Tunisian lablebi salad with chickpeas, fresh vegetables, and a cumin-lemon dressing, served with boiled egg.
Lablebi in Tunisia and Morocco is a traditional dish served at breakfast and suhoor, combining chickpeas and raw vegetables in a tangy dressing.
The dry version is called lablebi shami, the liquid one is called lablebi soup. Here we present it as a cold salad with boiled egg, suitable for a light plant-based suhoor that opens the appetite.
If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them. If using dried, soak for 12 hours and boil for 45 minutes until tender. Cool completely.
Chop the onion, tomatoes, pepper, parsley, and cilantro. Combine them in a large bowl with the chickpeas.
In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the cumin, salt, and red pepper. Add the olive oil gradually and stir until combined.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Serve immediately with the boiled egg cut in half, if desired. Garnish with extra cilantro.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Lablebi Salad, and how to fix them:
Add more water and leave over low heat for 15 minutes. Soaking for 24 hours gives a smoother result.
Double the lemon and add a pinch of hot pepper. Tunisians use harissa paste.
Soak it in cold water for 10 minutes then drain. Soaking reduces the sharpness.
Add a spoon of olive oil and a spoon of lemon. The chickpeas absorb the dressing quickly.
A full day in an airtight container. Cover the surface with a layer of oil and stir before serving.
Raw vegetables wilt after thawing.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chickpeas | Cooked fava beans | 1:1 | Similar flavor. |
| Hot pepper | Sweet pepper | 1:1 | Without sharpness. |
| Cilantro | Extra parsley | 1:1 | Lighter flavor. |
| Ingredient | 4 people | 8 people | 12 people |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chickpeas | 400 g | 800 g | 1200 g |
| Onion | 60 g | 120 g | 180 g |
| Tomatoes | 120 g | 240 g | 360 g |
| Olive oil | 40 ml | 80 ml | 120 ml |
Choose fresh chickpeas and let them cool completely before mixing. The tangy dressing softens the chickpeas and makes them more palatable.
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