SHAKSHUKA
Breakfast, lunch, dinner… shakshuka is great any time of day. This version is full of veggies and absolutely delicious served with warm buttered Turkish bread for dunking.
If you haven’t heard of shakshuka before, it’s a dish of eggs poached in a tomato-based sauce that’s popular in the Middle East. Traditionally served for breakfast, shakshuka is a filling, warming meal that’s just as good for dinner. Feta and basil really help to make the flavours pop.
SHAKSHUKA
Breakfast, lunch, dinner… shakshuka is great any time of day. This version is full of veggies and absolutely delicious served with warm buttered Turkish bread for dunking.
Ingredients
SHAKSHUKA
- 1 large red capsicum
- 1 large courgette
- 1 brown onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 x 400 g cans crushed tomatoes (try basil & oregano flavoured) (2 x 14oz)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 60 g baby spinach (2.1oz)
- 6 eggs
- 100 g feta cheese (3.5oz)
TO SERVE
- 3/4 large loaf Turkish bread* + butter
- Large handful fresh basil
Instructions
PREP INGREDIENTS
Slice capsicum into thin strips. Grate courgette, thinly slice onion and crush garlic.
COOK SHAKSHUKA
Heat oil in a large oven-safe frying pan (see tips below) over medium heat. Add the capsicum, onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft (about 5 minutes). Stir in the cumin and paprika and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, courgette, sugar and vinegar and simmer until reduced and thickened (10 minutes).
At this stage, preheat oven to 190ºC (375ºF) fan bake. Once sauce has thickened, stir in spinach and season with salt and pepper (adjust quantities to taste). If you don’t have an oven-safe frying pan, you can transfer the mixture to a baking dish at this point. Make 6 wells in the mixture and crack an egg into each. Sprinkle with feta and bake until eggs are just set (approximately 10 minutes).
Halfway through cooking eggs, add Turkish bread to oven and cook for 5 minutes, until warmed through.
SERVE
Scatter shakshuka with basil leaves and dish out individual portions. Serve with slices of warmed Turkish bread and butter.
Recipe Notes
* Remaining Turkish bread is used for Pork and Fennel Meatball Salads recipe. If you are not making this meal as part of this week’s menu, then you can use the whole loaf.
WINE MATCH: A light-bodied red. Try a Pinot Noir.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Use a loaf of gluten-free bread instead of the Turkish bread.
EQUIPMENT TIP: If you don’t have a large oven-safe frying pan (I don’t either!), try wrapping the handle in tinfoil before putting it in the oven. Usually it’s just the handle that’s the issue, and that seems to protect it well. Just be very careful not to pick the pan up by the handle after you’ve taken it out the oven! Alternatively, you can transfer the mixture to an oven-safe dish before baking.
INGREDIENT NOTES / SWAPS: Coriander can be used in place of basil.
STORING AND REHEATING: Store individual portions in airtight containers in the fridge. Keep bread separate. Reheat shakshuka in the microwave and bread in the toaster. Eggs won’t stay runny unfortunately.
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4 Comments
So delicious, this has been one of my go to recipes for ages. I add mushrooms to mine (not particularly authentic but so tasty)
Thanks so much for your review, Emily! Mushrooms sound like a great addition 😊
Super tasty! I make this to have for multiple breakfasts by storing the tomato mixture in the fridge, then spooning my serving into a ramekin and poaching the egg on top in my air fryer.
Thank you for your feedback Charlene! That sounds like a great idea 🙂