Lablabi is a simple Tunisian chickpea soup built on garlic, harissa, and cumin, finished at the table with lemon juice, olive oil, and crispy bread crumbs. It's a forgiving, budget-friendly one-pot meal that comes together in under 30 minutes with canned beans.
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Wash chickpeas and soak overnight (if using dried).
If desired, rinse them again. In a large soup pot, cover chickpeas with water, bring to a boil, and cook until tender (ten to twenty minutes). — Or start with two pounds of canned chick peas, drained and rinsed, and heated in four cups of water.
Add garlic, harissa sauce, ground cumin, and salt. Simmer for ten minutes. Immediately before serving: add lemon juice, olive oil, and bread crumbs. Serve hot.
Store the soup base without bread and oil finish in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat gently and add fresh bread crumbs, lemon juice, and olive oil just before serving.
Yes. Drain and rinse 2 pounds of canned chickpeas, heat them in 4 cups of water, then proceed with adding garlic, harissa, cumin, and salt. This skips the overnight soak and reduces cooking time.
Day-old French bread works best; it breaks into small, firm crumbs that stay crispy. Stale bread is preferred because fresh bread becomes mushy.
Yes. Fry minced garlic, diced red onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil, then add to the cooked chickpeas. You can also cook the chickpeas in chicken broth or stock instead of water.
Serve hot with hard-boiled egg or pan-fried fish on the side. Offer extra harissa on the side for those who want more heat.
Store the soup base (without bread and oil finish) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently, then add fresh bread crumbs, lemon juice, and olive oil before serving.
