Foolproof Shakshuka

Foolproof Shakshuka - A classic Middle Eastern dish where poached eggs are nestled in a hearty, spiced tomato sauce. This simple one-pan meal can be made for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner! 

Shakshuka - such a fun word! If you have never heard of it, shakshuka comes from Arabic, meaning, “a haphazard mixture” or “all mixed up.” This delicious Middle Eastern dish is “mixed up” with sauteed vegetables, spices, tomatoes, and poached eggs. 

To make this foolproof, you only need a skillet for this recipe. You start by sauteing vegetables and/or breakfast sausage in the skillet, throw in some spices to toast, then add in tomatoes for the flavors to meld. Simmer the mixture to allow the flavors to build as well as to allow excess liquid to evaporate. 

You then create little pockets in the stew, crack a few eggs directly into the mixture, and then place the skillet in the oven. Garnish with fresh herbs, cheese, red pepper flakes and serve it hot with flatbread or crusty bread. That easy! 

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with! 

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Ingredients

• 4 eggs

• 1 medium zucchini (cubed)

• 1 lb brussels sprouts (shaved)

• ½ cup cherry tomatoes (halved)

• ½ red onion (diced)

• 2 cloves garlic (minced)

• 1 package (12 oz) breakfast turkey sausage 

• 1 can 28 oz fire-roasted crushed tomatoes

• ½ cup crumbled feta or vegan feta

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp cumin

• Dashes of red pepper flakes (omit if sensitive to spice)

• Salt and pepper to season

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

2. In a large oven-safe skillet, cook breakfast sausage over medium heat. When the sausage is finished cooking, drain the oil from the sausage and set to the side. 

3. If the skillet has about a tablespoon of oil leftover from the sausage, leave in the skillet; otherwise, add about a tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Once the pan is warm again (continue cooking on medium heat), add onion and garlic and saute until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. 

4. Add zucchini, brussels sprouts, and cherry tomatoes. Continue cooking, stirring often until the vegetables are cooked, about 4-6 minutes. Add smoked paprika, cumin, S&P, and red pepper flakes. 

5. Pour in the crushed tomatoes with their juices and the cooked sausage. Stir, and let the mixture come to a simmer. Reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook for 5 minutes to give the flavors time to meld.

6. Turn off the heat. Taste (careful - hot!), and add salt, pepper, or additional spices as necessary. Use the back of a spoon to make a well near the perimeter and crack the egg directly into it. Gently spoon a bit of the tomato mixture over the whites to help contain the egg. Repeat with the remaining 4-5 eggs, depending on how many you can fit in the skillet. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the eggs. 

7. Carefully transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes, checking often once you reach 8 minutes. You know when the eggs are done when the egg whites are an opaque white and the yolks have risen a bit but are still soft. They should still jiggle in the centers when you “shimmy” the pan. (Keep in mind, the eggs will continue to cook after you pull the dish out of the oven.)

8. Transfer the hot skillet to a heat-safe surface like the stove. Top with crumbled feta, fresh cilantro/basil leaves, and more red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve in bowls with crusty bread on the side or on its own. 

Notes 

I like using these turkey sausage brands. Applegate and The Great American Turkey Co.