The ultimate way to eat eggs for dinner. Smoky fire roasted tomatoes, spicy harissa, and plenty of veggies make up this Shakshuka that’s perfectly portioned for two.
Once upon a time, I bought a jar of harissa paste. I’d been cooking the same things on repeat, and I wanted to branch out from the pasta-tacos-soup grind. I’m sure you know how it goes. Dinner always falls into one of a few similar genres: Mexican, Italian, Chinese, classic American comfort food. Repeat ad infinitum.
But this jar of harissa paste held promise.
With a single spoonful, I could travel to Morocco or Algeria or Turkey or Egypt—all places my cooking rarely took me. My first step? Shakshuka. A simple dish comprised of eggs poached in spicy, smoky tomato sauce, it’s basically the apex of breakfast for dinner. Plus it’s the perfect vehicle for a big thwap of harissa paste.
I love shakshuka. I love it for its ease of preparation, I love it for its heartiness, and I love it for its health value. If you’ve never made it, I strongly encourage you to. It is truly a wonder meal; it has runny eggs, colorful veggies, and heaps of warm spices. Perhaps most importantly, it serves as an outstanding excuse to eat copious amounts of bread.
You really can’t eat shakshuka without bread.
Every recipe I’ve ever found makes an absolutely colossal amount of food. But there are only two of us, so those recipes are entirely too much for us. The leftovers often found themselves languishing in our fridge for days on end, the eggs’ perfect soft yolks hardening and their whites turning waxy. Shakshuka’s only downfall is that it doesn’t save well.
So I set out to create a small-batch shakshuka recipe that would be perfect for lil’ couples like us. No extra mouths to feed, just ours. This makes one medium-sized skillet with two to four eggs, depending on how hungry you are. I typically go for three: two for Kyle and one for me.
It’s also a perfect weeknight meal, especially on those nights where you don’t have many things left in the pantry. I guarantee you already have most of the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Don’t forget to serve it up with plenty of feta and herbs!
More weeknight meals:
One-Pot Spinach and Artichoke Orzo
Roasted Vegetable Tostadas
Thai Curry Noodle Soup
IF YOU MAKE THIS SHAKSHUKA, DON’T FORGET TO SNAP A PHOTO AND TAG ME IN IT ON INSTAGRAM @FEELINWHISKY! I LOVE SEEING WHAT YOU DO WITH MY RECIPES!
PrintShakshuka for Two
The ultimate way to eat eggs for dinner. Smoky fire roasted tomatoes, spicy harissa, and plenty of veggies make up this Shakshuka that’s perfectly portioned for two.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Main Course
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 small onion, (finely diced)
- 1/2 red bell pepper, (finely diced)
- 2 small cloves garlic, (minced)
- 1 Tbsp harissa paste
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, (optional)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1/2 (15 oz) can chickpeas or white beans, (optional)
- A big handful of fresh spinach
- 4 large eggs
- Feta cheese, fresh parsley, and crusty bread, (for serving)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until onion is soft and translucent. Add garlic, harissa paste, cumin, and smoked paprika, and cook for an additional minute, until fragrant.
- Add diced tomatoes, crushing larger pieces with the back of your spoon. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until sauce is thickened. Add spinach and beans (if using) and stir until spinach is wilted.
- Make 4 wells in the sauce with your spoon, then crack an egg into each well. Cover and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until whites are set and yolks are runny. Top with feta and fresh parsley, and serve with good bread.
