The Tunisian lablabi sandwich takes the bold flavors of traditional chickpea soup and transforms them into a rich, spicy street-food sandwich packed into crusty bread.

Creamy chickpeas seasoned with cumin, garlic, olive oil, lemon, and harissa create the heart of the sandwich, while eggs, tuna, olives, and parsley add texture and depth.

Warm, filling, and deeply flavorful, this sandwich is classic Tunisian comfort food with strong North African character in every bite.

What Is It?

A Tunisian lablabi sandwich is a baguette or khobz bread filled with warm mashed chickpeas seasoned with cumin, garlic, olive oil, lemon, and harissa.

Inspired by traditional Tunisian lablabi soup, the sandwich version combines creamy chickpeas with toppings like tuna, eggs, olives, and herbs for a portable street-food meal.

The chickpeas remain partly chunky, giving the sandwich a rustic texture.

A Little History

Lablabi itself has long been one of Tunisia’s most important comfort foods and street dishes, traditionally served as a chickpea soup poured over bread.

Over time, variations evolved into sandwich forms using baguettes introduced during the French colonial period alongside local Tunisian breads like khobz.

Today, chickpea sandwiches remain common in Tunisian cafés, bakeries, and street-food shops, especially as affordable hearty meals.