Green Shakshuka (v) (ve*) (gf*) Recipe

Prepare ingredients: peel and finely chop the onion. Crush or finely mince the garlic. Chop the heritage tomatoes (or roughly chop plum tomatoes). Wash and roughly chop the seasonal greens. Dice the green bell pepper or mild green chilli and measure spices.

Heat a large, deep skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Once shimmering, add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and grated or finely minced ginger to the pan and cook for 1 minute until fragrant (do not let garlic brown).

Stir in the diced green pepper/chilli and cook 2–3 minutes until slightly softened.

Add the chopped heritage tomatoes and 120 ml vegetable stock to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 8–10 minutes, breaking down tomatoes with the back of a spoon until saucy and slightly reduced.

Add ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, red chilli flakes, salt (1 tsp) and black pepper (1/2 tsp). Stir thoroughly and simmer 3–5 minutes to allow spices to bloom and flavors to combine.

Fold in the chopped seasonal greens in batches, stirring until wilted and evenly combined into the tomato mixture. If the mixture seems dry, add up to another 2–4 tablespoons (30–60 ml) of water or stock to reach a spoonable, slightly saucy consistency.

Finish the base by stirring in 1 tablespoon lemon juice and adjusting seasoning to taste. Keep the pan over very low heat while you prepare the eggs.

Create wells: Using the back of a large spoon, make four shallow wells in the tomato-and-greens mixture, spaced evenly.

Crack eggs: Crack one egg into a small bowl and gently slide into a well to avoid breaking the yolk. Repeat with remaining eggs.

Poach/fry in pan: Increase heat to low-medium. Cover the pan with a lid and cook until whites are set but yolks remain runny, about 6–8 minutes depending on desired doneness. For firmer yolks, cook an extra 1–2 minutes. Alternatively, for a fried-egg finish, fry eggs separately in 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in another skillet until edges are crisp and yolks to desired doneness, then transfer on top of the base.

Warm the harissa: If harissa is thick, stir it with a teaspoon of warm water to loosen for drizzling.

Finish and dress: Once the eggs are cooked, dollop or drizzle harissa around the eggs (about 2 teaspoons total). Sprinkle the crumbled feta evenly over the shakshuka, then scatter the chopped parsley or coriander. Drizzle 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil over everything and season the eggs lightly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper.

Serve immediately with sourdough toast: Toast 4 slices of sourdough (or gluten-free bread if required) and serve on the side for dipping. If using vegan option, omit feta or substitute with vegan feta and use vegan butter for frying.

If frying eggs separately: heat 1 tablespoon butter (or vegan butter) and 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack eggs in and cook 2–4 minutes for sunny-side-up (cover for slightly set whites). Season with 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper. Transfer on top of the shakshuka base and proceed with finishing steps.

Make the dish vegan (ve*): skip eggs and top the hot greens-tomato base with pan-seared tofu rounds or crumbled spiced tofu. Use vegan feta and vegan butter for frying or omit butter entirely.