Shakshuka & Toast: An Umami-Perfect Egg Dish
Shakshu-what?
Shakshuka has become one of my favorite egg and breakfast dishes. It’s also a great post-hangover dish and fun communal dish to share with loved ones. Shakshuka has Middle Eastern origins with ties to Jewish and Tunisian cooking. It’s often seasoned/garnished with fresh coriander, although dried thyme and the herbs listed below also work beautifully with shakshuka.
Which Toast Has The Most?
There are many breads on the market but which brand is better for our health and which type pairs best with shakshuka? For this dish, multi-grain or whole-grain regular-sliced bread works best. If the bread is sliced too thin, it’ll be more difficult to scoop up the tomatoey goodness from the pan.
On a more serious note, most bread sold in American supermarkets and stores have traces of pesticides, particularly the well-known weed killer, Roundup. Non-organic bread also is made with GMOs. These factors cause most bread in America to have little-to-no nutritional value and exposure to Roundup has been linked to cancer.
Dave’s Killer Bread has been the only bread I’ve bought for at least a year and their Whole Grain, Good Seed and Cinnamon Raisin breads are delicious. For this recipe of course, I recommend bread that isn’t sweet or has fruit flavors. Dave’s Killer Bread states on their website that their breads do not come into contact with chemicals, such as pesticides or artificial fertilizers, nor are they made with GMOs…a win!
Ingredients & Recipe
- Eggs (2-4)
- Crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
- White or yellow onions
- Garlic
- Avocado oil
- Sliced bread
- Suggested herbs & spices: (I have a Moroccan seasoning packet by Sedona Divine but here’s a comparable one on Amazon!)
- Paprika
- Turmeric
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Coconut sugar
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Allspice
- Ginger
- Dried thyme
- Salt & black pepper (highly recommend sea salt. It’s a flavor game-changer.)
Chop onions and garlic into small pieces then heat a fairly deep pan with a bit of avocado oil on medium heat. I find a square pan is best for this dish. When the pan is heated, add the onions, stirring occasionally. Then add the garlic to the pan. Have your spices and eggs ready.
When the garlic starts to brown, add a full can of tomato puree or crushed tomatoes. Mix to integrate the garlic and onions with the sauce. Reduce the heat a bit if it starts to bubble too much. Season the sauce with the herbs and spices listed above, using as many as you can or have in your kitchen. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook the sauce for about 2 minutes.
Next, grab 2-4 eggs and set aside. The eggs for this dish will be a cross between poached and over-easy. Using a small spatula or wooden spoon, make wells in the sauce for each egg. If you’re cooking with a square pan, make a well on each 4 corners if you’re cooking 4 eggs. Next, crack an egg over each well then season each egg with salt, pepper, and thyme or coriander. Put a lid on the pan and allow to cook for about 10 minutes. While the eggs are cooking, toast slices of bread then cut vertically into thirds or quarters.
When the eggs have reached your desired level of doneness, remove the lid and turn the heat off. Grab your toast and the dish is ready to be served! This is a great communal dish for people to dip toast and eat the tomatoey, savory, eggy goodness.
Credits & Disclaimer:
Featured image by: Photo by Manny NB on Unsplash. All other recipe photos taken by Jan Crystal.
Recipe inspired by the “Brunch” episode of this Amazon series.
Consult a nutritionist, naturopath or health provider to discuss your dietary needs regarding bread.
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