Lablabi is a traditional Tunisian chickpea stew enriched with bread, garlic, and harissa that doubles as both soup and hearty stew. Its signature thickening method uses day-old bread pieces simmered directly into the broth for authentic texture and depth.
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Method:
Wash the chickpeas, place in a large bowl, cover with water and allow to soak over night. The following day, drain the chickpeas and place in a large pan. Cover with water, add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda and cook until tender (about 20 minutes). Add the garlic, harissa, cumin and salt and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Immediately before serving add the lemon juice, olive oil and breadcrumbs. Stir in and serve immediately. A richer form of lablabi soup can be made by frying the garlic, some chopped red onion, a chopped carrot, and some chopped celery in olive oil, and adding this to the cooked chick peas. Additionally, the chick peas can be cooked in chicken broth or chicken stock.
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Store cooled lablabi in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; add bread pieces fresh when reheating to maintain texture.
Yes. Skip soaking and the 20-minute cook step; add canned chickpeas directly when you would add garlic and harissa, then simmer for 10 minutes total.
Soak dried chickpeas in water for 8–12 hours or overnight to soften them before cooking.
It softens the chickpea skins and reduces cooking time, helping them become tender faster.
Yes. Prepare the stew without the bread, cool, and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently, then stir in bread pieces just before serving.
Adding lemon juice immediately before serving preserves its bright flavor and prevents it from cooking off during simmering.
