Tunisian Harissa Chickpea Soup with Bread and Soft Egg

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A beloved Tunisian breakfast soup built on chickpeas simmered with cumin and harissa, then poured over torn stale bread. Each bowl is finished with a soft egg, tuna, olives, capers, lemon, and a slick of good olive oil so the yolk melts into the broth like a sauce.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 510 kcalCalories
• 23 gFat
• 4 gSaturated Fat
• 52 gCarbs
• 12 gFiber
• 6 gSugar
• 25 gProtein
• 1080 mgSodium
• 780 mgPotassium
• 145 mgCalcium
• 6.5 mgIron
• 9 mgVitamin C
• 210 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the soup

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 to 2 teaspoons harissa paste, plus more for serving
• 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

For the bowls and garnish

• 1 small stale baguette, torn into rough chunks (about 4 cups)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 small can (5 oz) good-quality tuna in olive oil, drained
• 16 small black olives such as Tunisian or Kalamata
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• Extra harissa paste, for serving
• Ground cumin, for finishing

Directions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes.
2. Stir in the garlic, 1 tablespoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon harissa; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add the chickpeas, broth, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to a lively simmer and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, using the back of a spoon to lightly mash about a quarter of the chickpeas against the pot so the broth turns creamy and thick. Taste and adjust salt and harissa.
4. Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a gentle boil and lower the eggs in to cook exactly 7 minutes for jammy yolks. Transfer to ice water, then peel carefully.
5. Tear the bread into chunks and divide among 4 warm bowls. Ladle the hot chickpea soup over the bread and let it soak for 1 minute.
6. Top each bowl with a soft egg, a few flakes of tuna, olives, capers, a generous drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of cumin, and a small spoonful of harissa.
7. Serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing over each bowl; encourage diners to break the yolk and stir it into the broth.

Cook’s Notes

• Day-old or even 2-day-old bread works best; very fresh bread turns gummy instead of soaking up the broth nicely.
• For deeper flavor, simmer dried chickpeas (soaked overnight) from scratch and use their cooking liquid as the broth.
• Adjust harissa at the table so spice-sensitive eaters can keep theirs milder.
• If you skip the egg, swirl in a spoon of plain yogurt or a drizzle of tahini for richness.
• True Tunisian lablabi often uses preserved lemon in the bowl; finely dice a small wedge and add it for an authentic flourish.

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