This Shaksuka recipe is a traditional breakfast likely to have North African origins. While we added some optional garnish additions like feta and olives, the foundation is eggs poached in a flavorful tomato sauce with onions, peppers, cumin and paprika. It’s commonly served in countries throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa, and there are also similar variations, such as menemen in Turkey. This popular dish is quick and simple to whip up, involves ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and fridge, and includes only wholesome, real food ingredients. That’s A+ in our book!
Serves: 3
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Shakshuka Recipe INGREDIENTS
â ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
â 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
â 1 bell peppers (any color), cored, seeded, & thinly sliced
â 1 hot pepper (jalapeno or serrano), cored, seeded, & thinly slice
â 3 garlic cloves, minced
â 28-oz. can organic whole tomatoes
â ½ tsp. sugar substitute*
â 2 tsp. sweet or smoked paprika**
â 1 tsp. ground cumin
â 6 large eggs, pasture raised***
â 2 tsp. Himalayan salt
â ½ tsp. black pepper
â Chopped fresh parsley leaves
â Crumbled feta cheese, optional
â Sliced black olives, optional
*We used Monk Fruit Sweetener by Lakanto.
**We used 1 tsp. of sweet and 1 tsp. of smoked paprika.
***We love using Vital Farms’ pasture-raised eggs!
Shakshuka Recipe DIRECTIONS
1. Heat 3 tbsp. olive oil in a large cast iron skillet on medium heat. Add the onions and peppers. Stir and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes. Add in the garlic and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, spices, sugar substitute, and about 1 tbsp. of fresh parsley. You can break up the tomatoes with your spatula or spoon in the skillet or crush up with your[clean] hands prior to adding in. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
3. Make 6 spaced-out indentations in the tomato mixture, then gently crack an egg into each indention. You may want to crack each egg into a small bowl first, then add the egg to each hole to avoid breaking the yolk or having egg shells sneak into the mix. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook until the egg whites are set and no longer translucent, about 6-8 minutes.
4. Sprinkle fresh parsley for garnish and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top. If you want to pack in even more flavor, you can add on crumbled feta cheese or sliced olives on top. Serve with a warm whole wheat pita or fresh sourdough bread to soak up all the goodness, and a side salad for extra greens!
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