Shakshuka is a traditional Middle Eastern breakfast of eggs cooked in a spiced tomato sauce. It’s a simple, easy, 30-minute meal that uses ingredients often already on-hand. The addition of chickpeas and spinach boosts the protein and fiber of the dish. Plus, it is naturally gluten, dairy, and nut-free. We like to enjoy this Shakshuka recipe with a side of cauliflower rice or toasted sourdough bread.
Elements of Shakshuka
Vegetables: The foundation of shakshuka consists of sautéed onions, bell peppers, garlic, and tomatoes. Adding chickpeas and spinach enhances both the flavor and texture. The combination of these vegetables creates a rich, flavorful sauce that is not only delicious but also packed with nutrients. Vegetables are low in calories and provide essential vitamins and minerals, making them a great addition to any meal.
Spices: The classic blend of paprika, cumin, and chili powder gives the dish its signature flavor. For an added health boost, we like to incorporate a bit of turmeric, known for its anti-inflammatory properties.
Eggs: The eggs are gently poached in the spiced tomato sauce, with the option to cook them to your preferred doneness. We love leaving the yolks slightly runny for a rich, creamy texture.
Fresh Herbs: A sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley and cilantro not only adds a burst of green but also enhances the flavor with their vibrant freshness. These herbs are packed with vitamins and antioxidants, making them a healthy finishing touch.
How To Make Shakshuka
The process for making shakshuka is honesty quite simple.
The first thing we like to do is mince our garlic for the recipe (see the recipe notes for the reason why this brings added health benefits!). Once our garlic is minced, we’ll chop the remaining vegetables and make sure the rest of our ingredients are assembled.
Sauteing the vegetables comes next, in a oiled and heated cast iron (our preferred pan for this recipe) over medium heat. We’ll start by cooking the onion, bell pepper, and garlic for a few minutes.
Next, we add the tomato and seasonings. Make sure you don’t drain the tomatoes! We want plenty of liquid to keep this dish saucy. Please note that this recipe is prepared to be mild, while traditional Shakshuka is usually spicier. You can add extra cayenne if you prefer more heat. Once we’ve added the tomato and seasonings, we’ll give everything a good stir and allow the sauce to come to a simmer. We’ll also add the chickpeas and spinach at this time, stirring to keep everything well incorporated.
Once our sauce has simmered for about 5 minutes, we form six indents in the sauce. These indents are meant to create space for our eggs. It’s a similar idea as when you create an indent in the flour mixture to add the wet mixture when making pasta.
Almost there! Now we just need to crack the eggs into the indentations. Be careful, we want to keep the yolks intact if possible. This makes it easier to cook all the eggs uniformly and get the level of yolk-runniness you prefer.
All that’s left is to let the eggs cook. This can be done by covering the pan with a lid and or putting the pan in preheated (350 F) oven. It usually takes around 3-4 minutes to cook the eggs to our preference; set white with runny yolks.
Your shakshuka is ready to be served with a sprinkle of parsley. You can also add extra salt and pepper to taste.
We like to serve this dish with toasted sourdough bread (toast dipped in the spiced tomato mixture + egg = YUM) or spoon the mixture over cauliflower rice. We’ve also seen shakshuka eaten with falafel or on it’s own with a side of fruit for breakfast. There’s not many wrong ways to eat this dish!
Easy Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a flavorful North African and Middle Eastern dish featuring poached eggs in a spiced tomato sauce. It’s simple, nutritious, and can be prepared in under 30 minutes!
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 30 min
- Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- 1/2 onion (red or white), diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced*
- 1 (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes (can substitute with 28 ounces of diced fresh tomato or canned whole or diced tomatoes)
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (omit if you prefer less heat)
- 1 pinch each cardamom and coriander (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 5 ounces frozen and chopped spinach, thawed
- 6 eggs
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (if you intend to bake the eggs)
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until soft and fragrant. The onion should begin to turn translucent.
- Add the tomato and seasonings. Cook and stir for a couple minutes. If using an alternative to crushed tomatoes, use a spatula to crush the tomato by hand. If the mixture seems dry (we want it to be saucy!) add a bit of water.
- Once the sauce is simmering, add the chickpeas and spinach. Cook for another 5 minutes until the sauce is thick enough that you could form indents for the eggs.
- Make six indents in the sauce. Carefully crack one egg into each indent.
- Let the sauce and eggs cook for one minute, then transfer the skillet into the preheated oven. Bake for 10 minutes or until the whites have completely set. Alternatively, you could cover the pan with a lid and cook over the stove until the eggs are ready (about 3-4 minutes for set egg whites but runny yolks).
- Once the eggs are done, with the whites cooked but the yolks still a bit runny, remove the pan from the oven or turn off the stove. Sprinkle with parsley, if using. Serve immediately. Can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
*Tip: We like to mince the garlic first, before starting any other part of the recipe. When we crush or mince fresh garlic, a health-promoting compound called allicin begins to form. This process is deactivated by heat. Studies show that allowing cut garlic to sit for 10-15 minutes before cooking maximizes the amount of allicin produced. Keep in mind that jarred, pre-minced garlic does not contain as much allicin as freshly minced garlic.
