Shakshuka 101
Shakshuka with feta is an easy vegetarian one-pan dish made with eggs, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and onions. It looks beautiful, and that’s because the eggs are poached among all the other ingredients. The tomatoes, peppers, and onions cook to form a delicious sauce (make it as spicy as you want!) and then eggs are cracked into the pan to cook. I love it with a side of bread or pita, which is great for sopping up anything left on your plate. Shakshuka isn’t exactly a neat meal to eat, but that’s ok!
This is one the easiest, most delicious dishes you can enjoy any time of day whether you’re a total beginner cook or pro home chef. It’s something you can whip together or one person in a small pan or feed a crowd at brunch.We love its versatility.
Bonus! Shakshuka is the perfect vehicle for leftover veggies on their last leg in the fridge! I’ve thrown cauliflower, eggplant, spinach, broccoli (really, any vegetable I have!) in my shakshuka to use it up before it goes bad. You can make it with almost any veggie, and it’s still delicious.
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How to make shakshuka with feta
Making shakshuka is super easy.
It involves first sauteeing onions in oil in a skillet (here’s my skillet of choice), followed by the onions, other veggies, tomatoes, spices, and herbs.
This is a low-maintenance dish, so you can simmer the sauce for a while if you’d like or need to. Just don’t walk away completely from the stove; make sure you stir it every 5 minutes or so, to prevent the veggies from sticking to the bottom.
Once your sauce is cooked (make sure to taste it!) push the ingredients in the pan to the side a bit to create little “wells” or “nests” for your eggs. You can crack as many eggs in the pan that will fit; a larger skillet will accommodate more. I usually do 2-4 eggs depending on how many servings I need. Once the eggs are in, you can cover the pan and cook them to your preferred level of doneness. I like mine runny, so I usually let them cook for about 4 minutes.But a little longer is fine, too.
That’s it! Turn off the heat and add the feta cheese if using, which will melt just a little bit, enough to incorporate. Then you can scoop your shakshuka onto a plate with bread or any other side dishes and enjoy warm.
How to Make 5-Ingredient Shakshuka For 2 (One pan meal!)
What to serve with shakshuka
As I mentioned before, crusty bread, naan, or pita is the ideal side to serve with shakshuka. How else will you soak up all the delicious extra sauce?
Here are some other ideas for what to serve with shakshuka:
- Bagels!
- Roasted potatoes
- Couscous
- Rice
- Quinoa
- Greek salad
- Hummus
What you need to know about shakshuka…
Still have questions about shakshuka? We got you.
How do you pronounce shakshuka?
It’s pronounced “shahk-shoe-kah.”
Is Shakshuka a breakfast food?
You can eat shakshuka at any time of day! I personally love it for a quick lazy dinner.
Is Shakshuka the same as eggs in purgatory?
Eggs in purgatory is an Italian-inspired dish that is typically made with simpler ingredients and fewer spices! But if you’re familiar with eggs in purgatory and enjoy it, you’ll probably love shakshuka, too.It’s the same kind of eggs-suspended-in-sauce kind of vibe.
What country is shakshuka from?
It’s hard to say for sure, but we know that shakshuka originated in countries like Yemen and Tunisia. It’s popular throughout Middle Eastern countries and you’ll find so many different variations on it! I was first introduced to it on trips to Israel visiting my family and it became a fast favorite, even as a picky eater.
I’ve also learned that shakshuka is inspired by a similar dish made with meat, and this is the vegetarian version of it.
How do you make vegan shakshuka?
To make shakshuka vegan, I recommend replacing eggs with chickpeas! We have a fully vegan recipe in the Workweek Lunch Meal Prep Program, which you can check out here and even see our weekly plans, grocery lists, and more on a free trial!
How to customize shakshuka with feta
Want to add more veggies? Red bell pepper and spinach would be excellent options. Zucchini, swiss chard, and eggplant would be good too.
Want to add more protein? If you don’t want to use chickpeas, add rinsed and drained white beans or cooked quinoa into the skillet when you add the canned tomato.
Want to change up the spices? The tomato/egg combination leaves a ton of room for experimentation and creativity. You can use simple salt, pepper, and onion powder… or you can really get creative and throw in Indian-inspired or Italian-inspired spices too. (Think curry powder or basil or oregano). In the photo below, I used fresh parsley and dill because I had them on hand. I would totally use basil or mint next time to try it out!
You can leave feta out if you’re not a fan, or use a different cheese! Goat cheese and gorgonzola would both be great in this dish.
How to meal prep shakshuka
You can easily meal prep shakshuka with feta by whipping up this recipe and separating it into meal prep containers instead of eating it right away (if you can wait!).
I promise reheating eggs is safe. But if you’re not into that idea, you can prep the sauce and quickly cook up a portion for one by adding the sauce to a pan with an egg or two on top.
Storage & reheating notes:
If you’re not going to eat this immediately, it can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. It’s not freezer-friendly; those eggs just don’t take to freezing. However, if you just make the sauce, that indeed is freezer-friendly, and it’s best when reheated in the microwave or on the stove. Add a little extra water if need be, if it’s thick upon defrosting and reheating. Happy prepping!
Here are some other delicious Shakshuka recipes to check out!
- Smoky White Bean Shakshuka
- Green Shakshuka
- Curried Coconut Lentil Shakshuka
- Shakshuka With Spiced Beef Breakfast Sausage
Or, try our other breakfast recipes!
- Easy, No-Frills Banana Bread Muffins
- Starbucks Copycat Recipe: Spinach Feta Breakfast Wraps
- Vanilla Almond Granola Sweetened With Maple Syrup
- Brunchwrap Supreme
- Easy Baked Frittata
The Best One-Pan Egg Shakshuka For Meal Prep (Vegetarian)
Author: Workweek Lunch
Rating
Servings: 3 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Pin RecipePrint RecipeShop Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 1 TBSP sriracha (optional if you like heat!)
- 1/2 cup olives chopped, optional
- 6 egg
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp turmeric optional
- 1 cup parsley chopped, optional
- 3/4 cup feta cheese 1/4 cup per serving
- 3 slice bread of your choice, for serving
Instructions
Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. After a minute, add the chopped onions and stir occasionally until fragrant (about 2-3 minutes).
To the skillet, add the canned diced tomatoes (with the liquid), sriracha, olives if using, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, cinnamon and turmeric if using.
Stir well to combine and bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer.
Crack the eggs over the pan and try to spread them out if possible so they’re not touching too much, but it’s okay if they are. NOTE! if you can’t fit 6 eggs all at once, take 1/3 of the tomato mixture out of the pan and transfer it to a bowl. Do four at a time first, remove that from the pan, and then add the remaining tomato mixture + the remaining two eggs. This will double cooking time, but it’s worth it I promise!
Cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes. The eggs will poach in the tomatoes and covering it speeds up the process a bit. Gently tap the eggs with your finger to see if they're done to your liking. Taste the tomato mixture and adjust spices if necessary (I added more heat to mine). Add in the feta and parsley if using!
Divide the mixture between three meal prep containers (you can freeze this!) Enjoy this meal heated up with a slice of toasted bread.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please leave a comment below on the blog or share a photo with us and tag @workweeklunch! Can’t wait to see what you made!
