Perfect for a brunch with your friends or a Saturday breakfast with the family, this slightly spicy, hearty and healthy egg and tomato recipe is perfect with warm bread ready to dip in the sauce. Israelis are crazy about Shakshuka and there is even a restaurant devoted to all things breakfast in Israel! This dish is not too heavy on the stomach but still leaves you satisfied. It works well with eggplant and goat cheese, or with sausage, but the original Israeli version is vegetarian, gluten-free and low in calories. This is Israeli food at its best: fresh, healthy, and full of flavor!
And for the women~this is one dish that your husband can make for you and the children on Saturday morning 😉 Enjoy making this recipe and if you try it out, please let us know and give us your comments on it! We love hearing from you.
Israeli Shakshuka (pronounced Shahk-shoo-kah)
Israeli Shakshuka, a favorite breakfast, lunch, or dinner dish.
Serves 6, 10 minutes to prepare, 30 minutes to cook.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion, peeled and diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 4 cups ripe diced tomatoes, or 2 cans (14 oz. each) diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp mild chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- Pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste (careful, it’s spicy!)
- Pinch of sugar (optional, to taste)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat a deep, large skillet or sauté pan on medium. Slowly warm olive oil in the pan. Add chopped onion, sauté for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add garlic and continue to sauté until mixture is fragrant.
- Add the diced bell pepper, sauté for 5-7 minutes over medium until softened.
- Add tomatoes and tomato paste to pan, stir until blended. Add spices and sugar, stir, and allow mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until it starts to reduce.
- At this point, you can taste the mixture and spice it according to your preferences. Add salt and pepper to taste, more sugar for a sweeter sauce, or more cayenne pepper for a spicier shakshuka.
- Crack the eggs, one at a time, directly over the tomato mixture, making sure to space them evenly over the sauce. I usually place 5 eggs around the outer edge and 1 in the center. The eggs will cook “over easy” style on top of the tomato sauce. If you let them drop into the sauce from a little higher up, they form a nice little “pocket” in the sauce and will cook well, keeping the whites close to the yolk.
- Cover the pan. Allow mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked and the sauce has slightly reduced. Keep an eye on the skillet to make sure that the sauce doesn’t reduce too much, which can lead to burning.
- Some people prefer their shakshuka eggs runnier. If this is your preference, let the sauce reduce for a few minutes before cracking the eggs on top– then, cover the pan and cook the eggs to taste. Garnish with the chopped parsley, if desired.
- Shakshuka can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. For breakfast, serve with warm crusty bread or pita that can be dipped into the sauce (or if eating this during Passover, use matzah!). For dinner, serve with a green side salad for a light, easy meal. Many Israelis love their Shakshuka with fresh Challah! They tear chunks of it and use it as a spoon for the Shakshuka!
As with any recipe we share with you, feel free to make it your own! This recipe was taken from toriavery.com, you can click on the web address and read more about Shakshuka and the history behind it!
