Traditional Shakshuka Recipe

Growing up, my mom always made shakshuka. It's a dish that's commonly served for breakfast in North Africa and the Middle East. Though sadly, when I was young I was extra-picky and didn't really appreciate the dish. Now as an adult, I love making it as a dish to enjoy for weekend breakfasts. One thing I've noticed is it always takes me slightly longer than to make than I remembered, which makes me extra hungry in the morning. Jake had the idea to see if this would be a good meal to freezer meal prep.

This past weekend we decided to make shakshuka but instead of making enough for one weekend, we doubled our recipe so we could freeze the leftovers for another weekend. I am so happy we did this! Now we have 6 cups in the freezer, which is enough for ~6 eggs (or at least for us, two different breakfasts). This is the perfect dish to meal prep for your next breakfast or brunch!

I looked up several recipes online to make this, but of course, ended up calling my mom to see how my grandmother made it. The recipe below is a combination of family traditions + tips and tricks I learned from the internet (i.e. using a 28oz can of whole peeled tomatoes is a lot easier and provides more consistent flavor than looking for flavorful tomatoes in the market - don't tell my mom that though).

Some versions add parsley and feta cheese at the very end when serving, but we decided to keep ours fairly simple. Our favorite is toasting up sour dough bread to eat with it. Full recipe below.

Step 1: Gather all the ingredients

Note: we doubled the recipe so we could have leftovers to freeze

Step 2: Saute the onions, bell pepper, and hot pepper until slightly charred

Step 3: Add garlic, spices, and tomato paste. Stir until fragrant (~30 seconds).

Step 4: Add 28oz can of whole peeled tomatoes. Then add 1 tablespoon of sugar. Stir together.

Note: I found this crafty trick online for cutting whole peeled tomatoes in a can - instead of taking them out and getting the juice all over a cutting board, leave the tomatoes inside! Use a clean pair of kitchen sheers to cut up all the tomatoes. 

Step 5: Cover and simmer for at least 15 minutes. Then crack eggs into the sauce (it's easiest if you make small craters with a spoon). Cover with lid for 6-8 minutes.

Step 6: Once egg whites start to firm up, serve immediately with toasted bread and top with feta cheese and parsley (optional). Have leftovers? Freeze in your Souper Cubes® tray for another weekend.

Michelle's Shakshuka Recipe:

Skill Level: Easy

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 hot chili pepper (such as a jalapeno), thinly sliced (without seeds)
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried cumin
• 1-2 tablespoons paprika 
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 28-oz can of whole peeled tomatoes (cut up)
• Eggs (1-2 per person)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• For serving (optional): feta cheese, toasted bread, parsley 

1. Heat up oil in a large skillet. Once hot, add thinly sliced onion, red pepper, and hot chili pepper. Minimize stirring to allow vegetables to char (should take 8-10 minutes).
2. Add garlic, dried spices, and tomato paste to the sauteed onions and stir until fragrant (30 seconds or so).
3. Add 28-oz can of whole peeled tomatoes to the skillet. You can use clean kitchen sheers to cut up the tomatoes while they're still in the can. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar to the sauce and stir.
4. Simmer sauce for 15-20 minutes
5. Using a spoon, make craters in the sauce. Crack eggs into the craters. Cover with lid for 6-8 minutes.
6. Serve immediately with optional ingredients (toasted bread, feta cheese parsley)

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Have leftovers you want to freeze for your next weekend brunch? Buy your Souper Cubes® tray.