This recipe was sponsored by Pacific Foods. To the uninitiated, shakshuka is a popular breakfasty dish made of a spiced tomato sauce, typically with poached eggs. Shakshuka is popular across the Middle East, North Africa, and Mediterranean and while its origins are disputed it is thought to date back to at least the Ottoman Empire. My vegan shakshuka is inspired by its most iconic modern day version with a richly flavored tomatoey base laced with cumin, coriander, paprika, and a hint of nutmeg. Instead of egg I add dollops of vegan ricotta. Bites of the creamy, lightly lemony, vegan cheese complement the flavorful tomato base beautifully. It’s a simple recipe made easier with my shortcut of adding Pacific Foods Organic Creamy Tomato Basil Soup. It boosts the tomato flavor and lets you cut back on the cooking time significantly while still getting those deep tomatoey notes that are only possible from long cooking times.
Make the spiced tomato sauce:
Using the soup in the shakshuka makes for a flavorful base, but we build on that flavor and add texture by cooking onion, bell pepper, and fresh tomato into the stew. As is the case with many savory dishes, we start with browning the onion. Onion adds naturally sweet notes and depth of flavor to the stew. Next up add in garlic and bell pepper. I like to use red bell peppers because not only do I think they taste better than green bell peppers, but they also are more nutritious and have more vitamins. They’re actually just the ripe version of green peppers! If you’re not a bell pepper lover then you can leave it out or add in a spicier pepper (poblano would be great, or add in a jalapeño or serrano if you want some heat). Obviously if you use a smaller spicy pepper it won’t add the same texture to the stew but will add some nice flavor! But you could always add the spicy pepper alongside the bell pepper for the best of both worlds. Now come the spices. Coriander, cumin, and paprika amp up the flavor of the stew and make your kitchen smell amazing! A pinch of nutmeg is the finishing touch. With the spices added in, it’s time to add the tomato. I add a chopped tomato along with the Organic Creamy Tomato Basil Soup because I like the stew to have a bit of chunkiness and we want all the tomatoey goodness in here. All that’s left is letting the stew simmer for 5-10 minutes to bring the flavors together and reduce the liquid a bit, and adjust the salt and pepper to your own tastes.
What to use instead of egg?
So shakshuka is usually made by poaching egg directly in the tomato sauce. But shakshuka doesn’t have to contain egg at all! You can add vegetables, tofu, potato, lentils, really whatever you want to make it! For my vegan shakshuka I wanted to add creamy and mild flavored dollops of vegan ricotta. I used a homemade vegan ricotta which is made mainly of tofu and cashews. The ricotta is flavored with a bit of garlic, lemon juice, and salt, plus olive oil for that touch of richness. If you want to avoid nuts you can either (a) skip the cashews, or (b) use shelled raw sunflower seeds instead. Almonds or macadamia nuts make a great substitute for cashews if there is a specific cashew allergy or other reason to avoid them. Of course a store bought vegan ricotta works just as well if you want to make your life super easy! If you want to go big on the tofu you can also lightly pan fry pieces of extra firm tofu until golden with a sprinkling of salt and pepper and then simmer that fried tofu in the shakshuka stew when you add the soup.
How to serve shakshuka:
It’s so fun to serve shakshuka directly in the skillet you cooked it in! It makes you look fancy, keeps clean up to a minimum, and helps the dish stay warm! I use cast iron skillets, but you can use any non stick skillet for this. If using cast iron make sure it has a well developed non-stick coating (called seasoning) because tomatoes are acidic and can damage the seasoning on newer cast iron pans. Garnish your vegan shakshuka with chopped cilantro or parsley (your call, maybe both) and serve with a side of bread. You can use a flatbread like pita or naan, or a yeasted bread like ciabatta or rolls. The key here is to have something to scoop up and soak up all that delicious tomato sauce. It’s such a satisfying meal! And perhaps the best part is, a single recipe leaves you with half a container of soup leftover so you might as well make more the next day! One recipe feeds 2 hungry people or 4 less ravenous eaters. Depending on how much bread and ricotta you eat, of course! ? If you make this vegan shakshuka, leave a comment below and rate the recipe on the recipe card. And please share your photos with me on Instagram, tag @thecuriouschickpea and #thecuriouschickpea. I love seeing your recreations!
Pacific Foods Soup Vegan Tomato Basil Organic, 32 oz
You can substitute almonds (use slivered almonds to avoid the flecks from the skins) or macadamia nuts for the cashews. For nut free either use hulled raw sunflower seeds or leave out the cashews.
Cuisinart FP-12DCN Elite Collection 2.0 12-Cup Food Processor, Silver Die Cast
