Ludovic Roy is the health consultant here at Carrington Dean, a professional wellness coach, and founder of Ludo’s Primal Wellness. In the Friday Food Club series, Ludo will be sharing some of his favourite recipes with you to help you keep your mind and body healthy at home.
Shakshuka is a traditional dish that’s popular across the Middle East and North Africa. It’s often thought of as a breakfast dish, which is why it can be found on the menu at so many trendy brunch spots. In reality, Shakshuka is so simple and flexible that it’s perfect for any time of day.
Also known as eggs in hell (not because it’s hellish to cook!), Shakshuka is a simple dish that’s made up of eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce (the hell part). Like many recipes, over the years people have adapted Shakshuka to their own taste – in this recipe we’ll be adding spicy italian sausage for an extra bit of bite.
Despite the hellish name, I’ve had a lot of fun making this easy brunch recipe with my kids. It’s quick, simple, and so much flavour comes from the spicy sausages. The whole thing can take as little as 25 minutes, and can be made in one pot, which means less cleaning up for you – Shakshuka is an all-round winner.
Cooking time
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
From pantry to plate: 25 minutes
What you’ll need: Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (we choose spicy ones)
- 1 small onion, diced finely
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (regular paprika may be substituted)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
- 3 or 4 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
- 1 400g tin of crushed tomatoes with juice
- 4 large eggs (or a couple more if you’re hungry!)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped (regular or Italian flat-leaf)
Step by step guide
- To a large skillet, add the olive oil, sausage, onions, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and cook for about 8 minutes over medium-high heat, or until sausage is cooked through and onions are lightly golden browned.
- Stir intermittently and break up the sausage as it cooks
- Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant; stir intermittently.
- Add the tomatoes and juice, stir to combine, and allow tomatoes to simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened and reduced.
- Evenly crack the eggs around the skillet, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until eggs are as set as desired.
- Evenly sprinkle with parsley, additional salt and pepper if desired, and serve immediately. Eggs are best warm and fresh.
3 health benefits of Shakshuka
- Eggs are high in protein, contain all nine essential amino acids, are a good source of choline, and have been linked to preventing blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks
- Olive oil is known to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol and has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Tomatoes are the base of the dish, and are a great source of vitamins A, C, K, folate, and potassium.
