If you are looking for a dish that bursts with flavor, warmth, and a beautiful balance of creaminess and spice, you’re going to fall in love with this Creamy Spiced Shakshuka with Chickpeas and Feta Recipe. It’s a vibrant one-pan masterpiece where tender eggs poach in a rich, smoky tomato and chickpea sauce, elevated by fragrant spices and finished with the tangy brightness of feta cheese. It’s hearty enough to satisfy a crowd yet comforting enough for a cozy breakfast or dinner at home.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Nothing complicated here—just a collection of simple, fresh ingredients that combine to create a symphony of taste, texture, and color. Each plays a crucial role in building layers of flavor and that signature creamy texture that makes this shakshuka irresistible.
- Salted butter: For sautéing vegetables, adding a rich, velvety base flavor.
- Medium onion (finely diced): Brings subtle sweetness and depth when softened.
- Red pepper (finely diced): Adds vibrant color and a slight natural sweetness.
- Garlic cloves (minced): Infuses aromatic warmth and a little kick.
- Chicken broth: Creates a savory, slightly meaty liquid base that blends perfectly with tomatoes.
- Crushed tomatoes: The heart of the sauce, offering acidity and natural sweetness.
- Smoked paprika: Provides a smoky depth and beautiful reddish hue.
- Ground cumin: Adds earthy, warm spice that complements the paprika.
- Tomato paste: Thickens the sauce and amps up the tomato flavor intensity.
- Salt and black pepper: Essential seasonings to balance all the flavors.
- Canned chickpeas (rinsed and drained): A hearty, protein-rich addition that makes the dish more filling.
- Eggs: The star element that poaches gently in the sauce for a luscious finish.
- Feta cheese crumbles (optional garnish): Offers tanginess and saltiness to brighten every bite.
- Fresh cilantro or parsley sprigs (optional garnish): Adds a fresh green note for visual appeal and fragrance.
How to Make Creamy Spiced Shakshuka with Chickpeas and Feta Recipe
Step 1: Prep and Sauté
Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, setting the stage for perfectly cooked eggs later. In an oven-safe pan, melt the salted butter and sauté the finely diced onion and red pepper until they soften and mingle their sweetness, about 4 to 5 minutes. This creates a flavorful foundation to build your sauce on.
Step 2: Add Garlic and Spices
Next, stir in the minced garlic and cook for about a minute until its fragrance fills the kitchen. Then, pour in the chicken broth and crushed tomatoes, sprinkling in the smoked paprika and cumin. These spices are what truly define the “spiced” essence of this shakshuka, offering smoky and earthy layers.
Step 3: Simmer and Reduce
Let the mixture simmer gently over medium heat for a few minutes so the flavors can meld and the broth slightly reduces. This step is crucial as it concentrates the sauce, helping it achieve that wonderfully creamy richness that the recipe is known for.
Step 4: Add Tomato Paste, Chickpeas, and Season
Now stir in the tomato paste and the chickpeas, seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste. The chickpeas bring an extra texture and a nutty note to the dish that pairs beautifully with the spiced tomato base. Heat it all together for a few minutes to marry the flavors before moving on.
Step 5: Add Eggs and Bake
Remove the pan from heat and create five small wells in the sauce. Carefully crack an egg into each well, seasoning them lightly with salt and pepper if you like. Transfer the pan to your preheated oven and bake for about 8 to 12 minutes until the eggs are cooked just the way you love them—whether that’s slightly runny or fully set.
Step 6: Garnish and Serve
Finally, sprinkle crumbled feta cheese and fresh cilantro or parsley on top. These final touches add an inviting brightness and creaminess that elevate the dish to something truly special and memorable.
How to Serve Creamy Spiced Shakshuka with Chickpeas and Feta Recipe
Garnishes
Sprinkling fresher herbs like cilantro or parsley over the top really wakes up the flavors and adds a touch of freshness that’s essential to balance the richness of the sauce. Feta cheese crumbles are a personal favorite for that tangy, salty bite that beautifully offsets the smoky spices.
Side Dishes
Serve your shakshuka with warm, crusty bread or pita to scoop up every luscious drop. For a heartier meal, consider a simple green salad dressed with lemon and olive oil—it’s a crisp contrast that complements all the warm spices perfectly.
Creative Ways to Present
For an impressive brunch centerpiece, serve this dish in a rustic cast iron skillet, bringing the table straight from oven to plate. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil right before serving and add some pickled veggies on the side for bursts of acidity that contrast beautifully with the creamy sauce.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Leftover Creamy Spiced Shakshuka with Chickpeas and Feta Recipe keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the eggs and sauce together to maintain flavor, although the texture of the eggs may firm up slightly.
Freezing
You can freeze the tomato and chickpea sauce portion separately in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. It’s best to add freshly cooked eggs when you reheat rather than freezing the whole dish with eggs, as poached eggs don’t freeze well.
Reheating
Reheat the sauce gently on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally. If you stored eggs with the sauce, reheat carefully to avoid overcooking them. Alternatively, warm the sauce and crack fresh eggs directly into it and finish in the oven for that freshly baked shakshuka experience.
FAQs
Can I make this vegetarian?
Absolutely! This recipe is naturally vegetarian, especially if you swap chicken broth for vegetable broth. The chickpeas add protein and body, making it a filling vegetarian meal.
What can I substitute for feta cheese?
If you’re not a fan of feta or want a dairy-free option, try crumbled goat cheese, ricotta, or even a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor without the dairy.
How do I adjust the spice level?
You can tweak the heat by adding a pinch of chili flakes or cayenne pepper with the paprika and cumin. For a milder version, just stick to the paprika and mild cumin as in the recipe.
Can I use canned tomatoes instead of crushed?
Yes, canned crushed tomatoes work perfectly here and are often more convenient. Just ensure they are good quality for the best flavor and texture.
What if I don’t have an oven-safe pan?
You can cook the sauce in a regular skillet, then transfer to a baking dish before adding the eggs and baking. Just be careful while transferring to keep those egg wells intact!
Final Thoughts
This Creamy Spiced Shakshuka with Chickpeas and Feta Recipe is one of those comforting dishes that feels special every time you make it. It’s simple but packed with layers of flavor, perfect for sharing with friends or treating yourself to a cozy, tasty meal any day of the week. Don’t hesitate to try it—you might just discover your new favorite go-to!
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Creamy Spiced Shakshuka with Chickpeas and Feta Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Halal
Description
Shakshuka is a vibrant Middle Eastern and North African dish featuring eggs poached in a rich, spiced tomato and chickpea sauce. This recipe layers sautéed onions, red peppers, garlic, and aromatic spices like smoked paprika and cumin to create a hearty, flavorful base, finished with baked eggs and optional garnishes of feta cheese and fresh herbs. Perfect for a satisfying breakfast, brunch, or light dinner, it combines wholesome ingredients with simple preparation for a comfort meal bursting with bold flavors.
Ingredients
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 red pepper, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Liquids and Base
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 6 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
Spices and Seasoning
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for the eggs
- Black pepper, to taste
Legumes and Proteins
- 1 cup canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
- 5 eggs
Optional Garnishes
- Feta cheese crumbles
- Fresh cilantro or parsley sprigs
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the eggs in the sauce.
- Sauté Vegetables: In an oven-safe pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and red pepper, cooking until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Add Liquids and Spices: Pour in the chicken broth and crushed tomatoes. Stir in smoked paprika and ground cumin to infuse the sauce with smoky, warm flavors.
- Simmer Sauce: Continue cooking over medium heat for a few minutes to reduce the broth slightly and concentrate the flavors.
- Incorporate Tomato Paste and Chickpeas: Mix the tomato paste, rinsed chickpeas, salt, and pepper into the sauce. Heat for an additional 2-3 minutes to meld the ingredients and thicken the sauce.
- Prepare for Eggs: Remove the pan from heat. Using a spoon, create 5 wells in the sauce. Crack one egg into each well and season the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper, if desired.
- Bake Eggs: Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes until the eggs reach your preferred level of doneness—less time for runny yolks, more for firm.
- Garnish and Serve: Optionally, sprinkle feta cheese crumbles and fresh cilantro or parsley over the shakshuka before serving hot.
Notes
- Use an oven-safe skillet or cast iron pan to transition from stovetop to oven safely.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- Adjust spice levels by adding chili flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper for extra heat.
- Fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro add brightness but can be omitted or replaced with basil.
- Leftover shakshuka can be refrigerated and reheated gently on the stovetop.
