Chickpea and chorizo shakshuka

I’m a big fan of shakshuka, but fell head-over-heals-in-love with it in Israel where it’s a very popular dish. Maybe even their signature breakfast. You see it everywhere, and I now want to eat it all the time. It’s the perfect egg based dish to eat for lunch or supper as it’s both filling and comforting. Served with a slice or two of toasted sourdhough bread its a complete and perfect the meal.

I posted this recipe for chickpeas with chorizo two years ago and its one of my favourite quick meals to whip up. Made almost entirely from store cupboard staples, its also very delicious. The chorizo gives it a lovely smokey taste, and I thought this would make a good base to poach a few eggs and turn the whole thing into a shakshuka. There is sweetnees and depth in the flavours of the dish, but if you like your shakshuka a little hotter, I would suggest including a teaspoon or two of chilli or dried chilli flakes. Cayenne pepper would also do the trick.

I find the best way to poach the eggs so that the whites harden but the egg yolks stay runny is to do it all on the stove top. I’ve tried baking the dish in the oven, but I find the egg yolks harden in the process which is pretty disastrous (unless of course you like hard egg yolks). If you put a lid on your pan this speeds things up. One shakshuka I ate in Israel had the eggs thoroughly immersed in the tomato sauce so they weren’t visible from the top. You had to dig around to find the unctuous yellow orbs to dip your toast into. These could have been soft poached eggs immersed in sauce, which kind of makes sense if you are making shakshuka to order. Let me know if you have any tricks up your sleeve to cook or bake eggs in sauce without hardening the yolks.

Scatter a good handful of roughly chopped coriander / cilantro over your shakshuka to serve. It adds a lovely fresh herbaceous element, and if you felt like taking the decadence levels up and notch, scoop sour cream, labneh or Greek yoghurt on there too.

*I’ve adapted my chickpea & chorizo dish by reducing the quantity of sausage slightly and increased the onion and pepper.

*PS ~ I have updated my site to include a printable recipe card. I hope that you enjoy.

Prep Time:10

Cook Time:25

Total Time:35

Ingredients

100 g Chorizo thinly sliced
1 T oilve oil
1 red onion finely diced
1 small red or yello pepper finely diced
1 clove garlic crushed
1/4 cup medium cream sherry
1 tin chopped tomatoes chopped
2 tins chickpeas
2 t brown sugar
1 t smoked paprika
1/2 t cumin
Salt and Pepper to season
4 - 6 free-range eggs
creme fraiche to garnish optional
fresh coriander leaves to garnish optional
toasted sourdough to serve opti0nal

Instructions

Heat a large frying pan and fry the chorizo until the oils start releasing and the meat brows. Remove the sausage and set aside.
Add the olive oil to the pan of orange oil and gently fry the onion for about 3 minutes until softened. Add the red pepper and continue to fry for a further 2 or so minutes until they too are softened. Return the chorizo to the pan with the garlic and briefly fry.
Add the sherry and allow the liquid to (mostly) cook off.
Add the tomatoes, sugar, chickpeas, smoked paprika and cumin, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Allow this to bubble on a gentle heat for about 20 minutes.
Make small indentations ino the surface and break your eggs into the holes. Mix the egg white around a bit to loosen and spread (withour breaking the yolk)
Cook for a futher 3 or so minutes and until the egg whites have hardened. If necessary put a lid on your pan to speed up the process.
Scatter over the chopped cilantro and any other garnish you desire, and scoop onto toast .

Author: Sam Linsell

My recipe for regular shakshuka

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15 Comments

Love this!! Can’t help but to wonder how this will freeze to be able to serve in smaller portions (for 2 people for breakfast) where one could only pop in the egg after defrosting the rest? mmm…probably won’t be as good as fresh but I am sure it will still beat All bran flakes in the morning? 🙂
Ps: Thank you for the PRINT option!

HI Mariette. Eggs do not freeze at all and in my expereince chickpeas do not do very well either. They soften and go a bit watery. This is not an ideal dish to freeze sadly.

Thank you Sam. Oh, I agree, I wouldn’t freeze the ready cooked eggs, I was thinking more the tomato sauce mixture. You are probably right about the chick peas. Looking forward to making this!!

Oh this looks delicious. I would really love to have this for breakfast. You’ve captured this beautifully.

Everything about this dish is amazing…one pan, healthy, chickpeas…which I am so into these days, and the flavours just sound like a great combo. Thanks Sam 🙂

This looks so amazing and delicious!

Hi Sam,
I make shuskshuka on the regular and agree that it is the perfect weeknight dinner. I dont have a lid for my pan so a doubled up sheet of foil does the trick for keeping the yolks runny. I always ended up with hard yolks before i figured this out. And reduced heat once the eggs go in. Have served shakshuka to many people and am yet to meet someone who doesnt love it. ps – i usually crumble feta into mine at the egg stage. Or spoon yoghurt or smooth cottage cheese on top at the end. I do find the creamy acidity that dairy brings in almost obligatory to cut through the spicy sauce. Agree with you on the herbacious element, i always miss it when i dont have fresh coriander on hand. Parsley also works in a pinch.

This looks absolutely mouth-watering! Love the addition of chorizo!

Thanks Sabrina, I just love chorizo for smokey spice.

Mmm this looks delicious. What great flavour combination. Can’t wait to try this. ?

Spanish or Mexican chorizo?

HI Helen it makes no difference. I used Spanish style, but whatever your taste preference.

Have been loving shakshuka recipe, and will have to try chickpeas next time! Such a good idea, and the chorizo would add a gorgeous smoky spice. and YES to the toasted sourdough to serve! x