Green Shakshuka
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This green shakshuka is a modern twist on shakshuka that brings a burst of delicious vibrancy and nutrition to brunch. Spinach absorbs the savory-smoky flavors from caramelized onions, warming spices, garlic, and farmers' sausage, while eggs poach to oozy-yolk perfection. Finish off this one-pot meal with lively lemon dill pesto and a sprinkle of pine nuts for an impressive, easy, and irresistible meal!
Shake up brunch time with shakshuka! Try harissa shakshuka or chorizo shakshuka!
Curious about the secret behind what makes this shakshuka green? This dish has all the elements we love about traditional shakshuka, but takes a detour from the usual tomato sauce, opting instead for a nutrient-packed and delicious spinach base. The spinach picks up ALL the other tastes, so this green shakshuka recipe is bursting with flavor! The pesto is the perfect garnish ā the dill is subtle but present enough that it's a lively and zesty way to top it all off. Dig in!
Ingredients needed
Green shakshuka is made from fresh and wholesome ingredients ā the kind of produce that's at all supermarkets, but you'd find at a farmer's markets, too! Here's a breakdown of what you need:
- Farmer's sausage: Adds a flavor-packed, meaty bite. You can use ham to switch things up, or omit for vegetarian diners.
- Aleppo pepper: This Syrian spice has a complex flavor profile, with subtle smokiness and slightly sweet or tangy undertones. If your supermarket doesn't have it, you can check specialty stores, particularly Middle Eastern grocers, or find it online. You can also substitute it for a pinch of cayenne and extra grind of black pepper
- Other ingredients:Ā Onion, garlic clove, baby spinach, eggs, and pine nuts.
- Lemon dill pesto: Use fresh herbs (parsley and fresh dill), pine nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt, and water.
How to make green shakshuka
We love a one-pot, showstopper breakfast! With just ten minutes of prep time, an elegant, healthy breakfast doesn't get easier! Once you're done with the blender, everything is thrown into the same skillet. This is how you do it:
- Make pesto: Place all the lemon dill pesto ingredients in a blender and process until minced.
- Start the shakshuka: In a cast iron pan, sautƩ the onion and then add the sausage, garlic, aleppo pepper, cumin, and sea salt in stages.
- Make it green: Add the spinach and let it wilt, stirring and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add eggs then serve: Take the pan off the heat to crack the eggs in. Put it back on the heat, covering the pan to steam the eggs. Cook until the whites set but the yolks are still oozy and delicious. Sprinkle some black pepper, then serve with the pesto and pine nuts on top!
Variations
Green shakshuka already has an incredible balance in flavors, using hearty AND nutrient-packed ingredients. If you want to mix it up, you can certainly sprinkle over or add any ingredients to your preference. Here are some ideas:
- Cheese:Ā After cracking in the eggs, sprinkle over some feta cheese, allowing it to bake into the shakshuka with the eggs. Baked feta is SO good ā the texture goes from crumbly to creamy and the salty notes intensify.
- Zucchini: Add before the spinach, letting it char up in the fat from the farmer's sausage.
- Bell peppers:Ā Throw them in alongside the onion so they cook down to a soft but flavorful addition.
- Kale: Add some chopped kale leaves alongside the spinach, letting them wilt down.
- Other green veggies: Go ahead and add some of your favorite green vegetables to the mix, making sure to cook them until they're soft. Brussels sprouts, swiss chard, leeks, artichoke hearts, and broccoli all taste great in this green shakshuka.
What to serve with green shakshuka
Green shakshuka is often served for breakfast or brunch with warm, crusty bread, no yeast bread, or soft pita on the side so you can mop up all those incredible flavors. Ā Serve it with some easy hummus or cheesy baked olive dip to dip the bread in, too.
Enjoy it as a complete evening meal by serving it withĀ smoky roast potatoes and a spring mix salad.
Recipe FAQs
How do you serve shakshuka?
This is one of those recipes that looks as good as it tastes! If you're serving brunch, put the skillet right on the table (don't forget the trivet to protect the table) and allow family and guests to serve their own, family-style! A few sprigs of dill look pretty if you're going for presentation points.
YouĀ canĀ dish out for everyone, however, it takes away from the impressive shakshuka display. Serve with your favorite bread (like ourĀ no yeast bread) or a soft pita to scoop it all up, and enjoy!
How can I store leftovers?
It's best eaten fresh, as the eggs will not keep well. You can keep the green spinach and sausage mix (without the eggs) in the fridge for 3 days and in the freezer for a couple of months. You can also keep any leftover lemon dill pesto in an airtight jar in the fridge for three days, too!
What is the best way to reheat shakshuka?
If you have leftovers, the best way to reheat them is on the stovetop. We like to break up the eggs and mix them into the sauce and then serve it with a piece of toasted sourdough.
What is aleppo pepper and what else can I do with it?
Aleppo pepper is a type of chili named after its city of origin, Aleppo, in Syria. The peppers are sun-dried, and the flavor profile is less spicy than other chilis, with subtle smokiness and a sweet-tangy undertone.
We use it in a variety of dishes, such as in this roasted broccoli soup. It also goes well on grilled meats, on roasted vegetables, sprinkled over some homemade hummus or other dips, for adding subtle spice in soups, in couscous, on pizza ā the possibilities are endless!
Green Shakshuka Recipe
Ingredients
Lemon Dill Pesto
- Ā¼ cup parsley (packed)
- 2 tablespoons EACH: fresh dill, pine nuts, and olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh is best)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1-2 tablespoons water (as needed)
Green Eggs and Ham Shakshuka
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion (minced)
- 1 Ā½ cups small diced farmer's sausage
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- Ā½ teaspoon EACH: ground cumin and sea salt
- 10 ounces baby spinach (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 4 large eggs
- Black pepper and pine nuts (to serve)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients for the lemon dill pesto into a small blender or food processor and process until everything is finely minced, but not completely smooth. If you'd like a thinner pesto, add a little splash of water.Ā¼ cup parsley, 2 tablespoons EACH: fresh dill, pine nuts, and olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, 1 pinch sea salt
- Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until it's starting to brown. Add the sausage to the pan and cook through, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, Aleppo pepper, cumin, and sea salt and cook for 1 minute, until the spices are fragrant.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onion, 1 Ā½ cups small diced farmer's sausage, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, Ā½ teaspoon EACH: ground cumin and sea salt, 10 ounces baby spinach
- Add the spinach to the pan and let it wilt, working in batches if needed. Stir well and season to taste with extra salt and pepper, if you'd like.
- Take the pan off the heat and mix the water into the spinach. Crack the 4 eggs on top of the spinach, put the pan back on the heat, and cover the pan. Cook the eggs for 2-3 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny.4 large eggs
- Sprinkle some black pepper over the eggs and serve with some pine nuts and the lemon dill pesto.Black pepper and pine nuts
Video
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our breakfast recipes!