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Quinoa Shakshuka (Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce)

I love my take on the traditional shakshuka because the quinoa adds protein and the greens blend right into the sauce. I like to make the sauce spicy but use the minimum amounts as directed below for a mild but still flavorful sauce. 
Add two more eggs to make six smaller portions.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Servings 4 - 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced (about ½ tbsp)
  • 1-2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne (optional)
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric (optional)
  • 28 oz can diced tomatoes - I like Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted
  • 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
  • 1/4 cup vegetable broth or water
  • 2 cups packed organic kale, baby kale or spinach, chopped - about 2.5 oz
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature (ideally organic, free-range)
  • fine sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper

Optional toppings

  • warm pita wedges or bread
  • plain Greek yogurt
  • feta cheese
  • fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, parsley)

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet (I use a 10” x 3”), heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until onion is translucent.
  • Add tomatoes with their juices, quinoa, broth/water, and spices. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and cover with a lid. Simmer for 12 mins, or until quinoa is cooked - the outer layer will have separated and it should be soft, not crunchy.
  • Test the sauce and add more spices, freshly ground pepper and salt to taste (I added ½ tsp but it will depend on whether your tomatoes and broth were salted). If you want a thicker sauce, turn the heat up to medium and cook until it’s reached your desired consistency. For a thinner sauce, add more water or broth.
  • Add kale and slowly stir until wilted (returning the heat to low if you turned it up).
  • Carefully crack each egg onto the surface of the sauce, avoiding the perimeter of the pan (don’t make an indent/well), letting the whites distribute over the sauce. Cover and cook on low until the yolks are just set, 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully spoon sauce over the egg whites, avoiding the yolks. Season the eggs with salt and pepper. If using feta, sprinkle it over the top of the dish.
  • Serve right away with pita or bread, yogurt and fresh herbs. See note below for leftovers.

Notes

You can use a can of whole peeled tomatoes for a more authentic version but you’ll need to break them up with your hands or a potato masher, which is why I think diced is easier.
 
The sauce mixture keeps well in the fridge (without the eggs) for about a week. So if you wanted to plan on leftovers, you could use only as many eggs as needed in one area of the sauce, and then enjoy the rest later either on its own or with a fresh egg.
 
If you have extra herbs, see my post on How to Keep Herbs Fresh for Weeks.