I rarely keep any canned food, but there are a few I like to have on hand. Chickpeas and canned tomatoes, for example, are a constant in my cupboard. As much as I enjoy dried chickpeas, for their taste and benefits, soaking them overnight followed by hours of cooking takes a lot of planning ahead. Canned chickpeas, however, are perfect for when you’re in a hurry or just being spontaneous. The joy of having canned chickpeas and tomatoes at home when you feel like making this Chickpea Shakshuka on a whim, is priceless.
Shakshuka, a dish that has origins in several places, is so easy and makes good use of canned ingredients – it makes a great lockdown meal, it’s good to have options just in case. You can always improvise when making Shakshuka. Add harissa paste for some zing, a drizzle of tahini, fresh chili or cayenne pepper for extra heat.
You can cook the eggs to your liking, and getting the eggs right is the hardest part about making Shakshuka. Otherwise it’s a pretty relaxed, one-pot meal. The tomato chickpea sauce is cooked until thickened and reduced, and that requires very little hovering. I love my tahini version of Shakshuka, but this one is a good way to add an extra amount of protein to your daily diet. I also like topping with sliced avocado for a nice healthy fat addition, but you can also add some feta, and serve it with a crusty bread or pita.
If you make this Chickpea Shakshuka please be sure to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you and I love responding to every comment. And don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram. I’d love to see your photos!
Chickpea Shakshuka
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 15oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2-4 eggs
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- red pepper flakes
- 1 avocado, sliced
- fresh parsley, for garnish
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet that has a lid, over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until they’re soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, cumin, coriander, paprika, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, and stir for about 30 seconds to toast and release their fragrance.
- Stir in the tomato paste. Add the tomatoes and brown sugar to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the drained chickpeas and continue cooking 10 to 15 minutes more, until sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Use a spoon to make 2 to 4 indentations in the sauce around the pan. Crack an egg into each well, using a spoon to gently drag some of the egg whites into the sauce. Cover the pan and cook the eggs until they are done to your liking; for runny yolks, they may be done in 3 to 4 minutes. For firmer eggs, they’ll take around 6 to 8 minutes. Keep checking them for doneness.
- Top with sliced avocado and fresh parsley.
- Serve with bread or pita.
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