Spinach and Chickpea Tomato Shakshuka

Before the Shift

2 bowls with 2 eggs each · Active 15 min · Total 40 min

Chickpeas give this tomato-and-egg skillet enough substance to stand as dinner. A little smoked paprika and cumin deepen the sauce, while spinach disappears into it near the end. The eggs are cooked until their whites and yolks are firm, which also makes the pan less awkward to portion. A good piece of bread is useful for the sauce, but it is served alongside and is not required to thicken the dish.

Jump to ingredients

Four firmly cooked eggs nestled in spinach, chickpea and tomato sauce.

Reduce the sauce before the eggs

A watery tomato base makes the eggs drift apart. Simmer uncovered until the sauce is thick enough that a spoon dragged through it leaves a brief trail. Canned tomatoes differ, so use that cue rather than the clock alone. The chickpeas should sit in sauce instead of floating in tomato water. Stir in spinach only after the reduction; it will add a little moisture of its own.

Make shallow wells

Press four shallow hollows into the sauce with the back of a spoon. Deep holes expose the hot pan and can toughen the undersides of the eggs before their tops set. Crack each egg into a cup first, then slide it into its hollow. Covering traps steam to finish the top. If the edges catch, lower the heat rather than shaking the skillet.

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil (10 ml)
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped (100 g)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes (14.5 oz/411 g)
  • 1 can chickpeas (15 oz/425 g), drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 2 packed cups baby spinach (60 g)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 2 slices bread, to serve

Set out

10-inch skillet with lid, Wooden spoon, Small cup, Food thermometer

Allergens

Egg, Wheat. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Warm the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add garlic, cumin and smoked paprika and stir for 30 seconds.
  2. Add tomatoes, chickpeas and salt. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noticeably thick.
  3. Fold in the spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes, until wilted. Make four shallow wells in the sauce.
  4. Crack the eggs into a cup one at a time and slide each into a well. Cover and cook over low heat for 6–9 minutes, until whites and yolks are firm; the egg mixture should reach 160°F/71°C.
  5. Sprinkle with parsley and serve two eggs with half the sauce per person, with bread alongside.

Prepare the useful part ahead

The chickpea-tomato base can be made on a day off. Reheat it thoroughly to 165°F/74°C in the skillet before adding fresh eggs, then follow the covered cooking stage. This shortens the work without asking cooked eggs to survive repeated reheating.

A useful detail

If your lid does not fit snugly, the eggs may take longer. Keep the heat gentle and check the pan still has sauce beneath them.

Another way

  • Use chopped Swiss chard instead of spinach; cook its finely sliced stems with the onion and add the leaves before the eggs.
  • For extra chile flavor, add 1/4 teaspoon chile flakes with the cumin.

Keep it well

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, in a shallow covered container at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 2 days. Reheat to 165°F/74°C. For better cooked-ahead texture, refrigerate the sauce separately and cook fresh eggs when serving.

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