If you’ve never heard of shakshuka, or aren’t sure how to even pronounce it, you are not alone (I pronounced it wrong for about a year after I’d first had it, you say it like “shack – shouk-ah” just to clarify).The first time I had it was last year when I was hanging out with a bunch of other food writing/shooting gals, one of whom was my dear friend Trish. She made a shakshuka for one of our shared meals and it was INSANELY good. Since that moment, I’ve made a point of ordering it anytime I see it on a menu. And since I always make a freeze multiple giant batches of tomato sauce every summer, I put a good amount of it to use making shakshuka at home to bring that summer tomato flavor to my kitchen.
What is Shakshuka?
It’s a north African and middle eastern dish that’s essentially a delicious pepper stew with a base of tomato sauce and onions, and eggs baked into the top. The trick is to just cook it until the whites of the eggs are barely cooked through, and the yolks are still runny. Basically you’ve got to watch it like a hawk the last 5 minutes of cooking to pull it out at the perfect jiggly-yolk moment.
My Secret Shakshuka Ingredient
I love making mine with a little twist, though, and that’s using delicious fresh ripe persimmons instead of fresh tomatoes. Let’s be honest—fresh tomatoes in the winter suck unless you live someplace very warm. Persimmons, however, have a very similar flavor and texture to a ripe tomato, and happen to be at their peak in the dead of winter. I recommend using canned or jarred tomato sauce to make this (and other recipe that call for tomatoes in wintertime, for that matter), since preserved tomatoes are processed and sealed in season when they’re most ripe and flavorful. It’s best to avoid making anything that calls for raw tomatoes until it’s summertime, and just substitute in some delicious persimmons instead! For me, shakshuka is an ideal wintertime food; it’s hot, it’s hearty, I can dip crusty bread in it, and it makes me feel full after but never too full, if you know what I mean. Plus it’s super healthy, too! There’s nothing not to love.
Shakshuka with Persimmons
This delicious pepper stew hails from north africa and the middle east, and is full of comforting spices and deep tannic flavors.
CourseDinner
CuisineMiddle Eastern
Keywordshakshuka
Servings 6 people
Calories 223 kcal
Ingredients
- 1tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
- 1large yellow onionthinly sliced
- 2red bell peppersseeded, quartered, and sliced
- 2clovesgarlicminced
- 1poundpersimmonscoarsely chopped
- 1tablespoontomato paste
- 2teaspoonssmoked paprika
- 1teaspoonaleppo pepper
- 3/4teaspooncoriander
- 1/2teaspooncumin
- 4cupsjarred or canned chopped tomatoes
- Flake kosher sea salt to tasteto taste
- Freshly cracked black pepperto taste
- 5eggs
- 1/4cupfresh cilantro or parsley
- Good crusty breadto serve alongside
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium low heat. Add the onions and sauté until softened and transparent, about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers and continue cooking until they soften slightly and are very fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple minutes.
Add garlic, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the persimmons, tomato paste, paprika, aleppo pepper, coriander, and cumin and cook until the persimmons have softened and released their juices, about 6 to 8 minutes more.
Add the tomato sauce and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking until the peppers soften, about 10 minutes.
Turn the heat off on the stovetop and add salt and black pepper to taste. Use the back of a spoon to create 5 wells in the top of the shakshuka, and crack an egg into each one.
Place the Dutch oven in the oven and bake until the whites are just barely set and the yolks are still jiggly, about 7 to 10 minutes. Keep a very close eye on it the last few minutes of cooking to make sure you don't overcook the eggs.
Remove it from the oven, top with with the fresh cilantro, and serve alongside the crusty bread.
Nutrition Facts
Shakshuka with Persimmons
Amount Per Serving
Calories 223Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 136mg45%
Sodium 311mg14%
Potassium 744mg21%
Carbohydrates 37g12%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 2095IU42%
Vitamin C 117.6mg143%
Calcium 99mg10%
Iron 4.7mg26%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
FAQs
They can be eaten fresh, dried, or cooked, and are very versatile in recipes. Persimmon peels are completely edible. Whether or not to peel the fruit is a matter of personal preference and the recipe that you're using.
How do you eat persimmon for breakfast? ›
Add chunks of ripe persimmon to a smoothie when you feel like a sweeter treat but don't want to use honey. Add cinnamon to taste, and it will boost sweetness further. Or simply include persimmon slices with your breakfast granola and yoghurt.
What pan is best for shakshuka? ›
Shakshuka is traditionally made in a cast iron pan and is simple to prepare. You start by making the sauce on the stovetop, then you gently crack the eggs into wells in the sauce and cook briefly before finishing the dish under the broiler.
How do you know when shakshuka is done? ›
Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the eggs. Carefully transfer the skillet to the oven (it's heavy) and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, checking often once you reach 8 minutes. They're done when the egg whites are an opaque white and the yolks have risen a bit but are still soft.
How do you use persimmons in cooking? ›
Because the flesh is very soft, hachiya persimmons are typically used for baking. The flesh is pureed into a pulp, and mixed into quick breads (like muffins), cakes and cookies.
How long does it take for persimmons to soften? ›
The duration for a persimmon to reach full ripeness can differ based on its variety and the environmental conditions it's exposed to. Once the fruit begins its color transition, it may take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks to ripen.
Can I eat 2 persimmons a day? ›
It is better not to eat more than one persimmon or 100 g of fruit in a day. Excessive consumption of persimmons may lead to intestinal blockages, nausea, vomiting, or constipation.
What pairs well with persimmons? ›
The flavor of the persimmon is mild and sweet, almost like squash or pumpkin, so pair it with warm, autumn spices, like cinnamon and cloves.
Why cant you eat persimmons on an empty stomach? ›
Excess in persimmons, hawthorns, tea, alcohol or food increasing gastric acidity can cause such stones," said Dr Lu Ying, director of Shanghai Yida Hospital's digestive disease department. "Eating persimmons with an empty stomach or eating an excessive amount of raw persimmons is likely to result in a stone.
What is traditionally served with shakshuka? ›
Shakshuka is a classic North African and Middle Eastern breakfast dish. This recipe is simple and satisfying, featuring eggs poached in a bell pepper and tomato sauce. Serve it with pita or crusty bread for breakfast or brunch...or dinner!
Popular in Israel, shakshouka is a savory egg entree made with tomatoes, peppers and onions. Though it's most commonly served as a main dish for breakfast, it's also eaten for lunch and dinner.
How not to overcook eggs in shakshuka? ›
Then return the skillet to a gentle simmer at medium-low heat. Spoon some of the sauce over the whites. After breaking the eggs into the sauce, gently spoon some of the sauce over just the whites. This helps the whites cook faster so they set before the yolks overcook.
Should eggs be runny in shakshuka? ›
Ingredients to make shakshuka breakfast
Seasonings: Cumin, paprika, coriander, salt, and pepper. Eggs: The shakshuka eggs are dropped into little 'nests' or intentions in the sauce and poached to your liking. I prefer a medium cook where the white is cooked through and the yolks are left runny.
What country is shakshuka from? ›
Shakshuka is a simple dish made of gently poached eggs in a delicious chunky tomato and bell pepper sauce. Said to have originated in Tunisia, this breakfast recipe is popular in many parts of North Africa and the Middle East. It is so satisfying, you can serve it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
How do you get rid of astringency in persimmons? ›
Storage at − 20 °C and − 80 °C temperatures up to 60 days has been found to be an effective method to remove astringency of persimmon fruits.
What can I do with underripe persimmons? ›
You can also hasten their ripening and remove their astringency by covering them with uncooked dry rice for three to five days or by freezing them for one day. One variety of persimmon, the tannin-free Fuyu, can be eaten at any stage of ripeness.
How do you get the bitterness out of persimmons? ›
The only ways to reduce tannins in persimmons are to allow/force them to ripen or to make the final product acidic. To address the latter point first, bitter persimmons will naturally become vinegar. During that process, they ferment to alcohol in which the tannins remain.
Are persimmons good for heat or cold? ›
Persimmons have 'cold yin energy' in Chinese medicine which means their astringency cools inflammation and sweetness helps rebuild fluids. Persimmons are thus an ideal fall tonic to combat autumn dryness (Vata) and any lingering inflammation from summer heat (Pitta).
What is Shakshuka?
My Secret Shakshuka Ingredient
