I looove eating veggies for breakfast. It's a healthy start, and then at the end of the day, if I haven't made the best of food choices, I can still be proud of my breakfast. I've seen Shakshuka even on dinner menus at restaurants. Try it once and you'll want it any time of the day too.
There are so many recipes for Shakshuka out there, proof of how universally loved this dish is. It's bright, it's spicy (as spicy as you like), it's comforting, and terrifically satisfying. Did I mention it's a one-pan kinda dish? Although you could get fancy and make individual servings in ramekins as well.
The many recipes is also proof that there isn't really a right or wrong way to make Shakshuka: so long as you have sweet peppers, tomatoes, eggs and a little spice, you're ok!
Everyone likes their eggs their own way. A runny egg is a must with Shakshuka, and I happen to like really runny eggs, so I poach mine. If that's too fussy (and I totally admit it's a bit fussy—but it is quick!) do it the traditional way: Create little wells in your vegetables and crack your eggs into the wells.
Harissa is a north African condiment that should be pretty easy to find these days. It comes dry, or in a paste. You'll find lots of uses for it! In a pinch, you can mix your own: garlic paste, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, cumin. Or substitute Sriracha! The profiles are surprisingly similar.
Shakshuka is best when you give it time to develop its flavours. I would estimate approximately 30 minutes for this dish, depending on how you decide to prepare your eggs.
You can add random greens in your fridge to further boost the veggie power: kale and chard would work really well here; if you have radish or beet greens this is the perfect dish for them. Add the chopped greens towards the end, before the eggs, and let it wilt in the stew. When I have portobellos around, I like to add them too. Avocado is also not traditional, but just seems like a marriage made in heaven. Who am I to resist?
Makes two servings
SHAKSHUKA
🌶 Half an onion, sliced
🌶 1 Red bell pepper, sliced
🌶 2 Cloves of garlic, crushed
🌶 1/2 Can crushed tomatoes
🌶 2-4 Eggs
🌶 Parsley and/or cilantro
🌶 1 tsp Red wine vinegar
🌶 1/2 tsp Cumin (optional)
🌶 Generous spoonful of harissa (see note above)
🌶 2 Portobello mushrooms (optional)
🌶 Random greens (optional)
Dry toast the cumin, if using, for just a few seconds. Add a generous amount of oil to the pan. Add the sliced onions and the crushed garlic. Let the onions get soft and take on a little colour, but don't let the garlic burn! A medium-low heat is ideal for this dish.
Add the sweet pepper strips. Let that get soft too. If you're adding mushrooms, add them now. Once everything is soft, it's time to add the crushed tomatoes and harissa. Keep the heat low and let it all stew gently for about 20 minutes so the flavours meld together. Don't let it get too dry or jammy; it should be the consistency of a pasta sauce. Depending on the consistency of your crushed tomatoes, you may need to add water. Season to taste with salt and red wine vinegar.
There are two ways of preparing the eggs: both start with creating wells in the vegetable stew, one for each egg. You can then cover your pan, and gently let the eggs cook on the stove, OR you can put the pan in a pre-heated oven. On the stovetop, the eggs should set within about 5 minutes. In the oven, at 325° F, it may take 20-25 minutes.
Finish with a drizzle of excellent olive oil. Serve with fresh chopped parsley and/or cilantro. Don't forget a little salt on the eggs! Enjoy.
My husband refuses to eat this without bread for mopping up the sauce and runny yolks! I think potatoes would be a great side dish too.
You can truly add almost anything to garnish your Shakshuka: feta cheese, olives...preserved lemon! Mmm-mmm-mmm.