Lablabi

“The humblest bowl can carry the weight of a nation’s hunger and pride.”

Lablabi

Lablabi is a Tunisian breakfast, a street-side salvation, a dish that makes chickpeas feel like a gift. It’s not fancy. It’s not fussy. But it’s bold—laced with garlic, sharpened by harissa, lifted by lemon, and grounded by day-old bread. It doesn’t try to impress. It just feeds you well.

Ingredients

  • Base Stew
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp caraway seeds (optional but traditional)
  • ¼ tsp chili flakes or Aleppo pepper
  • 4 cups cooked chickpeas (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)
  • 4–5 cups water or light vegetable broth
  • Salt to taste
  • To Serve (Build the Bowl)
  • Day-old crusty bread, torn into chunks (a must)
  • 1–2 eggs, soft-boiled or poached (traditional, optional for protein)
  • Harissa, to taste
  • Lemon wedges or preserved lemon
  • Torn parsley or cilantro
  • Drizzle of good olive oil
  • Capers, olives, or tuna (for variation or extra salt hit)


How The Alchemy Happens


n a large saucepan, heat olive oil. Sauté garlic, cumin, caraway, and chili until fragrant.

Add chickpeas and water/broth. Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes.

Use a spoon to lightly mash some of the chickpeas—this thickens the broth.

Season with salt. Keep warm.

To serve:
Place torn bread in a bowl. Ladle hot stew over it—enough to soften the bread but not drown it.
Top with a soft-boiled egg, a dollop of harissa, a squeeze of lemon, and any other garnishes you like.

🔙 Back to the Kitchen

“Eat bread and beans—but make it holy.”