What is Lablabi?

Lablabi is a bold Tunisian soup that combines chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice and harissa into a bowl of comfort. Served with bread to soak up the rich broth and finished with extra harissa, a generous drizzle of olive oil and some capers, it’s a street food classic loved by many.

History of Lablabi

Lablabi is more than just a soup—it’s a Tunisian tradition steeped in history and culture. Born from the need to make the most of simple, everyday ingredients, this dish has been a favorite among laborers and market-goers for centuries. Chickpeas, stale bread, and a punch of spices like cumin and harissa come together in a humble yet vibrant bowl of comfort. In the bustling streets of Tunis, vendors serve it with flair, often finishing it by adding a range of ingredients like capers, poached eggs and tuna. By only adding the toppings of your choice, Lablabi can be served as a naturally vegan comfort dish that still reflects Tunisia’s love for bold, rustic flavors and resourceful cooking.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Lablabi & How to Substitute

Chickpeas: These form the base of the soup, providing a creamy and hearty texture. You can use dried chickpeas for the most authentic flavor or substitute with jarred or canned chickpeas for convenience (see Notes below).
Ground Cumin: A key spice in Lablabi that delivers its signature warm, earthy aroma. Sprinkle extra on top for added depth.
Garlic: Adds a robust, savory flavor to the dish.
Harissa: This spicy chili paste gives the soup its signature kick. Adjust the amount based on your heat tolerance and serve extra for those who enjoy spicier dishes.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Used in the flavor base and as a garnish, it adds richness and enhances the overall flavor of the dish.
Lemon Juice: Adds brightness and balances the earthy and spicy flavors of the soup.
Bread: Traditionally used as the base for soaking up the flavorful broth, it transforms into a creamy texture when mixed with the soup. You can use any bread of your choice, though leavened breads, ideally slightly stale, work well to soak up the liquid.
Capers: Provide a tangy, briny contrast to the rich, spiced soup, making the flavors pop. You can leave them out, if preferred.

How To Make Lablabi (Step-by-Step)

Soak the Chickpeas. If using dried chickpeas, soak them with 1 tablespoon of salt in about 1.5 liters of water overnight or for at least 8 hours.

Cook the Chickpeas. Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas. Transfer them to a large pan with 1.8 liters of water. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam. Reduce the heat and simmer with the lid slightly ajar for 1½ hours or until tender.

Add the cumin and the remaining salt, and simmer for another 10 minutes.

For a quicker method, cook the chickpeas in a pressure cooker with the cumin, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1 liter of water for around 15 minutes. Add 250ml boiling water to the pan after cooking.

Blend for Creaminess. Blend about a quarter of the cooked chickpeas with 250ml of the cooking liquid until smooth.

Return the blended mixture to the pot for a creamier soup base.

Prepare the Flavor Base. During the final 10 minutes of cooking the chickpeas, peel and finely grate or crush the garlic into a small bowl. Mix the garlic with the harissa, olive oil, and lemon juice to create a flavor-packed paste.

Assemble the Dish. Tear or cut the bread into bite-sized pieces and divide it among four serving bowls.

Turn off the heat, stir the garlic-harissa paste into the pot of chickpeas, and mix well.

Serve the Lablabi. Ladle the chickpeas and their broth over the bread in each bowl.

Garnish with additional harissa (diluted with water if necessary), a sprinkle of cumin, the capers, and a generous drizzle of olive oil.

Enjoy. Mix the soup well in the bowl to allow the bread to soften and create a creamy texture. Serve immediately and enjoy this comforting Tunisian classic.

Lablabi FAQs

Can I make Lablabi gluten-free? Yes, simply substitute the bread with a gluten-free variety, or omit it altogether for a lighter dish.
Is Lablabi spicy? It depends on the amount of harissa used. You can adjust the spice level to your preference.
What can I use instead of harissa? Harissa adds the signature touch to Lablabi thanks to its aromatic chillies and spices. If you can’t get hold of it, you can use chili paste, a mix of chili powder with olive oil, or your favorite hot sauce as a substitute and add spices like ground coriander and more cumin.
Do I need to soak the chickpeas overnight? Soaking overnight is ideal for dried chickpeas, but you can use canned or jarred chickpeas for convenience.
Is Lablabi vegan? Traditional Lablabi is vegan unless garnished with a soft-boiled egg or tuna, which many street food vendors do.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Traditionally vegan
Budget-friendly and easy to prepare
Comforting and nourishing
Customizable: Whether you prefer it spicy, tangy, or mild, adjust to suit your taste.
Rich in protein

Other Dishes You Might Like

Mhajeb: Algerian flatbreads with a harissa onion stuffing
Kuru Fasulye: Türkiye’s National Dish made with white beans
Potaje de Garbanzos: Spain’s chickpea, potato & spinach stew

How to Store Lablabi

Refrigeration: Store the soup (without bread) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Lablabi can be frozen. Do this before adding the bread. Let it cool completely, then freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating and serving over torn bread.
Reheating: Warm the soup on the stovetop, adding a splash of water or stock if it’s too thick. Always add the bread and toppings fresh when serving.

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Lablabi (Tunisian Spiced Chickpea Soup)

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Lablabi is a simple yet flavorful Tunisian soup made with chickpeas, bread, lemon juice and warm spices like cumin and harissa. Often enjoyed as a street food, it’s a dish rooted in frugality and tradition, transforming basic ingredients into something deeply comforting. Served with a drizzle of olive oil and optional toppings like capers, this recipe celebrates the straightforward, nourishing qualities that have made Lablabi a staple in Tunisian cuisine for generations.

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Equipment

Pressure Cooker, (I recommend Fissler Vitavit Premium 3.5l or larger), optional
Immersion Blender, (with jug), optional

Ingredients

320 g dried chickpeas (or 2 x 570g jars or 3 x 400g cans), see note below
2 tbsp salt (28g)
1 tbsp ground cumin (plus extra to serve)
4 large garlic cloves
1 tbsp harissa (30g), plus extra to serve
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus extra to serve)
2 tbsp lemon juice
300 g stale bread
2 tbsp capers

Instructions

Soak the chickpeas with 1 tablespoon (14g) of the salt in around 1.5l of water overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
The next day, drain and rinse the chickpeas and transfer them to a large pan with 1.8l of water. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then reduce the heat and simmer with the lid left slightly ajar for 1½ hours or until tender. Add the cumin and the remaining 1 tablespoon (14g) of salt and continue cooking for 10 minutes more. Alternatively, cook with the cumin, 1 tablespoon (14g) of salt and 1l of water for around 15 minutes in a pressure cooker, then add another 250ml boiling water from the kettle to the pan.
Optionally, blend a quarter (around 180g) of the chickpeas with some of the cooking liquid (around 250ml) until smooth and return to the pan for a creamier texture.
During the final 10 minutes of cooking, make the flavor base. Peel and finely grate or crush the garlic into a small bowl. Add the harissa, olive oil and lemon juice and stir to combine. Cut or tear the bread into bite-sized pieces and divide over four bowls.
Turn off the heat, add the paste to the pan of chickpeas and mix well, then ladle the chickpeas along with their broth over the bread and top each bowl with a little more harissa (if necessary, dilute it with a bit of water first), the capers, an extra sprinkle of cumin and a generous drizzle of olive oil.
Mix well before tucking in to allow the softened bread to turn into a creamy sauce.

Notes

To use jarred or canned chickpeas, first drain them, then add to a pan with 1l of water. Bring to a simmer and continue with Step 2 from the point where the cumin and salt is added. Jarred chickpeas are often pre-seasoned, so make sure to add less salt (½ tsp per jar).