Shakshuka with Tahini Sauce

I’m of those people who love breakfast. Yes, I will happily get up early in the morning and dedicate the first hour of my day baking a fresh batch of scones. Yes, I am that crazy, okay?

Restaurants that serves breakfast all day might be my favorite. “Breakfast for dinner” is totally a thing in my book. And don’t even get me started on brunch. You should see my excitement just thinking about it – or maybe no, you shouldn’t.

Okay so now that I’ve shamelessly exposed my endless love for breakfast, let’s talk about my current favorite one: Shakshuka with Tahini Sauce.

Shakshuka is originally from North Africa, but quite popular in the Middle East. It’s basically eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, peppers, onion and garlic, spiced with cumin and paprika. There are many variations from many different countries.

It’s a one-pot recipe, so no fuss! This version calls for a combination of fresh and canned tomatoes and the tahini sauce adds creaminess and balances the sour, salty and spicy notes in the dish. I used Trader Joes Ajika Georgian seasoning blend for this recipe, but if you don’t have it just use red pepper flakes, ground cumin and coriander. I’ve been using this blend so much, though. It’s so good and I just love it.

I always add a handful of fresh herbs to my dishes and this one is great with parsley or cilantro – or if you’re like me and don’t have any, just add basil and you’ll be fine!

Here’s a little step by step:

Servings: 2
Time: 40mins
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, sliced
4 oz cherry tomatoes
1 canned tomatoes
2-4 eggs
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 – 1 1/2 tsp Ajika Georgian seasoning blend ( or 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp coriander, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes)
1 tbsp harissa
1 tbsp tahini
1/2 tsp sugar
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
water
salt and pepper
fresh cilantro or parsley, to serve

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large lidded skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add the red pepper and cook for another couple more minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and spices. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes start to burst.
Add the harissa paste. Pour in the canned tomatoes and roughly mash. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and season, adding more spices if you prefer it spicier.
Using a spoon, make small wells in the sauce and crack the eggs into each well. Season the eggs, turn the heat down to low, cover and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until they’re just set.
Meanwhile, make the tahini sauce: in a small bowl, combine the tahini and lemon juice. Add water 2 tablespoons at a time, whisking after each addition until smooth. Keeping adding water until thin enough for a more drizzly sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle shakshuka with cilantro or parsley, drizzle with tahini sauce and serve.

If you make this Shakshuka with Tahini Sauce please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I’d love to hear from you and I love responding to each and every comment. And if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your photos.

CategoriesVegetarian