During our time in Vancouver, we tried lots of delicious restaurants, one beingMedina – famous for its brunch.
The long line was worth the wait on a cold dreary morning and all I was craving was a hot beverage and a comforting pot of something warm and delicious. One bite into thetagine (a close cousin to the North African dish known as “shakshuka”) and the smoky, intenseflavors in the tomato sauce, I was hooked!
I got to work recreating this dish once we returned home.
Origins of Shakshuka
Shakshuka is believed to have originated in North Africa and perhaps been inspired by a similar dish called saksuka from the Ottoman Empire.
Its popularity spread throughout the Middle East, where it was embraced as a hearty, inexpensive, and simple dish. A popular version includes eggs served over a seasoned tomato-based sauce.
The following is our plant-based (not traditional) take on the concept, made with chickpeas instead of eggs.
How to Make This Recipe
This 30-minute, 1-pot meal starts with a mixture of onions, garlic, and bell pepper. Next comes tomato puree (or diced tomatoes) and tomato paste for plenty of rich, hearty flavor.
Seasonings can practicallybe whatever you have in your pantry, but I felt thatcumin, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, coriander, and cardamom worked best, giving the dish a smoky, earthy, rich, and comfortingflavor.
Next comes cooked chickpeas and olives to provide a little more saltiness and substance. Plant protein to the rescue!
This dish is quite amazing. It’s:
Smoky
Tomato-y
Rich
Hearty
Spicy
Comforting
Vegetable-forward
Protein- & fiber-rich
& Insanely easy to make!
This is the type of plant-based meal that can be enjoyed at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. From what I gather, shakshuka is traditionally a baked egg dish, but I swapped in chickpeas for the protein. Serve with toasted bread, flatbread, or over rice, cauliflower rice, or gluten-free pasta of choice! I think this pairs especially well with my Garlicky Chickpea Kale Salad.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see what you came up with. Cheers, friends!
1-Pot Chickpea Shakshuka
Savory, flavorful shakshuka with chickpeas made in 1 pot in 30 minutes! A hearty yet healthy dish suitable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Author Minimalist Baker
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes minutes
Total Time 30 minutes minutes
Servings 6 (2/3-cup servings)
Course Entrée
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Middle Eastern-Inspired, North African-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 4 Days
Ingredients
US Customary – Metric
SHAKSHUKA
- 1 Tbsp olive or avocado oil
- 1/2 cup diced white onion or shallot
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (3 cloves yield ~1 1/2 Tbsp)
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1-3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2-3 tsp coconut sugar or maple syrup (or omit if avoiding sugar)
- Sea salt to taste
- 2 tsp smoked or sweet paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 pinch each cardamom and coriander (optional)
- 1 ½ 15-ounce cans cooked chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
- 4-5 whole kalamata or green olives (optional // pitted and halved)
FOR SERVING optional
- Lemon wedges
- Bread (gluten-free or this recipe or flatbread)
- Fresh chopped parsley or cilantro
- Rice or cauliflower rice
- Brown rice pasta (I love Trader Joe’s organic brand with quinoa)
Instructions
Heat a large rimmed metal or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and fragrant.
Add tomato puree or diced tomatoes, tomato paste, coconut sugar, sea salt, paprika, cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper (optional), cardamom, and coriander (optional). Stir to combine.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add chickpeas and olives (optional). Stir to combine. Then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and marry with the beans.
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more cumin or paprika for smokiness, cayenne for heat, coconut sugar for sweetness, cardamom and coriander for earthiness (or slight curry flavor), chili powder for smoke/heat, or olives for saltiness and to balance the tomato flavor. Cook longer, as needed, to develop flavors.
Serve as is or with bread, pasta, or rice. I loved this alongside a kale salad, and it went especially well over gluten-free pasta! Garnish with fresh lemon juice, additional olives, and cilantro or parsley for extra flavor (optional).
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat on the stovetop until completely warmed through.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without additional toppings or sides.
*Recipes makes ~4 cups total.
Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)
Serving: 1 two-third-cup servings Calories: 211 Carbohydrates: 36.3 g Protein: 8.8 g Fat: 5.1 g Saturated Fat: 0.7 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 182 mg Fiber: 8.8 g Sugar: 13.6 g
