Have you heard of shakshouka? A Middle Eastern specialty, it’s a quick and easy vegetarian dish that’s hearty enough to make a winter meal. In the traditional version, eggs are simmered in a piquant tomato and pepper sauce. We’ve put a California twist on things, adding lots of spinach for a dose of healthy greens, and of course a crunchy topping of our Garlic Gold® Nuggets.
Whole-grain pita bread is served alongside, so you can use it as an edible utensil, tearing off pieces of bread and using them to scoop up the eggs and sauce. The hands-on approach is perfect for kids, too — they’ll have so much fun eating this dish!
Best of all, shakshouka is easily adaptable to suit a wide range of tastes. It can be mild or spicy — just go ahead and leave out the red pepper flakes if you don’t want the added heat. The eggs can be poached just until the whites are solid and the yolks are runny (my favorite way), or cooked more thoroughly if you prefer your yolks well done. Enjoy!
-Coco Morante, Recipe Editor for Garlic Gold®
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, including liquid
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup Garlic Gold® Oil
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1/4 cup Garlic Gold® Southwest Nuggets
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 16-ounce bag frozen spinach, thawed in the fridge overnight or defrosted in the microwave
- 8 eggs
- Garlic Gold® Sea Salt Nuggets
- 1/4 cup chopped flatleaf parsley
- warm whole-grain pita bread
- Pour the tomatoes and their juice, along with the 1/2 cup of water into a medium mixing bowl. Gently crush the tomatoes with your hands, tearing them into bite-sized pieces.
- Heat the Garlic Gold® Oil a large (12-inch) stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- When the oil begins to shimmer, add the bell pepper and onion and sauté until the vegetables are soft and just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the Southwest Nuggets and red pepper flakes and stir for one minute.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and juice to the skillet, then reduce heat to medium. Let simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When the sauce has thickened, stir in the spinach and bring back up to a simmer.
- Use a spoon to push aside a bit of the sauce, then crack an egg into the impression left in the sauce. Repeat with remaining eggs.
- Cover the skillet and let the eggs poach in the sauce for about five minutes. Uncover and check for doneness — the whites should be just barely cooked through, while the yolks are still a bit runny.
- Ladle the sauce and eggs into shallow bowls for serving. Garnish with Sea Salt Nuggets and parsley, and serve with warm pita bread for dipping.
