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Haitian Lambi

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Haitian lambi with tender conch, peppers, tomato, lime, and herbs in a shallow serving bowl beside rice.
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Lambi, or Haitian conch, is a coastal dish that balances the shellfish’s natural sweetness with lime, peppers, tomato, garlic, and thyme. Gentle cooking keeps the conch tender and the broth fresh.

Tenderize and briefly marinate the conch, soften the aromatic base, then simmer everything slowly until the sauce is fragrant and the conch yields easily.

The most important detail is a gentle simmer; a rolling boil tightens the conch.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with rice, boiled plantain, avocado, or a crisp cabbage pikliz-style relish.

Haitian lambi conch stew simmering in a pot with peppers, tomato, garlic, thyme, and lime sauce.

Recipe Notes

Refrigerate for up to two days and reheat gently. Do not refreeze previously frozen conch.

Haitian lambi with tender conch, peppers, tomato, lime, and herbs in a shallow serving bowl beside rice.

Haitian Lambi

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Tender conch gently simmered with lime, peppers, tomato, garlic, thyme, and fresh parsley.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Haitian
Calories: 330
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
 
 

Conch and Marinade
  • 1 1/2 lb cleaned conch meat tenderized and sliced thinly
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Stew
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 medium green bell pepper diced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper diced
  • 1 large tomato diced
  • 1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper seeded and minced
  • 1 cup fish or seafood stock hot
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice to finish

Equipment

  • Heavy pot with lid
  • Chef’s knife
  • Meat mallet
  • Citrus juicer

Method
 

Marinate the Conch:
  1. Toss the tenderized conch with lime juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Build the Base:
  1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and bell peppers for 7 minutes until softened.
  2. Add the tomato and Scotch bonnet and cook for 4 minutes until the tomato begins to break down.
Simmer Gently:
  1. Add the conch and its marinade, stock, and thyme. Bring just to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for 35 to 40 minutes until the conch is tender. Avoid a hard boil.
Finish and Serve:
  1. Remove the thyme stems. Stir in the parsley and finishing lime juice, taste for salt, and serve with rice or boiled plantain.

Nutrition

Calories: 330kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 38gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 860mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7g

Notes

  • Conch becomes chewy if boiled aggressively; keep the pot at a quiet simmer.
  • If using frozen cleaned conch, thaw it fully and pat it dry before tenderizing.

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