Shakshuka with chickpeas and lemon
With a luscious combination of sweet and tart flavors, this egg-and-tomato dish is perfect for a brunch.
This classic egg-and-tomato dish from North Africa and the Middle East is a luscious combination of spices, sweet and tart flavors from tomatoes and sweet peppers (I omitted these this time), and richness from eggs. I have heightened the tart a little bit with lemon juice to brighten the final flavor, and I added chickpeas for a little more protein and texture.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons paprika, sweet, spicy, or smoked
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chile powder
- Juice of 1 lemon, zest reserved
- 1 28-ounce can whole-peeled tomatoes, crushed between your fingers
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, no salt added, in their liquid
- 6 eggs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Small handfuls of parsley, cilantro, and mint, roughly chopped
Directions
- Place a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the olive oil and, when hot, add the onion and cook until starting to get tender and more translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and spices and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice, bring it to a boil, and let about half of the juice boil away.
- Stir in the tomatoes (now crushed thanks to you) and the chickpeas with their no-salt-added liquid (if a salted chickpea liquid is used, just be mindful about seasoning less later on).
- Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Let the mixture come to simmer and bubble away until slightly thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, work around the perimeter of the pan to make little wells into which you crack the eggs. You can mound the tomato-chickpea mixture around each egg to give it a little cozy nook.
- Season each egg with salt and pepper.
- Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat slightly to low, and let cook until the whites of the eggs are cooked and the yolk is just set, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Alternatively, you could place the skillet into a preheated 400-degree oven, lid-free, and cook for about the same amount of time.
- Garnish the dish with chopped herbs and reserved lemon zest.
Nutrition information (per serving)
- Calories: 310
- Total fat: 13 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 325 mg
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Total carbohydrate: 35 g
- Dietary fiber: 9 g
- Total sugars: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
Note: Nutritional calculation does not include added salt.