Summer Vegetable Shakshuka! Poached eggs in a rich tomato and vegetable sauce with pesto. Serve for brunch or light dinner.
Have you ever tried shakshuka? It’s a North African specialty similar to the Italian dish Eggs in Purgatory (Uova in Purgatorio). Shakshuka is basically eggs poached in a quick, spiced-up, homemade tomato sauce.
In late-summer, shakshuka is also a great way to incorporate some more garden bounty into your meal.
I use two kinds of tomatoes in my shakshuka: plum tomatoes, because their flesh is so meaty, and a beefsteak tomato for its flavor and juiciness. Whir them in a blender or food processor and then simmer into a sauce with sautéed scallions and garlic.
At this point, you can add what you have available: spinach leaves, coarsely chopped if they’re large; fennel, shaved into strips; or something golden, like pattypan squash, summer squash, or golden zucchini, very thinly sliced. The extra vegetables make the tomato sauce substantial and chunky.
When it’s time to poach the eggs in the sauce, use the back of a spoon to create four shallow indents for the eggs to sink into. They’re finished when the whites are just set, but the yolks are still runny. Garnish with dabs of pesto and fresh basil leaves.
Vegetable Shakshuka with Pesto Recipe
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cook time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into 8 pieces
- 1 medium beefsteak tomato, cored and cut into 8 pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 medium clove garlic, chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 cup water, or more if needed
- 1 yellow pattypan squash, 1 medium summer squash, or 1/2 golden zucchini
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup pesto, homemade or store-bought
- Handful of fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
- Baguette or thick slices of bread, to serve
Equipment:
- A blender or food processor
Method
1 Blend the tomatoes: Blend the plum and beefsteak tomatoes in a blender or food processor until they are saucy (you should have about 3 cups).
2 Cook the tomato sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add garlic, salt, black pepper, red pepper, cumin, and paprika. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.
Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until they stop sizzling. Add 1/4 cup of water. Lower the heat and simmer the sauce for 5 minutes. If the mixture seems dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3 Prepare the squash or pattypan: Trim top and bottom from the squash and cut into quarters. If using a yellow squash or zucchini, remove the column of seeds from the center (the pattypan has fewer seeds, so it’s OK to leave them in). Very thinly slice the vegetables.
4 Add the squash to the tomato sauce. Stir well and continue cooking for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add more water, if needed.
5 Cook the eggs: Break each egg into its own individual cup. Use the back of a spoon to make 4 indentations in the tomato mixture, then carefully pour one egg to each indentation, being careful not to break the yolk. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes or until the whites are set (the yolks will still be runny).
6 Serve: Garnish the dish with dabs of pesto and fresh basil leaves. Serve straight from the pan to individual dishes.
Check out these other great shakshuka recipes!
Smoky White Bean Shakshuka from BudgetBytes
Shakshuka Pizza from My Name is Yeh
Individual Shakshuka with Hominy and Feta from Spoon Fork Bacon
Caprese Shakshuka Breakfast Casserole from What Jew Wanna Eat
Harissa Eggs in Purgatory from Skinny Taste
