 L) heavy soup pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion, celery and ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook, stirring often, for 7 to 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent and just starting to turn golden at the edges.
Tip: Don't let the onion brown deeply; it should stay sweet, not bitter.
2
Toast paste and spices
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, harissa, caraway, coriander and turmeric.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes so the paste darkens and the spices bloom.
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Ready when: The paste turns a deeper brick red and smells fragrant and toasty; oil begins to separate at the edges.
Tip: If the pot sticks, add a splash of broth and scrape up the browned bits.
3
Add liquids and freekeh
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and broth, scraping the bottom of the pot.
- Add the rinsed freekeh, ¾ teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper.
- Raise the heat and bring to a boil.
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Ready when: The surface bubbles steadily across the whole pot.
4
Simmer the grain
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the freekeh begins to soften.
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Ready when: Freekeh kernels are plump and slightly chewy but not yet fully tender.
Tip: Stir from the bottom; freekeh settles and can scorch.
5
Add chickpeas and carrots
- Stir in the chickpeas and carrots.
- Partially cover and simmer for 10 minutes more.
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Ready when: Carrots yield slightly when pierced with a fork but are still firm in the center.
6
Add the zucchini
- Add the zucchini and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- If the soup is thicker than you like, add up to ½ cup (120 ml) hot water.
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Ready when: Freekeh is tender with a pleasant chew, zucchini and carrots are fork-tender, and the soup is thick like a loose stew.
Tip: Zucchini goes mushy fast, so add it only for the final stretch.
7
Finish with mint and lemon
- Remove from the heat.
- Stir in most of the mint and the lemon juice.
- Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper or harissa.
- Let stand 5 minutes so the flavors meld.
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Ready when: The soup tastes bright, balanced and savory with a gentle heat.
Tip: Add lemon off the heat to keep its flavor fresh.
8
Serve
- Ladle into warm bowls.
- Top with the remaining mint, a drizzle of olive oil if you like, and a lemon wedge on the side.
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Tip: Offer extra harissa at the table for those who like more heat.

Good to know

Tips

Rinse the freekeh well; it can carry dust and tiny bits of ash from the smoking process.
Taste for salt only at the end, since broths and harissa vary greatly in sodium.
The soup keeps thickening as it sits, so thin leftovers with hot water when reheating.
For a heartier meal, serve with crusty bread and a few olives.

Make ahead

The soup can be made up to 3 days ahead; it thickens as it sits. Add the mint and lemon juice after reheating for the freshest flavor.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months (the zucchini will be softer). Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen, until steaming hot.

Substitutions

cracked freekeh → coarse bulgur or pearl barley. Bulgur cooks in about 15 minutes total, so add it with the chickpeas; pearl barley needs about 30 to 35 minutes.
harissa paste → 1 tablespoon tomato paste plus ½ teaspoon cayenne or red chili flakes. Gives similar color and heat but less depth.
ground caraway → ground cumin. Slightly different but still warm and earthy.
canned chickpeas → white beans or cooked dried chickpeas. Use the same amount; cooked dried chickpeas have a firmer bite.