Poached eggs in a zesty Moroccan tomato sauce with sauteed zucchini and hearty lentils, this super easy and oh-so-tasty meal is a great way to start the day or a fabulous lunch or dinner option as well. Serve with hot Naan or pita bread to soak up the delectable sauce.
In case you’ve never experienced Shakshuka, it’s a marvelously spiced Moroccan dish that is simply eggs poached in tomato sauce. It’s simple, but SOOO fabulous, especially if you love your breakfast a little spicy. There is little that can compare to a perfectly poached egg in spicy tomato sauce. I once had a friend literally cry with joy in my cooking class over the perfectly poached egg in our Shakshuka.
In this recipe, I took Shakshuka to a new level by mixing in some sauteed zucchini and lentils! And I made it simple by using salsa as the base for the sauce. To be more specific, I used my cilantro almond salsa, which is seriously one of the most loved recipes of everything I serve people in real life. The pictures don’t do it justice … you have to taste it to believe how good it is. I make this super simple blender salsa year round (with canned tomatoes in the winter) and everyone I serve it to raves over it. This salsa is the one I often stir into queso or chili … it’s the one I use when I’m making salsa chicken and the one I douse on top of every tostada and munch on with chips. And one day this summer, as I was trying to use up some of the pressure canned salsa I made last year before it’s time to make NEW salsa, I realized that my simple salsa is the absolute PERFECT base for Shakshuka.
Simplicity
In the past, I seemed to have more energy to tackle complicated recipes, but lately, I’m embracing simplicity in cooking more and more. I cook up simple staples like lentil taco filling or a big batch of Instant Pot beans and freeze them just so I have some on hand when I want them. This time I used home-canned salsa and pre-cooked lentils to make a delicious, spicy breakfast.
This dish is like Shakshuka on steroids! Soooo much more flavor and texture … and it’s got all the good things like fiber and protein to keep you going all morning long. The zucchini keeps it light so it doesn’t feel heavy when you eat it.
By the way, if you don’t have it in you to make the cilantro almond salsa and you want to substitute your favorite salsa (or the one you have on hand), give it a go and see how you like it. Life is too short to worry over the little things.
I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love this easy dish. I hope you love it too.
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Zucchini Lentil Shakshuka
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 small onion, peeled & chopped
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 small zucchini (about 8 inches), chopped
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups (1 pint) cilantro almond salsa (recipe here) – or your favorite salsa
- 1/2 cup cooked lentils
- 1 – 2 cups kale or spinach, chopped
To finish:
- 3 – 4 eggs
- Salt & freshly ground pepper
- Fresh cilantro leaves and/or ripe avocado slices (optional)
Instructions
- Over medium heat, add the oil to a medium saute pan or saucepan. Add the onions and saute until soft and translucent.
- Add the curry powder and cook, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant.
- Stir in the zucchini and saute for several minutes until the zucchini is bright green and starting to get tender. Stir in the salsa and lentils cook for 5 – 10 minutes or until the mixture starts to create a nice sauce. Stir in the kale (or spinach) just until the greens wilt.
- Make wells into the sauce and crack eggs into each “hole”. Sprinkle the eggs with salt & pepper. Cover and cook for 5 – 10 minutes or until the egg whites are completely cooked and the yolks are done to your liking.
- Serve garnishes with fresh cilantro and/or avocado. Have some pitas or Naan hot and ready to soak up the good sauces.
Notes
© Copyright 2021, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. I love it when you share, but please do not use my images on your own site/page without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. Sharing, pinning, and tweeting is always appreciated as long as the shares and pins link back to here for the recipe. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.
