Shakshuka Recipe with Fresh Tomatoes | Aline Made (2024)

FAQs

Should you cook tomatoes before blending? ›

Place in a preheated oven for 30-45 minutes, or until the skins have caramelized and browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes. Place tomatoes (skins and all) and any leftover juices in a blender. Puree until smooth.

After breaking the eggs into the sauce, gently spoon some of the sauce over just the whites. This helps the whites cook faster so they set before the yolks overcook. Cover and rotate. Covering the skillet allows the eggs to steam-cook, which moves things along.

In this Green shakshuka recipe, in place of tomatoes, I use power greens--spinach, kale, and brussels sprouts. The greens cook down gently with a bit of garlic, onion and a few warm spices, making the perfect bed to nestle the eggs in.

Everything just needs to be roughly chopped before it heads into the blender — no need to even peel or seed the tomatoes, as the blender will do the work and break everything down into a smooth sauce.

Yes, you can leave skin on tomatoes when making sauce! Just use a food processor to transform whole tomatoes into sauce. This saves lots of time from having to boil the tomatoes first to loosen the skin enough to peel. We also figure keeping the skins on retains all the vitamins and minerals that the skin contains.

Working in batches, drop several tomatoes into the boiling water. Cook until you see the skin starting to wrinkle and split, 45 to 60 seconds.

Peel and finely slice the garlic, then place in a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Stir regularly until lightly golden. Pour in the tomatoes, either scrunching them through your hands, or breaking them up with a wooden spoon. Let it simmer on a low heat until your pasta is cooked.

Even organic produce can harbor germs. That's why it's important to wash all produce before eating it—even items with a peel or rind that you don't eat. When you cut through a peel or rind, your knife carries any germs to the edible portion inside. There are many products and homemade solutions to clean produce.

Crack in the eggs and simmer

Simmer until the egg whites are just set and the yolks are still slightly runny. Remove from the heat and let stand about 2 minutes before serving.

Shakshuka is traditionally served with runny yolks, and this is my personal preference. But if that's not your thing, you can adjust the cooking time to a jammier or more set yolk.

How to tell when shakshuka eggs are done? ›

You know when the eggs are done when the egg whites are an opaque white and the yolks have risen a bit but are still soft. They should still jiggle in the centers when you “shimmy” the pan. (Keep in mind, the eggs will continue to cook after you pull the dish out of the oven.)

Even though many people today associate shakshuka with Israel, it actually originated in North Africa and the Ottoman Empire: the only reason shakshuka is eaten in Israel is because North African Jewish immigrants brought it there.

Many think of this dish an Israeli breakfast food because it is quite popular in places like Tel Aviv, but these eggs in tomato sauce are something you'll find in many parts of North Africa and the Middle East. Fun fact, the origins of the word shakshuka comes from the Arabic for "all mixed up" or "shaken."

Both Shakshuka and Menemen serve as rich, cultural embodiments of their respective cuisines. Shakshuka, with its layered flavors, mirrors the diversity of North African and Israeli culinary heritage. Menemen, by contrast, champions simplicity and freshness, epitomizing Turkish cuisine's essence.

Boiling my tomatoes before blending. Boiling them makes it possible to take the skins off.

Boil Water: Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the tomatoes completely. Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the Tomatoes: Carefully place the tomatoes into the boiling water. Allow them to cook for approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Prepare your ingredients, making sure you cook vegetables like sweet potato and cauliflower, and then chill them so they won't be hot in the blender.