North African · lunch, dinner
Lablabi (Tunisian Spiced Chickpea and Bread Soup)
Video by Ottolenghi on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Vegetarian with a swap for the chicken stock
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Contains: Gluten, Egg. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Chickpeas and a poached egg give each serve about 19 g of protein and 8 g of fibre, warmed with cumin, coriander and harissa, and finished with olive oil rather than butter or cream.
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Ingredients 21
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Tip the chickpeas and their liquid into a large pan with the stock, cinnamon stick and dried chillies. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10–15 minutes. 0:29
- Add the garlic, crushed cumin and coriander seeds, tomato paste, harissa, 3 tbsp olive oil, the salt and plenty of black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. 1:18
- Take off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and most of the chopped coriander and parsley. 4:02
- Poach the eggs. Divide the torn bread between six shallow bowls and ladle the soup over it. 5:04
- Top each bowl with capers, the remaining coriander, a poached egg and the crisp onions, then drizzle with the remaining 3 tbsp olive oil. Serve with lemon wedges and extra harissa if you like. 5:19
Tip. For dried chickpeas, soak 400 g overnight with bicarb and simmer 35–45 minutes. It is quite salty as written; unsalted stock or less salt cuts the sodium. Tuna, olives or preserved lemon are classic toppings.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 6
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 39%
- Protein 17%
- Fat 44%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Lower-carb idea. About 54% of the 46 g of net carbs come from the white bread. To cut carbs, try less bread, or serving it on the side.
One serve has about 94% of a day’s sodium. Use less salt, stock or sauce, or a reduced-salt version, to bring it down.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Selenium High59%
32 µg a serve, mostly from eggs (48%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin K High57%
69 µg a serve, mostly from parsley leaves (63%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Folate High43%
173 µg a serve, mostly from chickpeas (70%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Iron High29%
5.3 mg a serve, mostly from chickpeas (39%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Vitamin B12 High23%
0.5 µg a serve, mostly from eggs (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Vitamin E High22%
3.3 mg a serve, mostly from olive oil (29%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Zinc High21%
2.3 mg a serve, mostly from chickpeas (46%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Magnesium Source18%
77 mg a serve, mostly from chickpeas (44%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Vitamin B6 Source17%
0.3 mg a serve, mostly from chickpeas (33%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Vitamin C Source14%
13 mg a serve, mostly from parsley leaves (28%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin A Source13%
118 µg a serve, mostly from eggs (63%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Potassium Source12%
580 mg a serve, mostly from chickpeas (35%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Omega-3 Source12%
0.2 g a serve, mostly from olive oil (27%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Calcium Source11%
139 mg a serve, mostly from chickpeas (25%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
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Vitamin D5%
1.1 µg a serve, mostly from eggs (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Ottolenghi; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.