Name: Tunisian Harissa Chickpea Soup with Bread and Soft Egg
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 hearty bowls
Cuisine: Tunisian
Ingredients: 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; 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

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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.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time45 mins

Servings4

Yield4 hearty bowls

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

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.
Stir in the garlic, 1 tablespoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon harissa; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.