If you ask me, the best part of shakshuka is the sauce — so why not enjoy a big bowl of it?
A few weeks ago we drove to Connecticut for brunch with old friends. We all go back to our single days in Brooklyn and now most of us are married or about to be, with kids or expecting. Our hosts, Jamie and Paul, are expecting their first baby next month. Even though Jamie was very far along in her pregnancy, she moved through the kitchen with ease and cooked an indulgent meal centered on a giant family-style shakshuka.
If you’re not familiar, shakshuka is an Israeli dish of eggs poached in a spicy tomato and pepper sauce, often finished with crumbled feta. You break the eggs into the sauce and mop everything up with crusty bread or pita. It’s intensely satisfying, and as we lingered at the table everyone kept returning for more. I noticed, though, that most of us were nudging the extra eggs aside to get to the sauce first.
On the drive home I thought: why not make more sauce? Better yet, why not turn the whole idea into a soup so you can eat it by the bowlful?
I know I post a lot of soups, but this one stuck in my head. Three things pushed me to make it right away: 1) I couldn’t stop thinking about it; 2) I got sick and wanted a spicy soup to clear my sinuses; and 3) our new neighbors brought over a loaf of homemade bread that begged for dipping.
Last Saturday I made a large pot of this shakshuka soup. It was exactly what I imagined: warmly spiced with cumin and paprika, full of chunky tomatoes, sautéed peppers and ribbons of Swiss chard, and showered with plenty of salty, crumbly feta.
This shakshuka soup is an ideal late-winter meal when you still crave warmth but are starting to look forward to bright, egg-forward dishes of spring.
Shakshuka Soup with Swiss Chard
2016-02-24 01:21:30
Serves 6
Serve this soup with plenty of crusty bread or pita for dipping. If you don’t like feta, substitute goat cheese or omit it. The soup (without the eggs) freezes well for up to three months. You could poach the eggs directly in the soup, as in traditional shakshuka, but I prefer to poach them separately when making just a few servings. Omit the cayenne if you want a milder version.
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
- 2–3 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 teaspoons paprika (regular, not smoked)
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and sliced into ribbons (about 4 cups)
- 6 poached eggs (see note)
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño and sauté until tender and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the paprika, cumin, salt, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the whole tomatoes with their juices. Use a wooden spoon to break the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Add the crushed tomatoes and 3 cups of water, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the Swiss chard and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Ladle the soup into six bowls and top each serving with a poached egg. Sprinkle each bowl with about 2 tablespoons crumbled feta and a little chopped parsley, then serve with crusty bread or pita for dipping.
Notes
- To poach eggs: bring a saucepan of water to a gentle simmer and add 1 tablespoon vinegar. Crack an egg into a small cup, lower the cup near the surface and slide the egg into the water. Cook about 4 minutes until the whites set but the yolk remains runny. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on paper towel.
By Turnip the Oven
Turnip the Oven
