So, you know how shakshuka has become one of those trendy foods that people love to eat and love to insta? Well if you didn’t know already, now you do. I like to say that I came up with this dish, although I totally wasn’t the first person to do it (obvi). BUT, I did throw this together one night for din when literally all I had in my fridge was two eggs, some onion, bell pepper, and an almost empty jar of marinara. I feel like those times of desperation when you don’t have anything to eat can really force some creativity. So, after I made this, I thought it was the best and most unique creation ever. Then I turned around and suddenly everybody was ordering it at trendy restaurants and posting it all over my Instagram feed. In other words, I wouldn’t necessarily call this dish super unique, but it is ridiculously delicious, healthy and simple to make.

If you’ve never had shakshuka before, the idea may sound a little weird, but it just works. In the world of shakshuka, there are two different kinds – red and green. The red ones are tomato-based and the green ones are usually made with chimichurri, which sort of reminds me of pesto even though it’s a little different. The basic idea is that you have your sauce, which you then bake or simmer the eggs in. You can really make shakshuka any way you want to, so it’s the perfect dish to use up whatever you have in the fridge. I decided to make mine with some veg – sautéed green bell pepper, red onion and kale. I also topped it with shredded cheddar cheese, but that’s def optional!

Ingredients:

½ red onion, diced

½ green bell pepper, diced

1 handful kale, torn into pieces

½ cup marinara sauce (I used Rao’s brand marinara)

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

2 eggs

⅛ cup shredded cheddar cheese

1-2 tbsp olive oil

⅛ tsp each of chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper

Salt & pepper

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 375⁰F.
In a skillet, sauté the chopped onion and bell pepper in 1 tbsp of olive oil until golden brown and tender.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. If you want this on the spicier side, add more of the chili, paprika, and cayenne.
Add in the kale and additional tbsp of olive oil, if needed. Sauté just until the kale is getting tender, but not too wilted.
If your skillet is not oven safe, transfer to a mini casserole (I used a 5x7 inch). If your skillet is oven safe, leave the vegetables in it.
Stir the marinara and parsley into the vegetables.
Crack each egg on top of the mixture and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top of the whole thing.
Transfer to oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, depending on how runny you like your eggs.
Once done, serve immediately with toast.

Veggie Shakshuka