Lablebi is a traditional Tunisian chickpea and egg soup built on a deeply spiced broth infused with caraway, cumin, and capers, served over stale bread and topped with a poached egg. Its standout trait is the balance of warm spices, briny capers, and the runny egg yolk that enriches every spoonful.
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In a pressure cooker add the chickpeas, baking soda (if using), water, Izak, cumin/sajira, and caraway. Bring to pressure and cook for 45 minutes with a natural release. If you don't have a pressure cooker soak the chickpeas overnight, then cook them the next day by bringing to a boil, skimming any foam, then simmering (it should take about an hour of total cooking time). If you soaked chickpeas and are pressure cooking them it should take only about 15 minutes with a natural release.
Add the capers, stir well, and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Taste and add either lemon juice or vinegar, plus as much salt as you like. You can at this point add additional Izak, or harissa paste if you prefer more heat.
Add a slice of stale bread or a handful of breadcrumbs to the bottom of 4 bowls. Ladle out most of the chickpeas, dividing between the bowls.
Poach eggs in the remaining broth, 1-2 per person, maintaining a steady simmer. The chickpeas remaining in the pot will keep them from sticking to the bottom. For a cleaner presentation you can also poach the eggs separately, or fry them over easy.
Once the egg whites are set, gently remove them to each bowl, divide the hot broth evenly, and garnish as you like. A splash of olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon are a must, but everything else (even the egg if you are vegan), is optional, though highly recommended. Plate any additions on top of the soup and mix them in, or not, as you prefer.
Store cooled chickpea broth in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop before poaching eggs and serving fresh.
pressure cooker (or large pot for stovetop simmering) · shallow poaching pan or skillet (optional, for separate egg poaching)
Yes. Soak dried chickpeas overnight, then boil the next day: bring to a boil, skim foam, and simmer for about an hour total until tender. Add remaining ingredients as directed in steps 2–5.
Izak N37 is a Tunisian spice blend. If unavailable, use an equal mix of ground caraway and coriander, or additional harissa for heat and depth.
Yes. Omit the egg and poached egg step; serve the soup over bread with extra olive oil, lemon juice, and all optional garnishes such as olives, pickled peppers, and preserved lemon.
Yes. Cook the chickpeas, capers, and broth through step 2 up to 2 days ahead; refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat gently, then poach eggs and assemble bowls fresh.
Stale or day-old bread works best; it softens in the hot broth without falling apart. Breadcrumbs are an acceptable alternative if fresh stale bread is unavailable.
