Lahshu soup

Lahshu soup is the Moroccan semolina soup: semolina simmered in water with olive oil, garlic, grated tomato and fenugreek seeds, finished with plenty of lemon, coriander and celery leaves. A cheap, quick winter soup, as thick as single cream, that every Moroccan family makes a little differently.

Pot calculatorOrder Lahshu soup

VeganVegetarianDairy freeParveAllergens:GlutenCelery

Updated

Lahshu soupIllustration
Time1 h 10 minCook 50 min
Pot8 bowls2.8 litres
Per bowl193 kcal4.1 g protein · a 350 ml bowl
Cost of the pot₪18for the pot, about ₪2.3 a bowl

The story of Lahshu soup

Lahshu, or simply hshu in many homes, is a pantry soup: semolina, oil, garlic and coriander, with everything else optional. The name comes from the Arabic root meaning to sip, the same root as hasa, the word for soup in literary Arabic, and the l at the start is the definite article of Moroccan Arabic. In Morocco it belongs to a family of thick soups made from semolina or barley grits that appear on many tables in winter.

Moroccan Jews brought semolina soup to Israel and every family kept its own version. In some homes it is white and simple, semolina, garlic and coriander in 15 minutes; in others it is red with tomato, fenugreek, hot chilli and lots of lemon. Many grandmothers added a piece of chicken, or just some chicken skin, for depth. Plenty of families call it, with a smile, the Moroccan antibiotic, a nickname that is more about love than medicine: it is the soup you make when it rains.

What makes Lahshu soup itself

In lahshu the semolina is not an add-in, it is the soup. It goes into boiling water in a slow rain while you whisk, and releases starch that turns the water silky and thick without cream or flour. Fenugreek brings a deep, slightly sweet aroma, lemon brings a sourness that lifts the heaviness of the semolina, and the coriander and celery leaves go in only at the end so the soup tastes green and fresh.

Lahshu soup for any number of people

Change the number of people and the bowl size, and every ingredient updates in grams, with the cost, calories and protein per bowl.

Bowl size
Units
2.8litres in the pot
4Pot to use, litres
₪18Cost of the pot
₪2.3per bowl
193kcal per bowl
4.1g protein per bowl
IngredientAmountCost
The base
Olive oil80 ml₪4.3
Large onion, finely chopped200 g · 1 pcs₪1.2
Garlic cloves, chopped30 g · 8 pcs₪1.0
Hot green chilli, finely chopped15 g · 1 pcs₪0.2
Whole fenugreek seeds4 g₪0.2
Ripe tomatoes, grated400 g · 3 pcs₪3.2
Water2.5 l
Semolina and spices
Fine semolina170 g₪1.0
Turmeric3 g₪0.3
Cumin2 g₪0.2
White pepper1 g₪0.3
Salt14 g₪0.0
Greens and lemon
Fresh lemon juice120 ml₪2.4
Coriander, chopped60 g₪2.9
Celery leaves, chopped40 g₪1.4
Send on WhatsApp

Shelf prices at a large Israeli chain and specialty shops, October 2026. Nutrition from the ingredients in grams, before cooking.

How many calories in Lahshu soup? Nutrition facts and calorie calculator

Change the amount of any ingredient, drop one, or pick a lighter version, and the numbers per serving update at once: calories, fat, carbs, protein, sodium and fibre.

Lahshu soup has 55 calories per 100 ml. A 350 ml bowl made with our recipe has 193 calories: 4.1 g protein, 9.7 g fat and 21.7 g carbohydrates. A 250 ml cup has 138 calories.

Lighter

Ingredients, for the whole recipe

  • 80 ml81 kcal per serving
  • 1 pcs10 kcal per serving
  • 8 pcs6 kcal per serving
  • 1 pcs1 kcal per serving
  • 4 g2 kcal per serving
  • 3 pcs9 kcal per serving
  • 170 g77 kcal per serving
  • 3 g1 kcal per serving
  • 2 g1 kcal per serving
  • 1 g0 kcal per serving
  • 14 g0 kcal per serving
  • 120 ml3 kcal per serving
  • 60 g2 kcal per serving
  • 40 g1 kcal per serving

What each add-on adds to Lahshu soup

Values for the amount in the row, from the national food database.

Add-onCaloriesProtein, gFat, g
A tablespoon of oil122013.8
A slice of white bread792.50.5
A slice of challah12641.1

How to make Lahshu soup

In cook mode the screen stays on, tap a step when it is done, and the timers run next to each step.
  1. In a 5 litre pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, chilli and fenugreek seeds and fry for 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent and starting to turn golden.
  2. Add the grated tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, until the liquid reduces and the oil turns red.
  3. Add the turmeric, cumin and pepper and stir for one minute.
  4. Add the water and bring to a full boil.
  5. Rain the semolina in slowly with one hand while whisking constantly with the other, until it is all in and there are no lumps.
  6. Lower to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring from the bottom every few minutes, because semolina likes to stick.
  7. Add the lemon juice, coriander, celery leaves and salt and cook for another 10 minutes.
  8. Taste and correct the salt and lemon. The soup should be as thick as single cream; if it is thicker, add a cup of boiling water.
  9. Turn off the heat, rest for 5 minutes and serve with chopped coriander on top.

The science of Lahshu soup

Kitchen science

Why semolina forms lumps

Semolina grains are mostly starch. In boiling water the outer layer of each grain gelatinises within seconds and turns into a sticky gel that glues grains together and traps dry semolina inside. A slow rain and constant whisking separate the grains before that gel can form, and a cold water slurry does the same job in advance.

Kitchen science

Why semolina soup sets in the fridge

As the soup cools, the starch chains released by the semolina realign and bond with each other, a process called retrogradation. They trap the water in a firm gel, which is why lahshu from the fridge can be almost solid, like polenta. Heating it with a little water and whisking turns it back into soup.

Kitchen science

What fenugreek does

Fenugreek seeds contain sotolon, an aroma compound with notes of maple and curry, and soluble fibre that forms a light gel and gives the soup a silky feel. A short fry in oil softens the bitterness of the raw seeds. More than half a tablespoon for the pot and the soup turns bitter.

Kitchen science

Why the lemon goes in last

The scent of lemon and coriander comes from volatile compounds that evaporate in a long boil, so they go in for the last ten minutes. There is a second reason too: acid and heat slowly break starch chains apart, so lemon simmered with semolina for an hour leaves the soup thin and flat.

Lahshu soup in every kitchen

White and simple

Just semolina, crushed garlic, coriander, olive oil and a little turmeric, with no onion and no tomato. Ready in 15 minutes, with a texture close to a loose porridge.

Red, with tomato and fenugreek

The recipe here: grated tomato, fenugreek seeds and hot chilli fried before the water goes in, and lots of lemon at the end. This is the Moroccan semolina soup most families know.

With chicken

A drumstick and thigh are fried with the onion and simmered for 40 minutes before the semolina. Some grandmothers used only a piece of chicken skin for a deeper taste. The pot is then meat.

With vegetables

Small dice of carrot, zucchini and celery stalk go in with the water and cook for 10 minutes before the semolina. Semolina soup with vegetables like this is close to a meal.

Tunisian

Tunisia has its own hsou: a spicy semolina soup with harissa, tomato paste, caraway and dried mint, sometimes with small meatballs.

Romanian, with semolina dumplings

A different idea altogether: semolina, egg and oil are mixed into a soft dough, and small balls of it are poached as dumplings in a clear chicken or vegetable broth.

Common Lahshu soup problems and how to fix them

My semolina soup is lumpy

The semolina went into the water all at once. Whisk hard for a minute or two, and if lumps remain, give it a few seconds with a stick blender. Next time, rain it in slowly and whisk without stopping.

The lahshu is as thick as porridge

Too much semolina, or the soup stood and cooled. Add boiling water a cup at a time, whisk and correct the salt. For soup, the ratio is about 170 g of semolina to 2.5 litres of water.

The soup stuck and burnt on the bottom

The heat was too high or the bottom was not stirred. Pour it into a clean pot without scraping the burnt layer. Next time, cook over low heat and stir with a wooden spoon every few minutes.

The soup is bitter

Too much fenugreek, or the garlic and fenugreek burnt while frying. Thin it with water, add lemon and salt, and next time fry over medium heat with no more than half a tablespoon of fenugreek.

The lahshu tastes flat

Semolina soaks up a lot of salt, so a soup that tasted salty at the start feels flat at the end. Season generously at the end with salt and lemon, and add a freshly crushed garlic clove.

Storing, freezing and reheating

3 days

In the fridge

1 month

In the freezer

2+4

To cool

Bring it from 60 to 21 °C within two hours and down to 5 °C within four more. Split a big pot into shallow boxes.

75 °C

Reheating

The soup sets in the fridge. Reheat over low heat with half a cup of water per litre, whisking until smooth, then correct the salt and lemon. After freezing it is a little watery, and hard whisking brings it back.

Nutrition of Lahshu soup

From our recipe, per bowl and per 100 g, next to the national food database.

ServingkcalProtein, gFat, gCarbs, gFibre, g
Our recipe, a 350 ml bowl1934.19.721.72.6
Our recipe, 100 ml551.22.86.20.7
Typical Lahshu soup, 100 g391.02.82.40.1

What the ingredients of Lahshu soup cost

What each ingredient costs in one pot, and where to buy it.

IngredientPriceIn this potWhere to buy
Olive oil₪53 per litre₪4.3Supermarket
Ripe tomatoes, grated₪7.9 per kg₪3.2Greengrocer
Coriander, chopped₪4.9 each₪2.9Greengrocer
Fresh lemon juice₪20 per litre₪2.4Supermarket
Celery leaves, chopped₪6.9 each₪1.4Greengrocer
Large onion, finely chopped₪5.9 per kg₪1.2Greengrocer
Garlic cloves, chopped₪34 per kg₪1Greengrocer
Fine semolina₪5.8 per kg₪1Supermarket
Turmeric₪86 per kg₪0.3Supermarket
White pepper₪250 per kg₪0.2Supermarket
Hot green chilli, finely chopped₪13 per kg₪0.2Greengrocer
Whole fenugreek seeds₪45 per kg₪0.2Spice shop
Cumin₪86 per kg₪0.2Supermarket
Salt₪2.1 per kg₪0Supermarket

Shelf prices at a large Israeli chain and specialty shops, October 2026, VAT included. Vegetable prices change with the season.

From the pantry: what Lahshu soup needs

Pantry

Whole fenugreek seeds

Price and where to buy

Make Lahshu soup a meal

Shabbat

Ready Shabbat food

Soup, hamin, mains and sides, with a quantity calculator and prices.

Plan Shabbat
Hosting

Hosting trays

9 trays to go with the soup, with a planner by number of guests.

Tray planner
Events

Catering

A whole menu in grams per guest, with a reheating table.

Menus

What to serve with Lahshu soup

Serve very hot in bowls with chopped coriander, a drizzle of olive oil and a lemon wedge. With fresh bread or pita it makes a whole winter supper.

The cuisine behind Lahshu soup

Moroccan

Moroccan cuisine

Lahshu, or simply hshu in many homes, is a pantry soup: semolina, oil, garlic and coriander, with everything else optional. The name comes…

Moroccan cuisine

Lahshu soup in large quantities: events, offices and communities

How much of everything by number of guests, at a 350 ml bowl. For institutional pots, catering and community kitchens.

GuestsLitres30 l potsCost of ingredients
258.81₪57
50181₪115
100352₪230
200703₪460
5001757₪1,150

Every ingredient for any number of guests is in the calculator above: type the number of people.

Order Lahshu soup

A ready pot for Shabbat, an event or the office, ordered ahead.

  • Cooked to order, for Shabbat, an event or the office.
  • Tell us how many people and when, and we send a quote.
  • Delivery in Tel Aviv from ₪35, free over ₪750.
Ask for a quote for Lahshu soup

Order Lahshu soup for a large event

Large orders in Israel and abroad: events, offices, synagogues, communities and institutions.

  • In Israel: cooked in Tel Aviv and delivered to events in the area, and to large events anywhere in the country on a quote.
  • Abroad: for communities, events and restaurants. Tell us where, how many and when, and we come back with a quote and options.
  • Institutional quantities and a shopping list for any number of guests, in the calculator above.
Ask for a large-order quote

Frequently asked questions

What is lahshu?

A Moroccan semolina soup with olive oil, garlic, coriander and lemon, and in many homes tomato and fenugreek seeds too. The name comes from the Arabic root meaning to sip.

Is lahshu the same as semolina soup?

Yes. Lahshu is the Moroccan name for semolina soup. In other kitchens, Romanian for example, semolina goes into the soup as dumplings rather than as the thickener.

Lahshu or hshu?

Both are right. Some families say lahshu, with the Arabic definite article at the front, and some say hshu. It is the same soup.

How much semolina goes into lahshu?

About 170 g, one cup, for 2.5 litres of water. If you like it as thick as porridge, go up to a cup and a half.

Is lahshu parve?

Yes. This recipe is parve and vegan. The version with chicken or chicken skin is meat.

Can I make lahshu without coriander?

Yes. Use parsley and add a few more celery leaves. It tastes less Moroccan but still fresh and green.

How long does semolina soup cook?

About 35 minutes once the semolina is in: 25 minutes on its own and 10 more with the lemon and coriander. The plain white version is ready in 10 to 15 minutes.

How many calories are in Lahshu soup?

A 350 ml bowl of Lahshu soup made with our recipe has about 193 calories and 4.1 g of protein. Per 100 ml: 55 calories.

How much does it cost to make Lahshu soup at home?

A pot of 8 bowls costs about ₪18 at Israeli shelf prices in October 2026, about ₪2.3 a bowl. The calculator above works it out for any number of people.

Every soup in Israel

75 soups, each with a pot calculator, a price list and the science. Search by community, time, calories or cost.

All the soups

More soups

HariraIllustration
Moroccan

Harira

Harira is the thick Moroccan soup of tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, a little meat and fresh herbs, thickened…

Couscous soupIllustration
Moroccan, Libyan

Couscous soup

Couscous soup is the yellow chicken and vegetable broth that Moroccan families ladle over couscous on Friday…

Chickpea soupIllustration
Moroccan, Italian

Chickpea soup

Chickpea soup the Moroccan way is a pot of chickpeas simmered slowly with onion, celery and carrot in cumin,…

Noodle soupIllustration
Moroccan, Israeli

Noodle soup

Noodle soup the Moroccan way is a yellow chicken broth with turmeric and ginger, chicken pieces, chickpeas…

BissaraIllustration
Moroccan

Bissara

Bissara is a thick, smooth soup of dried peeled fava beans, garlic, cumin and paprika, served with a pool of…