Spiced with chili powder, and beans and topped with avocado, cilantro, and jalapeños, our Vegetarian Shakshuka erupts your palate leaving your senses singing and your appetite satisfied.
What is Shakshuka (or Shakshouka)?
Shakshuka (also known as shakshouka, or eggs in purgatory) is a Tunisian dish of eggs nestled on a spicy bed of cumin and paprika spiced tomato sauce stewed with onions. It's the perfect kitchen sink base for any ingredients you may have in your kitchen and it's serving range is unlimited, ideal for Sunday brunch with friends, a weeknight dinner for two or a simple at home lunch, it’s a one-skillet-dish that’s as effortless as it is delicious.
Our take on the Shakshuka is spiced with the addition of chili powder, a handful of beans and topped with creamy avocado, fresh cilantro and spicy jalapeños. Warm spicy tomatoes, textured beans, runny eggs, spicy jalapeños, creamy avocado and a generous sprinkling of cheese erupts your palate and leaves your senses singing with pure bliss and satisfaction.
How to Make Our Vegetarian Shakshuka
Ingredients to Make Shakshuka
Olive oil, chili powder, cumin, paprika, red onion, jalapeño peppers, canned beans, can tomatoes, eggs, feta cheese, chili flakes, scallions, cilantro, avocado, bread
Toast the Spices
Toasting and frying spices at the start of a recipe helps evoke the most flavour and fragrance from them. It is a small step that you can make that will yield amazing results in spice forward foods.
Combine 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of chili powder, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of cumin, and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of smoked paprika with a splash of water in a small bowl, until it comes together in a paste.
Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil in a large oven safe skillet. Once the oil begins to smoke, pour in the spice mixture and sauté stirring frequently for 2 minutes. Add a splash of water as the spices stick to the bottom of the pan to prevent them from burning.
Make the Vegetarian Shakshuka Sauce
To the cooking spices add a medium red onion that has been dices, along with 2 diced jalapeño peppers. Sauté an additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently until the vegetables are softened and cooked through. Add a can (14 oz/398 ml) of mixed beans and a can (28 oz/796ml) tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium for 15 minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the Eggs and Bake the Vegetarian Shakshuka
Make 6 pockets in the sauce to hold the eggs. Crack an egg into each pocket and cover the pan for 6 minutes to cook the eggs until the whites are almost cooked through and yolk runny.
Make it Beautiful
Place your oven rack at the top position and heat on a high broil.
Top each egg with a slice of jalapeño and sprinkle a generous amount of crumbled cheese over the whole dish. Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil until the cheese is caramelized, eggs whites cooked and yolk slightly runny.
Finish the shakshuka with a sprinkling of chili flakes for added heat. Then, add colour with thinly sliced scallions, cilantro and arrange thinly sliced avocado on top. Serve with toast and enjoy.
Recipe Card
Vegetarian Shakshuka (Shakshouka) with Avocado and Jalapeños
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon 15 ml olive oil
- 1 tablespoon 15 ml chili powder
- 1 tablespoon 15 ml ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon 5 ml smoked paprika
- 1 medium red onion diced
- 2 jalapeño peppers diced
- 1 can 14 oz/398 ml mixed beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can 28 oz/796 ml tomatoes, whole or diced
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 6 large eggs
- ½ cup 75 g crumbled feta cheese
- ½ teaspoon 2 ml chili flakes
- ¼ cup 60 ml sliced green onion
- ¼ cup 60 ml fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 large avocado thinly sliced
- Sourdough bread toasted for serving
Instructions
No. 1 | Toast the Spices
- Combine 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of chili powder, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of cumin, and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of smoked paprika with a splash of water in a small bowl, until it comes together in a paste.
- Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil in a large oven safe skillet. Once the oil begins to smoke, pour in the spice mixture and sauté stirring frequently for 2 minutes. Add a splash of water as the spices stick to the bottom of the pan to prevent them from burning.
No. 2 | Make the Sauce
- To the skillet add a medium red onion that has been dices, along with 2 diced jalapeño peppers. Sauté an additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently until the vegetables are softened and cooked through. Add a can (14 oz/398 ml) of mixed beans and a can (28 oz/796ml) tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium for 15 minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
No. 3 | Add the Eggs and Bake
- Make 6 pockets in the sauce to hold the eggs. Crack an egg into each pocket and cover the pan for 6 minutes to cook the eggs until the whites are almost cooked through and yolk runny.
No. 4 | Make it Beautiful
- Place your oven rack at the top position and heat on a high broil. Top each egg with a slice of jalapeño and sprinkle a generous amount of crumbled cheese over the whole dish. Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil until the cheese is caramelized and the eggs whites finished cooking, and yolk slightly runny.
- Finish the shakshuka with a sprinkling of chili flakes for added heat, thinly sliced scallions, cilantro and arrange thinly sliced avocado on top. Serve with toast and enjoy.
Ann says
Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe. It looks so nice. Even shared it on my wall
Chef Sous Chef says
Thanks Ann. Appreciate you sharing!
Maggie says
So beautiful! I imagine it's perfect the morning after a night on the town 😉
Chef Sous Chef says
Hahaha! So true!
Jacob says
Looks really nice! Fantastic recipe! Will use it a lot, I guess. ))
chefsouschef says
Thanks Jacob! Definitely an easy and versatile recipe to use for any meal in the day.