Shakshuka hummus

What happens when two already tasty Mediterranean favorites collide? You get one deliciously comforting dish! Shakshuka hummus is perfect for brunch, lunch or anytime.

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Before we went to Israel around 18 months ago, I naturally did a bit of digging on what we should eat. Many dishes were already familiar, like hummus and falafel, but some I hadn't necessarily had in quite the way we enjoyed there, like Israeli salad and roasted eggplant with tahini.

As I was researching, I came across shakshuka hummus, apparently a bit of a local favorite in the Tel Aviv area, where we were going. I couldn't decide whether it was going to be amazing or a bit weird, but I knew I had to try it.

What is shakshuka hummus?

Shakshuka hummus is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: shakshuka on top of hummus. Not familiar with those? Well hummus is a spread/dip made primarily from chickpeas, mixed with tahini (sesame paste), olive oil and lemon juice.

Shakshuka is often credited as being originally from Tunisia, but is a firm favorite in Israel and increasingly elsewhere. The base is made with peppers, onions, tomato and then usually some herbs and/or spices and then eggs are poached in the sauce.

We have loved shakshuka for years, and I've made a few variations, including shakshuka with meat and green shakshuka. One of the great things about it is you can make extra sauce and freeze it, ready to just defrost, warm it up then add your egg.

Plus, shakshuka is just ridiculously tasty and comforting.

On our trip, I very nearly didn't have shakshuka hummus as I didn't see it anywhere until right at the end. But when I saw it, it was first on our order, no matter whether it went with anything else or not.

You might be wondering why I thought it might be weird. Well, I have a bit of a thing about hot and cold things together. I'm never quite sure about it. But here the trick is to have the hummus at room temperature so the contrast isn't as big.

Then, the smooth, creamy hummus and runny tomatoey shakshuka intermingle. And once you then break open the egg yolk, it's all one mushy delicious mouthful.

How to make shakshuka hummus

• Soften the onions and add the peppers.
• Add the tomatoes, herbs and spices and cook to allow the flavors to mingle.
• Crack the eggs into the sauce, cover and allow them to poach in the sauce.
• Serve the sauce over hummus (either homemade or bought).

While it takes a little time, it's a very easy dish to make. It's also great for preparing part of it ahead to do just a final cook when you need it.

If you're looking for one deliciously comforting brunch that's just that little bit different, shakshuka hummus is a great choice. Great flavors, and all perfect for dipping some bread into.

Try these other comforting brunch ideas:

• Eggs Royale (smoked salmon eggs Benedict)
• Menemen (Turkish scrambled eggs)
• Baked eggs with mushrooms and asparagus
• Plus get more brunch recipes and Middle Eastern recipes in the archives.

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Shakshuka hummus

Just what the name suggests: shakshuka hummus is the egg in pepper and tomato sauce over hummus. So comforting and tasty!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Brunch

Cuisine: Israeli

Servings: 2

Calories: 303kcal

Author: Caroline's Cooking

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Ingredients

• ½ onion large or 1 small
• 1 red pepper
• 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped/crushed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground paprika
• 1 tbsp parsley chopped
• 2 tbsp cilantro (coriander) chopped, divided
• 14 oz chopped tomatoes 396g, 1 can or can use fresh
• 2 eggs
• 6 tbsp hummus or more to taste

Instructions

• Peel and slice the onions in half or quarter rings, depending on size. Core the peppers and cut in slices.
• Heat the oil in a large shallow pan or skillet and add the onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften. Add the peppers and cook, stirring now and then, for another 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, parsley and 1tbsp cilantro and stir. Cook for another couple minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and cook for around 10 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle (a little longer if using fresh tomatoes to let them break up). Up to this point can be made in advance and chilled or frozen.
• When ready to serve, re-heat the sauce if needed then gently push two indentations in the sauce with the back of a serving spoon and crack an egg into each one. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the eggs to cook in the sauce for around 5 minutes, basting the whites with the sauce part-way if needed. Ideally you want the whites just cooked and the yolks still a little soft so they will mingle with the sauce when you serve up.
• When the eggs are ready, put around 3 tbsp of hummus in the bottom of two bowls. Carefully scoop an egg along with around half the sauce, taking care not to break the egg, on top/slightly to the side of the hummus in each bowl.  Sprinkle the remaining cilantro over the top. Works well served with bread on the side to mop up the sauces.

Notes

Instead of chunkier chopped tomatoes, you can also use finely chopped or tomato passata, as I used here since that's what I had. 

Nutrition

Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 524mg | Potassium: 746mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 3085IU | Vitamin C: 99.5mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 5.1mg

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