When winter rolls around here in the pacific northwest, I tend to heavily rely on dishes that warm me from the inside out and don’t take very long to make. I can’t remember who first told me about Shakshuka, but I was hesitant to give it a try when I first learned what it was (I’m not a huge fan of tomato based dishes). Fast forward to when I was diagnosed with celiac disease, this became one of my go-to dishes to make because it focused on naturally gluten free ingredients. Highly highly recommend for all my newly diagnosed celiac friends!
Harissa is a spicy chili pepper paste that is a common staple in Tunisian cooking. It is typically made up of roasted red peppers, herbs, oil, and spices and brings an incredible flavor to this dish. Note that store-bought harissa paste can be either spicy or mild. Many store-bought harissa products also contain gluten, so be sure to double check the label before purchasing!
GF PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS:
GF Sausage Links: Aidell’s, Alfresco, Applegate, Wellshire Farms
GF Veggie Sausage Links: Beyond Meat Beyond, Lightlife Bratwurst
GF Harissa Paste: Casablanca Market Moroccan Harissa, Mina Harissa
GF Tomato Paste: Cento, Del Monte, Hunt’s, Muir Glen Organic
GF Bread/Pita: Schar Baguettes, Udi’s Classic French Rolls, BFree Pita Bread, Against the Grain Baguette
GF/DF Feta Cheese: Violife Vegan Feta, Follow Your Heart Feta
*As always, be sure to check the manufacturer’s website and ingredient list as products can change
Ultimate Shakshuka with Feta Cheese
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Chef’s Knife
- Measuring Spoons
- (3) 6oz Custard Cups or Small Bowls
- Large Dinner Plate
- 12″ Cast Iron Skillet* or Non-stick Frying Pan with a Lid
- Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (olive, avocado, grapeseed, vegetable)
- 1 medium onion (yellow or white, diced)
- 1 medium bell pepper (any color, diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika (sub regular paprika)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 2 tbsp Harissa* paste (sub tomato paste + double spice amounts)
- 12 ounces GF sausage links* (sub GF veggie sausage or omit)
- 28 ounces whole or crushed tomatoes (canned)
- 6 eggs
- salt and pepper
Toppings:
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro (sub parsley)
- ½ cup feta cheese (~3oz crumbled (sub DF feta))
- french bread or pita bread (gluten free, optional)
Instructions
Prepare Produce / Spices
- Dice onion and bell pepper into ½” pieces. Set aside together.
- Finely mince garlic cloves. Set aside separate from onion and bell pepper.
- In a small bowl, measure out the garlic, paprika, cumin, chili powder, and harissa paste.
Cook Sausage, Pepper, and Onion
- Slice the sausage links into ¼” discs.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large cast iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium heat. Wait until the oil is shimmering before adding sliced sausage. Cook sausage for about 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Add chopped bell pepper and onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the onion turns translucent in color.
- Add the garlic and spices and cook for an additional minute.
Simmer Tomato Base
- Pour the entire can of tomatoes with their juices into the pan and gently break the tomato chunks into pieces with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Season with salt and pepper and taste.
- Increase the stove to high heat. Once the mixture begins to bubble, immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until tomatoes have thickened (about 10 minutes)
Poach Eggs
- Using the wooden spoon, create 4 – 6 small wells in the sauce and crack one egg into each well. Gently spoon a little bit of the tomato mixture over each egg, cover the pan with a lid and cook on medium-low for 5 – 8 minutes.
- For softer, runnier yolks, cook for less time. For more well done eggs, increase the amount of time. Test the doneness of the eggs by gently pressing on them with the back of the spoon.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and feta. Serve with toasted bread.