Lablébi (Tunisian Chickpea Stew)
Lablébi is Tunisia’s ultimate comfort food — a humble chickpea stew flavored with cumin, garlic, and harissa, served over torn pieces of bread and topped with olive oil, capers, olives, and sometimes a poached egg. It’s cheap, filling, and deeply satisfying — the kind of dish that warms you from the inside out.
NUTRITION
Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 15g
Amount of servings servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas with some cooking liquid reserved
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 –2 tbsp harissa to taste
- 3 –4 slices stale bread baguette or country-style bread, torn into pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil plus extra for drizzling
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 2 eggs soft-boiled or poached, optional
- 6 –8 olives black or green, pitted and halved
- 1 tbsp capers optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the chickpeas: In a saucepan, warm the chickpeas with some of their cooking liquid. Add the garlic, cumin, and a pinch of salt. Simmer for 10 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the harissa: Stir in harissa to taste. Adjust with more liquid if you prefer a soupier consistency.
- Prepare the bowls: Place torn bread pieces in the bottom of serving bowls. Ladle the hot chickpea mixture over the bread, allowing it to soak.
- Add toppings: Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Top with olives, capers, and eggs (if using). Season with black pepper.
- Garnish: Finish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
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