Lablabi (Chickpea Soup)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Cooked chickpeas (or 2 x 400 g/14 oz cans, drained) — 500 g (3 cups)
- Water or vegetable stock — 1 L (4 cups)
- Garlic cloves, crushed — 4
- Ground cumin — 1 tbsp
- Harissa, to taste — 1–2 tbsp
- Olive oil — 2 tbsp
- Salt — 1 tsp
- Stale bread, torn into pieces — 4 slices
- Eggs, soft-boiled or poached — 4
- Extra harissa, cumin, olive oil, capers and chopped preserved lemon, to serve
Method
- Combine the chickpeas, water or stock, garlic, cumin, harissa, olive oil and salt in a large pot.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes, until the flavours have melded and the broth is fragrant.
- Divide the torn bread among serving bowls.
- Ladle the hot chickpea soup generously over the bread in each bowl, letting it soak in.
- Top each bowl with a soft-boiled or poached egg.
- Finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil, a dollop of harissa, a pinch of cumin, and any of capers or preserved lemon, to taste.
Introduction: Lablabi is a warming, garlicky chickpea soup poured over torn stale bread and topped with a soft or
hard-boiled egg, harissa, cumin and a drizzle of olive oil.
Cultural Background: Lablabi is a warming, garlicky chickpea soup poured over torn stale bread and topped with a soft or
hard-boiled egg, harissa, cumin and a drizzle of olive oil. It's a cheap, filling, endlessly customisable dish
found at street stalls across Tunisia at any time of day.
Tips: Let everyone customise their own bowl at the table with harissa, cumin and other toppings — this is very much part of the lablabi tradition. Slightly stale bread absorbs the broth better than very fresh bread, which can turn to mush too quickly.
Variations: Add cooked tuna on top for a heartier version. Stir a spoonful of tomato paste into the broth for extra colour and depth. Naturally vegetarian, and vegan if the egg topping is omitted.
Storage: Refrigerate the soup base (without bread or egg) in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat the soup base on the stovetop over medium-low heat, then assemble fresh bowls with bread and
eggs.
FAQs:
Q: Can I use dried chickpeas?
A: Yes — soak overnight and simmer until tender (about 1–1.5 hours) before proceeding with the recipe, using the cooking liquid as part of the broth.
Q: What toppings are traditional?
A: Harissa, cumin, olive oil, capers, preserved lemon and a soft-boiled or poached egg are all classic.
Q: Is lablabi eaten for breakfast or dinner?
A: Both — it's a flexible, filling dish enjoyed at any time of day, especially in colder weather.
- Cooked chickpeas (or 2 x 400 g/14 oz cans, drained) — 500 g (3 cups)
- Water or vegetable stock — 1 L (4 cups)
- Garlic cloves, crushed — 4
- Ground cumin — 1 tbsp
- Harissa, to taste — 1–2 tbsp
- Olive oil — 2 tbsp
- Salt — 1 tsp
- Stale bread, torn into pieces — 4 slices
- Eggs, soft-boiled or poached — 4
- Extra harissa, cumin, olive oil, capers and chopped preserved lemon, to serve
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