Shakshouka morning, noon or night

Shakshouka (or Sakshuka) is a delectable egg dish with origins in the northern parts of Africa, and made with some of the region’s most iconic ingredients – ripe tomatoes, peppers, chili and fragrant spices.

It’s a simple one-skillet meal that can be served over spinach, over grains, or simply with a side of bread and olive oil. It can be the main dish or a side attraction. If you make enough for leftovers, Shakshouka reheats easily and makes for a great lunch.

Nutrients

When cooked tomatoes supply your body with many times more lycopene and antioxidants than if consumed raw. Lycopene is especially valuable because it is uniquely effective at reducing free-radicals in the body. Between the benefits of the cooked tomatoes, anti-cancer properties in chili, and myriad other nutrients in eggs, peppers and spices, Shakshouka is not just a delicious dish, but a powerhouse of nutrition and catalyst for detox.

I like to keep the benefits of my meals in mind when devouring my homemade creations. It makes the experience of eating a tasty meal that much more satisfying and inspires gratitude. Hopefully this little reminder will do the same for you!

Cooking Notes

My recipe is lightly spicy, but it can take a little more heat if you prefer! Before you top the sauce with eggs, have a couple tastes to determine if you’d like to add a pinch of this or that to the mixture.

Eggs

• Be sure that the sauce is piping hot when you crack the eggs into their grooves.
• The portions in my recipe can handle up to six eggs if you use a 11-12 inch pan.
• If you want to ensure a runny yolk, you could alternatively poach the eggs and arrange in the sauce to serve in the skillet.

Sauce

• Once you’ve added the tomatoes to the pan keep simmering until your sauce thickens. This may mean cooking a couple minutes longer than my instructions.
• You can substitute fresh tomatoes with a jar of Jovial organic tomatoes. I avoid canned food as much as possible, so these Jovial diced tomatoes are a blessing to find. Using canned tomatoes will reduce your cooking time! Add them to the cooked down bell peppers and simmer for a few minutes until enough liquid has boiled off.
• Be sure to have a flat edged wooden spoon/ spatula on hand to scrape up the contents on the bottom when stirring.
• Use a good quality cast iron or Le Creuset Skillet.

Serve

• This dish works really well over spinach! Place raw baby spinach in a bowl and place sizzling hot Shakshouka over the greens. They’ll wilt and make for an amazing warm salad.
• Try tossing some plain cooked plain cooked millet or other grains into the bowl.
• Eat with a side of toasted bread and olive oil.
• Garnish with fresh parsley and Za’atar.
• Serve with slices of goat gouda or other hard goat or sheep’s milk cheese.