Brunch it Up Over the Holiday With This Shakshuka Recipe

If you’re in Beijing over the holiday and looking to up your brunch game, then this shakshuka recipe is the one for you! Shakshuka is one of my all time favorite brunch dishes and it’s surprisingly easy to make for yourself at home.

For those thinking “sha... what now?”, shakshuka is a North African and Middle Eastern dish that consists of eggs poached in a mixture of chopped tomatoes, peppers, and onions spiced with chilies and cumin. It’s traditionally served in the iron skillet it’s cooked in and is a great sharing dish.

Over the years I’ve done a few different shakshuka adaptions but my go to tweak has to be the addition of spinach which not only adds a different texture and flavor but is packed with healthy goodness too! 

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 fresh red chilies, minced (optional, if you want an extra kick)
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cayenne 
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1tsp brown sugar
• 2 large handfuls of fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 4 large eggs
• Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped (for garnish)
• Crumbled feta cheese (optional, but highly recommended)
• Crusty bread or pita, for serving

Instructions:

1. Grab your favorite deep frying pan or skillet (it needs to have a lid and be relatively deep) drizzle in the olive oil, and bring it to medium heat. Toss in the diced onion and let it soften for about 5 minutes. 
    
2. Add the garlic, fresh chili (if using) and bell pepper, cooking for another 3-4 minutes until they get a little tender.
    
3. Next stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne (if using) and let it cook for around 1 minute. If you’ve got some red wine open, you can also add in a splash of that to deglaze the pan and then let it simmer for about 1 minute.
    
4. Add in the tomato puree, tinned tomatoes, and brown sugar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let this simmer for around 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens up and reduces a bit.
    
5. Toss the spinach into the pan and stir until it wilts into the tomato sauce (about 2 minutes). It’ll cook down a lot, so don’t be afraid to pack in those greens.
    
6. Use a spoon to create little wells in the sauce for your eggs. Gently crack the eggs into these wells, cover the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Keep an eye on them—runny yolks are the heart of shakshuka!
    
7. Once the eggs are cooked to your liking, sprinkle the dish with fresh cilantro or parsley, and maybe some crumbled feta if you want that salty bite. Serve immediately with crusty bread or pita for scooping up all that saucy, eggy goodness.

Pro Tip:

Shakshuka is all about balance, if your sauce is too tangy, add a pinch more sugar. Too thick? Splash in a little water to loosen it up. And don’t be afraid to make it your own—add a dash of harissa for heat, or add in some chunks of sausage or mince when cooking the onions if you want to make it meaty. 

READ: Join the Bagel Frenzy in Beijing!

Images: Unsplash, Katie Coy