Easy Vegan Shakshuka Recipe - Six Hungry Feet (2024)

Our Vegan Shakshuka (Shakshouka) is a tomato-rich dish that you can enjoy for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or even dinner. Easy to prepare, using simple ingredients, you will want to make this plant-based version of the classic Shakshuka more than once (or twice)!

What is Shakshuka?

Shakshuka is believed to have originated in Tunisia, a North African country. It was originally a breakfast dish prepared by North African Jewish communities, and it spread to other regions thanks to African immigrants and cultural exchange. In the early 20th century, Jewish immigrants brought this African dish to Israel, where it became a popular part of Israeli cuisine.

Over time, different countries and regions have adapted and added their own twists to this egg dish. Shakshuka's popularity has spread worldwide, and it is now enjoyed as a flavorful and comforting dish in many parts of the world.

To make Shakshuka, poached eggs are cooked in a tomato sauce made with fresh, tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion, garlic, and spices such as harissa, cumin, or smoked paprika. Shakshuka eggs must be served with a runny yolk. This tomato-rich dish is served with fresh bread to get all that delicious sauce off your plate.

You can find a classic Shakshuka recipe on our blog, but we needed to create a Vegan version of this dish. It turns out, this vegan recipe is equally delicious and comes together in less time than the classic one!

How do you make Shakshuka Vegan?

Shakshuka is such an easy dish to make a vegan version out of it. Traditionally, Shakshuka is already vegetarian, which is a plus when you are trying to make a dish vegan. For our Vegan Shakshuka, we use silken tofu as our egg substitute.

Why do we choose to use Silken Tofu?

Silken tofu is a nutritious and versatile ingredient that offers a range of health benefits. As a type of tofu, it's made from soy milk that has been coagulated and pressed into a soft, smooth texture. It's particularly popular in vegan diets, as it's an excellent plant-based source of protein.

To get the most out of this ingredient, make sure you are choosing silken tofu made from Non-GMO (Genetically Modified) to prepare this Vegan Shakshuka.

One of the primary health benefits of silken tofu is its high protein content. Additionally, silken tofu is rich in minerals such as iron and calcium. This type of tofu also contains a small amount of fiber and is low-fat.

Its consistency makes it perfect to create an egg-like texture topping that is creamy, doesn't need extra cooking, and takes in the flavors of the rich tomato sauce beautifully.

What makes our recipe easy

• Simple ingredients. We use really easy-to-find ingredients to make this Shakshuka. Fresh vegetables, cumin, turmeric, and smoked paprika, silken tofu, and fresh cilantro.
• One-pan meal. Yes! Shakshuka is one of our favorite one-pot meals. You just need our skillet or pan to make a delicious Vegan Shakshuka.
• Plant-based protein. For the plant-based protein, we choose Silken Tofu, which makes this recipe easy and simple for everyone. Silken Tofu doesn't need cooking, we just heat it up with the sauce for a couple of minutes. We take a little bit of the silken tofu, and mix it with turmeric, to resemble the egg yolk. It creates a beautiful contrast and is something super simple to do!
• Canned chopped tomatoes. Isn't it great to not have to wash and cut fresh tomatoes, when you can simply use chopped tinned tomatoes? Just look for good-quality tinned tomatoes and you will be able to save time and make sure your tomatoes are sweet and juicy all year round.

Our Vegan Shakshuka recipe is:

• Gluten-free
• Plant-based
• Easy to prepare
• Quick to make
• Protein-rich
• Flavourful
• A great breakfast, brunch, or light meal
• Family-friendly

How to make Vegan Shakshuka

Ingredients

Canned Chopped Tomatoes. We usechopped tomatoesto cook our tomato sauce. Choose a good quality can of tomatoes, as this is the most important ingredient of the Shakshuka and will define its taste. You can as well use fresh tomatoes,canned plum tomatoesortomato passata. Optionally, you can as well add some tomato paste to give your Shakshuka a richer umami taste.

Red pepper. Choose long Italian red peppers when possible as they are less acidic. Red bell peppers will work equally well.

Onion and garlic. These are basic ingredients to flavor your delicious tomato sauce and Shakshuka dish. We use yellow onion but white or red onion can be used as well. If you don't have fresh garlic, you can use garlic powder.

Silken Tofu. We useOrganic Silken Tofu. You can use firm or soft silken tofu. If you are using regular tofu, make sure you are using fresh soft, or medium tofu. If you want to substitute the tofu in this recipe, you can use chickpeas or beans for protein.

Fresh Spinach. Add some green leaves to your dish by incorporating fresh spinach into the sauce at the end. Spinach cooks really fast, it won't take longer than 2-3 minutes. You can as well use frozen spinach or baby spinach.

Spice mix. Our favorite spice blend for Shakshuka contains smoked sweet paprika which adds a smoky flavor and cumin. Simply using two spices you will have a deliciously spiced rich tomato sauce. If you want to add some heat to the sauce, add harissa or red chili flakes.

Fresh Herbs.we add some chopped fresh cilantro or parsley before serving. You can as well add other herbs such as oregano, basil, or dill.

Step-by-Step Method

1. Heat some olive oil in a pan to medium heat and add chopped onion. Stir fry for a couple of minutes and then add minced garlic and chopped red bell pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the smoked sweet paprika and cumin and cook for one more minute or until fragrant.
3. Add the tinned chopped tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Leave simmering until the red peppers are cooked and the tomato sauce has reduced and is a richer and thicker sauce. At this point, you can add a little bit of brown sugar or another sweetener if the sauce is still acidic.
4. Add the fresh spinach to the tomato sauce and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
5. Time to make those vegan eggs. Break the silken tofu block into chunks. Depending on your taste, you can leave bigger or smaller chunks. Take 2 tablespoons and mix with some turmeric powder to create the "egg yolk". You can add some Kala Namak (black salt) to add some "eggy" taste to your Silken Tofu.
6. Place the Silken tofu on the tomato base. We like making 3-4 silken tofu eggs. Then add some of the turmeric tofu on top creating a yolk-like shape. Put the lid on the pan or skillet, and leave cooking for about 3-4 minutes to heat up the silken tofu.

You can then add some freshly chopped cilantro, black pepper and serve your delicious Vegan Shakshuka.

Variations

• Add more protein.You can add chickpeas, white beans, or lentils to your Shakshuka to add more protein and heartiness.
• Make it spicy. Add harissa powder, harissa paste, or red pepper flakes into the spice mix. Another option is to add fresh red or green chili with the onion and red pepper.
• Use firm tofu. You can make vegan Shakshuka using firm tofu. Crowded Kitchen has a delicious recipe using this type of tofu.
• Add more vegetables. For this easy Vegan Shakshuka we use red pepper, tomatoes, onion, and spinach, but you can certainly use more veggies such as aubergines or eggplants, zucchini, mushrooms, peas, green beans, broccoli, sweet potato, cauliflower, etc.
• "Cheesy Shakshuka". If you enjoy a cheesy flavor, you can add vegan cheese shreds, vegan feta, or nutritional yeast to the mix. Sprinkle it over the shakshuka just before covering the pan to allow it to melt.
• Green Shakshuka. Instead of using crushed tomatoes, you can create a vibrant green version of shakshuka by using a blend of spinach, kale, or Swiss chard as the base. Sauté the greens along with the onions and garlic until wilted, then proceed with the recipe as usual.

Serving Suggestions

Even though Shakshuka is normally served for breakfast, at home, we serve it any time of the day depending on the occasion.

Sometimes, we have Shakshuka for breakfast or brunch during the weekend. A lazy winter morning calls for a hearty and delicious recipe like this one. The best way to serve Shakshuka is with plenty of crusty bread, Pita Bread, or why not, Vegan Garlic Breadto get all that lovely tomato sauce off your plate

Another lovely way to serve this Shakshuka is with Hummus. We learned that fromGreen Kitchen Stories, and it was such a great discovery. We have tried many times this combination and is hearty and delicious.

You can add some avocado slices, pickled vegetables, or vegan yogurt on top, to add extra flavor and textures. Make it fancy for your Easter brunch or Christmas breakfast.

Shakshuka can be in the same skillet pan and placed on the dining table. Each person can serve their own plate and have seconds! If you are using a cast-iron pan, the dish will stay warm for longer.

Store and Reheat

If you have any leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for 2-3 days. Our favorite way to use leftovers is by adding the rest of the Shakshuka sauce inside a wrap or fajita. It makes for a delicious snack!

You can reheat the leftovers by using a microwave or a pan. You can as well, enjoy this dish chilled.

Leftover spinach? Try this Spinach and Chickpea Curry!

Leftover silken tofu and spinach?

When we make this recipe, we normally have some silken tofu leftover as we don't use a whole block, and some fresh spinach as well. If this happens to you too, you can use the rest of the tofu and spinach to make a delicious creamy spinach pasta sauce.

FAQ AND TIPS

More Vegan One-pot meals:

• African Matoke Recipe
• Chickpea and Spinach Curry Recipe
• Chana Masala
• Easy Carrot and Lentil Soup