Try This Simple, Seasonal Shakshuka

Shakshuka is a hearty, satisfying one-pan meal that’s become increasingly popular on restaurant menus in recent years. It originated in North Africa, and traditionally consists of eggs braised in spiced tomato sauce – though it’s an incredibly flexible dish and welcomes the addition of almost any veggie you have on hand.

Seasonal Ingredient Spotlight: Zucchini

Our spin on shakshuka features zucchini as a main ingredient. Zucchini and other summer squash are delicious, inexpensive, and abundantly available through most of the growing season. They’re also some of the most commonly grown veggies in home gardens. We found that zucchini, shredded in the Food Processor Attachment, brought a wonderful texture to the puréed tomato sauce.

How to Make Zucchini Shakshuka

Step 1: Start the sauce

Start by chopping garlic, onion, bell pepper, and fresh Roma tomatoes. Add the chopped ingredients to an oiled, oven-safe pan (we prefer a cast-iron skillet) and sauté with whole spices – we used coriander, cumin, and paprika but you can adjust according to your preference. If you like a spicier shakshuka, cayenne is a great addition. You don’t have to grind the spices before adding since you’ll be blending this mixture in your Vitamix.

While that’s stewing, shred the zucchini using the Large Shred Disc in the Food Processor Attachment. While developing this recipe, we tried slicing the zucchini as well, but found that shredding it resulted in a better texture. It also made it easier to remove some moisture by wringing out the shredded zucchini, which prevented the sauce from becoming too soupy.

Step 2: Assemble the dish

Once the sauce has been stewing for about 20 mins, blend it on high in the Vitamix until smooth (about 45 seconds). Pour the puréed sauce back into the pan, add the shredded zucchini, and stir to combine. Since we removed some moisture from the zucchini, it’ll absorb some of the liquid and flavors from the sauce. Carefully crack the eggs into the pan, nestling them in the sauce mixture and taking care not to break the yolks. For a completely vegan version of this dish, we like to add cubes of silken tofu in place of eggs.

Step 3: Cook and Serve

Now it’s time to move the pan to the oven and cook for 25-30 mins, or until the egg yolks are still slightly runny. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with slices of good, rustic bread, brushed with oil and grilled or toasted. Shakshuka is an incredibly versatile dish that can be served for brunch, lunch, or a quick dinner, and can be customized however you want. Try adding chickpeas to the sauce for a more classic shakshuka, or chopped leafy greens for another veggie-centric spin.

Zucchini Shakshuka Recipe

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
1 large / 200g yellow onion, peeled, cut into large chunks
2 / 450g red bell peppers, seeded, cut into large chunks
8 / 925g Roma tomatoes, sliced
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
3 medium / 665g zucchini, ends trimmed
8 whole eggs
1 bunch / 15g fresh parsley leaves, chopped
8 multigrain bread slices, grilled or toasted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a heavy-bottomed 3 or 4 quart oven-safe cooking dish on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat, then add garlic, onion, and bell pepper, cooking for about 20 minutes or until ingredients are soft and tender. Add the tomatoes, coriander, cumin and paprika and stew over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.

2. While the tomato sauce is stewing, fit the Food Processor Work Bowl with the Large Shred Disc and secure the lid. Start the processor and feed the zucchini through the Small Food Chute opening. If they are too large, cut to size and feed through the Large Food Chute opening if needed.

3. Once all are shredded, using a dry kitchen towel, wring out the excess moisture from the zucchini. After the tomato mixture is done stewing, remove from heat and let cool slightly.

4. Carefully transfer the tomato mixture to the Vitamix container and secure the lid. Start the blender on its lowest speed, then quickly increase to its highest speed. Blend for 45 seconds, or select the Puree program and allow the machine to complete the programmed cycle.

5. Pour tomato mixture back into your oven-safe dish. Scatter the shredded, drained zucchini into the tomato mixture and gently stir to incorporate. Crack 8 eggs on top of the mixture and carefully place into the preheated oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until egg whites are just set, and yolks are still runny.

6. Remove dish from the oven and season with salt and pepper if desired, garnishing with chopped parsley. Serve with a slice of multigrain bread if desired.

Chef Notes:

You can easily swap out eggs for chunks of silken tofu for a completely vegan dish if desired. This also works great as a soup base when using leftover product, rich from the egg and tomato flavors - just add a little broth or alternative milk!

Other Zucchini Recipes