It’s hard to believe that we’ve been back from our Middle East trip for over three months now! Where does the time go? Let’s just say, this really was the trip of a lifetime. Five countries in less than two weeks. So flipping amazing. Hopefully one of these days I’ll be able to find the time to finish my recap about it, as I would love to tell you all about what we did and saw while we were there! But, alas. We’ve had our hands full preparing for our next big adventure.
So since I haven’t been able to work on a trip recap post yet (sigh), I’ll share a fun Middle Eastern inspired recipe with you instead!
Can I just say I love Middle Eastern food? It’s so fresh and flavorful and so different than what we typically eat here in the states! It was such a fun change to eat falafel and baklava and gyros and lamb kebabs and I could just keep going on, but I won’t bore you.
One of my favorite dishes though is shakshuka. It’s basically a hearty tomato based dish topped with eggs. Super cheap and easy, which is why it’s commonly known as a “poor man’s dish”.
I’ve had shakshuka many times prior to our trip, but it was amazing to actually try it in Israel at a little hole in the wall restaurant with stray cats roaming around. How much more authentic does it get than that?
If I remember right, the shakshuka I had was just the basic tomato and egg dish. And it was absolutely delicious! But I decided to replicate the recipe while adding some extra touches of my own: feta and cilantro. This is such a simple adjustment, but it takes the dish up just a notch!
Whether you prefer shakshuka with feta for a hearty breakfast or a filling dinner, you’ll be impressed by just how easy it is to make!
A traditional Middle Eastern recipe made with poached eggs and a spicy tomato sauce. Shakshuka with Feta is a hearty meal perfect for breakfast or dinner.
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- salt
- black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 42 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 5 oz feta cheese, divided
- 8 eggs
- parsley or cilantro
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Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir the veggies until tender.
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Add garlic, cumin, paprika and red pepper flakes. Stir until combined. Pour in tomatoes and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. While sauce is simmering, preheat oven to 400°F. Add in 3 ounces of feta.
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With heat over medium-low, use a spoon to create 8 small wells in the sauce, cracking an egg into each well as you go. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake until the eggs are set, 5-10 minutes.
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Sprinkle with the remaining feta and parsley or cilantro, if desired. Serve with slices of bread.
The tomato base for this recipe can easily be made in advance. Just crack the eggs on top and then heat it up in a preheated oven right before serving.
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