Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (2024)

Breakfast and brunch will never be the same again once you try my shakshuka recipe, which is my take on a classic Middle Eastern egg dish.

By adding zucchini and bell peppers, you get a little crunch and caramelization on top of the hearty flavors that go hand-in-hand with classic shakshuka dishes.

Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (1)

Shakshuka Recipe

Now, this is sunny-side-up eggs on a whole new level, am I right? I first tried shakshuka a few years back on my travels, and I fell in love with this dish instantly.

Shakshuka typically has a lot of sweet acidity from the tomato sauce, and it is a very filling dish.

In my shakshuka-inspired dish, I’ve added additional vegetables, cheese, and herbs to add some salty, earthy notes to the sauce and prepared it as you traditionally do by cracking the eggs into little wells in the sauce.

This is such a delicious way to start the day. As it’s all done in one pan, you can simply bring it to the table and let everyone serve themselves as much as they like.

Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (2)

Ingredients

So, let’s get started with my shakshuka recipe. First, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (3)
  • Eggs – 6 eggs
  • Tomatoes – 2 cans of tomatoes (each can/tin 14.1oz or 400grams)
  • Zucchini – 2 small zucchini (about 2 cups chopped)
  • Bell Peppers -2 bell peppers (about 2 cups chopped)
  • Red Onion – 1 small red onion or 1/2 medium onion
  • Oil – 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Garlic – 1 garlic clove
  • Salt – 1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)
  • Black Pepper – 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • Sugar – 1/2 tsp sugar
  • Feta Cheese – 1/4 cup feta cheese
  • Cheddar Cheese – 1/4 cup cheddar cheese
  • Fresh Parsley – 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • Water – 1/4 cup water

Ingredient Notes

Tomatoes – Any high-quality canned tomatoes will work here. I generally use canned peeled whole plum tomatoes that I crush with the back of the spoon.

Cheese – If you don’t have feta and/or cheddar, worry not! You can use a lot of different cheeses for this recipe. It works with mozzarella, parmesan, goat cheese, and many others!

Parsley – If you don’t have fresh parsley, you could also use chives, cilantro, basil, or oregano.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 – Chop the zucchini, peppers, and onion.

Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (4)

Step 2 – Shred the cheddar cheese and crumble the feta cheese.

Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (5)

Step 3 – To a pan, over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp of olive oil.

Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (6)

Step 4 – When the oil is hot, add the peppers and zucchini. Cook them for about 7-8 minutes over medium-high heat until they get a bit of color on the outside. Stir occasionally.

Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (7)
Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (8)

Step 5 – Add the onion, salt, pepper, and minced garlic, and cook for another minute.

Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (9)
Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (10)

Step 6 – Add the tomatoes and 1/4 cup water. Mix everything and cook for about 10 minutes until the veggies are softened and about 5-6 minutes away from being ready.

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Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (12)

Step 7 – Make wells for the eggs with the back of the spoon. Crack the eggs in the wells made with the back of the spoon.

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Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (14)
Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (15)

Step 8 – Add the feta cheese and cheddar cheese (or other cheeses you’re using).

Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (16)

Step 9 – Place the lid on and cook until the eggs are your desired consistency (mine took about 5-6 minutes). You can also finish it in the oven if you’d prefer at 390°F(200°C) for about 6-7 minutes.

Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (17)

Step 10 – Add fresh parsley to garnish it.

Serving Suggestions

Fresh, crusty bread is a must with shakshuka. Whether you dip it, spoon shakshuka on top, or use it to mop up the sauce, bread is the perfect pairing for this dish.

Some greens and fresh herbs, like arugula, are a good side to serve it with on the plate.

Need something to help cool it down? Bring some plain or Greek yogurt to the table so that people can spoon a dollop on the side.

Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (19)

You don’t just have to serve this for breakfast. Any time of the day is good for Shakshuka!

If you make it, let me know in the comments what you think of it. I can’t get enough of this dish, and it hits that perfect balance between being filling but also being really tasty.

Recipe Card

Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (20)

Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers

Yield: 4-6

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 eggs
  • 2 cans of tomatoes (each can 14.1oz or 400grams)
  • 2 small zucchini (about 2 cups chopped)
  • 2 bell peppers (about 2 cups chopped)
  • 1 small red onion or 1/2 medium onion
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup cheddar cheese
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup water

Instructions

  1. Chop the zucchini, peppers, and onion.
  2. Shred the cheddar cheese and crumble the feta cheese.
  3. To a pan, over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp of olive oil.
  4. When the oil is hot, add the peppers and zucchini. Cook them for about 7-8 minutes over medium-high heat until they get a bit of color on the outside. Stir occasionally.
  5. Add the onion, salt, pepper, and minced garlic, and cook for another minute.
  6. Add the tomatoes and 1/4 cup water. Mix everything and cook for about 10 minutes until the veggies are softened and about 5-6 minutes away from being ready.
  7. Make wells for the eggs with the back of the spoon. Crack the eggs in the wells made with the back of the spoon.
  8. Add the feta cheese and cheddar cheese (or other cheeses you’re using; see notes).
  9. Place the lid on and cook until the eggs are your desired consistency (mine took about 5-6 minutes). You can also finish it in the oven if you’d prefer at 390°F(200°C) for about 6-7 minutes.
  10. Add fresh parsley or other fresh herbs (see notes) to garnish it.

Notes

Tomatoes – Any high-quality canned tomatoes will work here. I generally use canned peeled whole plum tomatoes that I crush with the back of the spoon.

Cheese – If you don’t have feta and/or cheddar, worry not! You can use a lot of different cheeses for this recipe. It works with mozzarella, parmesan, goat cheese, and many others!

Parsley – If you don’t have fresh parsley, you could also use chives, cilantro, basil, or oregano.

You Might Also Like to Try

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  • Breakfast Panini Recipe to Supercharge You in the Morning

Want to add a little sweetness and heat to breakfast? Keep my shakshuka recipe for safekeeping by saving it to one of your boards.

Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (21)
Shakshuka with Zucchini and Bell Peppers Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What vegetables go well with shakshuka? ›

A side salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, lemon juice, and oil (non-olive) with salt/ pepper/ sumac might be good to contrast with the shakshuka. Turkish breakfast often has a special sausage on the side.

What is traditionally served with shakshuka? ›

The best way to serve a shakshuka is to make it the centerpiece of the meal, then create a multitude of small plates to serve along. They usually involve some bread, simple vegetable salads, and spreads.

How do you know when shakshuka is done? ›

Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the eggs. Carefully transfer the skillet to the oven (it's heavy) and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, checking often once you reach 8 minutes. They're done when the egg whites are an opaque white and the yolks have risen a bit but are still soft.

What kind of bread to serve with shakshuka? ›

You can't go wrong with pita bread, but slices of crusty bread are delicious as well.

Do you eat Shakshuka in a bowl or plate? ›

Connoisseurs insist shakshuka should be eaten from the pan. Why is hard to discern, and, obviously, it's impractical if serving a group. Instead, use bowls with curved sides – rather than diagonally sloping – to facilitate an easy circular sweep with the bread.

What drink goes well with shakshuka? ›

And, of course, wine. Despite its overall simplicity, Shakshuka's multifarious flavors and textures makes it a congenial dish to serve with wine, especially full-flavored, complex whites.

Is shakshuka Israeli or African? ›

Even though many people today associate shakshuka with Israel, it actually originated in North Africa and the Ottoman Empire: the only reason shakshuka is eaten in Israel is because North African Jewish immigrants brought it there.

What country is shakshuka from? ›

It is believed to have a Tunisian origin. Shakshuka means "a mixture" or “shaken” in Tunisian dialect. Shakshuka is a staple of Tunisian, Libyan, Algerian, and Moroccan cuisines traditionally served up in a cast iron pan with bread to mop up the sauce (most important).

Should eggs be runny in shakshuka? ›

Ingredients to make shakshuka breakfast

Seasonings: Cumin, paprika, coriander, salt, and pepper. Eggs: The shakshuka eggs are dropped into little 'nests' or intentions in the sauce and poached to your liking. I prefer a medium cook where the white is cooked through and the yolks are left runny.

How do you not overcook eggs in shakshuka? ›

After breaking the eggs into the sauce, gently spoon some of the sauce over just the whites. This helps the whites cook faster so they set before the yolks overcook. Cover and rotate. Covering the skillet allows the eggs to steam-cook, which moves things along.

Do you need a cast iron pan for shakshuka? ›

Shakshuka should be made and served in a cast iron pan.”

Many restaurants dish out shakshuka in cast iron for the simple reason that it's one of the less expensive tools for turning out the dish quickly.

What to eat with shakshuka for dinner? ›

The best side dishes to serve with shakshuka are crusty bread, pita bread, hummus, sauteed spinach, avocado fries, gluten-free bread, Israeli salad, couscous, labneh, roasted potatoes, olives, and feta cheese.

Can you eat shakshuka without bread? ›

Shakshuka is a dish that consists of eggs in a tomato sauce with peppers and onions. It is often eaten with bread, but you can also serve rice with it.

What's the difference between shakshuka and Menemen? ›

Shakshuka typically has a deeper, more intricate flavor from the blend of spices used, with whole, runny eggs that mix into the sauce. Menemen, in contrast, showcases the freshness of its primary ingredients, with less emphasis on spices.

What to eat with Shakshuka without bread? ›

Eat Shakshuka on its own or serve it with some low carb sides such as sauteed or oven roasted vegetables such as Oven Roasted Moroccan Cauliflower, or low carb bread. To serve as a main meal, try serving it with a simple salad and some Cauliflower Cous Cous.

What protein to serve with Shakshuka? ›

I think it would go well with most meats..
  1. Beef meatballs with mint, coriander... Maybe some Feta.
  2. Grilled fish... Possibly fish cakes..
  3. Similar with Shrimp...
  4. Roasted Chicken with Zaatar.
  5. Spicy Italian Sausages.
  6. Lamb/Goat... I'm sure it would work well.
Jun 1, 2022

What drink goes well with Shakshuka? ›

And, of course, wine. Despite its overall simplicity, Shakshuka's multifarious flavors and textures makes it a congenial dish to serve with wine, especially full-flavored, complex whites.

What goes with egg dishes? ›

Side dishes that go with hard boiled eggs can include a variety of salads, such as potato salad, egg salad, or pasta salad. You can also serve roasted vegetables such as asparagus, Brussels sprouts, or sweet potatoes. Grains like quinoa, farro, or wild rice can also be served with hard boiled eggs.

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