July is the beginning of tomato season, the perfect time to grab a bag and head to your local farmer’s market for some fresh veggies and let’s make this incredibly easy and flavory vegetable-based dish. 

So what is actually Shakshuka? Basically poached eggs in tomato sauce with a handful of fresh herbs and amazing flavors. It’s a really easy to make dish, with only a few and well-known ingredients. It can be considered as a ratatouille variation, as it’s made from fresh, seasonal veggies like tomatoes, bell peppers and onion, but the poached eggs and fresh herbs add something extra to this meal. 

This classic, traditional shakshuka recipe is typically served for brunch or breakfast (but also can be served for lunch) and I love to serve with fresh parsley and homemade bread. It’s a so easy recipe that is bursting with flavors, if you’d like to be creative try to add extra veggies, fresh mint, ground cumin, or even cayenne pepper. Play around a little bit with the ingredients and flavors and create your own shakshuka recipe. 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• 1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper
• 500g tomatoes
• 1/2 canned tomato paste
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp ground paprika
• salt & pepper
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 bunch of fresh chopped parsley
• 4 eggs

Serves: 2 hungry person

Time to prepare: 45 mins

How to make it?

1. Heat a pan with olive oil, then add the chopped garlic, onion, and bell pepper. Sauté for a ~5 minutes, until fragrant.
2. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and the tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, and basil. Cook for additional 20-25 minutes while stirring constantly.
3. With the help of a spoon to make four wells in the sauce and crack one egg into each well.
4. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes over low to medium heat until the eggs are almost cooked.  NOTE: The eggs will still cook a little more once you take the pot from the heat.
5. Sprinkle with the finely chopped parsley and serve with fresh, homemade bread.

Variations

Spring Shakshouka: a fresh twist on a classic dish

This spring veggie Shakshouka version shakes things up by tossing in a mix of awesome veggies like asparagus, peas and bell peppers. Imagine the snap of fresh peas and the tender bite of asparagus all cozying up in a zesty tomato base. And with a sprinkle of parsley, it’s like having a garden party right in your skillet! Fragrant herbs like basil and parsley add a refreshing twist, evoking the essence of a garden in full bloom during springtime. Wish I had a garden like this. 

Ingredients:

• a bunch of asparagus
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion
• 2 bell peppers
• 500g tomatoes
• 400g of peas
• 1 canned tomato paste
• 1 tsp Cayenne-pepper
• salt & pepper
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 bunch of fresh chopped parsley
• 4 eggs

How to make it?

1. Trim the woody ends of the asparagus, leaving the tips, then finely slice the ends. 
2. Chop the veggies: onion, peppers and tomatoes.
3. Heat olive oil in a frying pan or skillet. 
4. Add the onions, sliced asparagus and peppers, and fry gently until the veggies soften a little.
5. Add the salt, pepper, Cayenne, tomatoes, parsley and stir. 
6. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 mins to make a base, then add the tomatoes, asparagus spears and peas, cover again and cook for 2 mins.
7. Make 4 dips in the mixture and break an egg into each dip, season well, cover with a lid and cook until the eggs are just set. 
8. Serve with the some fresh whole wheat bread, and sprinkle over parsley, spring onion or another pinch of cayenne and basil.