Shakshuka is an easy, healthy breakfast that can be made in advance for meal prep, but is even more perfect for brunch. With these red and green colors, this recipe is a perfectly balanced breakfast for Christmas brunch!
Recipe: $9.78 | Per Serving: $2.45 | Yield: 4
This chickpea shakshuka is a simple combination of simmering tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, and spices, and today's recipe comes with the addition of kale and chickpeas!
Why this recipe works:
Tomatoes and eggs are one of my favorite food combinations of all time. Gooey egg yolks with sweet blistered cherry tomatoes shine in my favorite Breakfast Salad, and again here paired with flavorful and simple tomato sauce for Shakshuka!
Chickpeas are a great addition to increase the protein, fiber, and starch content of this dish, making it a more filling and more complete meal. Tomato-based sauces are also a great pairing for kale; the acidity of the sauce softens and flavors the chopped kale.
As a result, this traditional recipe, with a twist, provides a satisfying chickpea shakshuka with tons of flavor and nutrition.
This chickpea shakshuka recipe is an old favorite and was originally posted in April of 2017. It has been updated with better pictures and clearer instructions.
What you'll need:
We are using a few simple ingredients, mostly pantry staples. You can whip this delicious recipe up any day of the week!
- A red bell pepper brings sweetness, but you can use green if you prefer. A red or green pepper is included in most traditional shakshuka recipes.
- Half an onion helps to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Two cloves of garlic - although if you like it garlicky, feel free to add more!
- A can of drained and rinsed chickpeas - this ingredient is not traditional, but it makes for a thicker sauce and more filling meal.
- A can of diced tomatoes - plain or fire roasted both work here. Whole tomatoes from a can will also work - squeeze them in your hands to mash them.
- We're also using a Tablespoon of tomato paste to really intensify the rich tomato flavor.
- Spices - smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne are the primary spices here, but feel free to add chili powder or red pepper flakes as well.
- Kale will soak up all the delicious flavor and retain its texture. See recipe notes for using spinach instead.
- Eggs! In my opinion, eggs are the star of a Shakshuka! See below for tips to get the perfect runny eggs!
Dietary Modifications & Substitutions:
This dish is based on a traditional shakshuka recipe, but with the addition of kale and chickpeas. Shakshuka is infinitely customizable.
- For Vegetarian: Yes! This recipe is vegetarian as written.
- For Paleo: Omit the chickpeas, feta, and naan to make this recipe Paleo.
- For Dairy-Free: My favorite dairy-free cheese brands are Miyokos and Violife. I highly recommend Violife Greek "White Block" as a feta replacement, or you can make your own homemade vegan feta with tofu.
- To use spinach instead of kale, stir in the spinach immediately before adding the eggs. Just be aware the spinach will wilt into the sauce and will not retain much texture.
How to make Chickpea Shakshuka:
1. Start by prepping your ingredients while you heat a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions and bell peppers, then add the spices, tomato paste, and garlic. Let those cook for a couple of minutes to release their flavor.
2. Add the tomatoes and chickpeas and stir well to incorporate.
3. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, or until the flavors have started to meld together. Add in the chopped kale and cook another 5 minutes or so or until the kale has started to soften.
4. To add the eggs, make 6 wells in the sauce. It should be thick enough that you can shape 6 shallow divots. Carefully add one cracked egg to each divot.
5. For gooey eggs, cover the pan and cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the whites are set but the yolks are still gooey. This is more easily achieved with a glass lid if you have one!
I highly recommend erring on the side of undercooking the eggs. Check them early, and feel free to spread the egg whites around so they cook all the way. I like over-easy eggs with a fully cooked white and a runny yolk.
6. Top it with feta cheese (YUM) and parsley, and pair it with whole wheat naan or crusty no-knead bread and you're all set!
FAQs & Expert Tips for making Shakshuka
Shakshuka a traditional recipe hailing North Africa, and incredibly popular throughout the Middle East / Mediterranean. It is commonly said to originate in Tunisia in the 16th century, but you will find it all over the region.
Traditional shakshuka sauce is a tomato-based sauce simmered with peppers, onions, and garlic, and seasoned with warming spices such as cumin and paprika.
1 - Make sure your sauce is very hot when you add the eggs. This will help cook the whites more quickly. Using a good quality pan (cast iron is idea) can help distribute heat more evenly.
2 - Cook this covered on the stovetop rather than in the oven. Alternatively, you can broil this in the oven for 1-3 minutes after adding the eggs. Be sure to watch closely.
3 - Use a wider skillet as this will give the eggs more space to spread, allowing the whites to cook more quickly than the yolk. (If you don't have a larger skillet, you can cut this recipe in half.)
4 - If needed, after 4 minutes of cooking, you can use a small spoon to separate any uncooked whites from the yolk. Just scooch these uncooked whites around to give them more contact with the sauce.
5 - And finally, if you're struggling to get your eggs perfect, there's no shame in just frying or poaching them on the side if that eases your stress. It took me several tries to get my eggs just right. :)
More delicious & healthy breakfast recipes:
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Chickpea Shakshuka with Kale
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil or butter/ghee
- ½ medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon chili powder optional
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 28 ounces crushed or diced tomatoes fire roasted preferred
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed, about 1 ½ cups cooked
- 2 cups fresh kale chopped
- 6 eggs
- 2 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
- whole wheat naan or gluten-free for serving
Instructions
- Warm the oil in a large skillet. Sauté the diced onions and red bell pepper with a dash of salt for 2-3 minutes, until they begin to develop some color.
- Add the garlic, tomato paste, salt, and spices. Stir well to combine, cooking for about 30 seconds.
- Add the canned tomatoes and chickpeas and bring to a low simmer. You want bubbles, but you don’t want it to splatter all over your stove! Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.
- Taste and adjust salt/pepper/spice level, then stir in the chopped kale until well mixed.
- Bring the sauce back to a low simmer before adding the eggs. Using the back of a spoon, make 6 shallow wells in the sauce mixture and carefully crack an egg into each well. Alternatively, crack the egg into a small bowl and gently pour this into the well. Sprinkle with a little more salt and cover.
- For over-easy eggs, cook covered for 5-6 minutes until the whites are set. Check often to ensure the eggs don't overcook, and see notes below for perfect runny yolks.
- Top with crumbled feta cheese and chopped parsley.
- Divide the eggs and sauce among 4 bowls, and serve with your favorite naan or toast.
Notes
- Make sure your sauce is very hot when you add the eggs. This will help cook the whites more quickly. Using a good quality pan (cast iron is idea) can help distribute heat more evenly.
- Cook this covered on the stovetop rather than in the oven. Alternatively, you can broil this in the oven for 1-3 minutes after adding the eggs. Be sure to watch closely.
- Use a wider skillet as this will give the eggs more space to spread, allowing the whites to cook more quickly than the yolk. (If you don't have a larger skillet, you can cut this recipe in half.)
- If needed, after 4 minutes of cooking, you can use a small spoon to separate any uncooked whites from the yolk. Just scooch these uncooked whites around to give them more contact with the sauce.
- And finally, if you're struggling to get your eggs perfect, there's no shame in just frying or poaching them on the side if that eases your stress. It took me several tries to get my eggs just right. :)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and should only be used as a guide. Data is pulled primarily from the official USDA database, which can be up to 20% off. Optional ingredients are not included in the nutritional calculations. Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and join me on YouTube!
Would frozen kale be a good substitute for fresh? This looks so good!
Yes definitely! I've used frozen and fresh kale before!