Green Shakshuka: Israeli Style Eggs

I love green eggs, or should I say eggs cooked in greens as in Green Shakshuka Israeli Style Eggs. This Mediterranean Diet egg friendly dish is nourishing but still light, savory with a hint of spice, briny and creamy all at the same time. It takes about 15-20 minutes from start to finish. Easy to make for breakfast with your immediate family on a cozy Sunday morning in pajamas. But elegant enough to serve at brunch with guests.

Many of us are familiar with the more traditional North African Shakshuka. The traditional Shakshuka, sometimes seen with the spelling Shakshouka, is an egg dish sautéed in a thick and spicy red sauce. Recently, in restaurants here in the States, I see Shakshuka on the menu. Often. I see hearty versions of this dish with chickpeas, green peppers and other vegetables added. Green Shakshuka has some similarities because it is eggs cooking in something, but Israeli Style Eggs are different enough to be exciting.

Versions of Shakshuka are Universal

Most countries enjoy some type of Shakshuka. My Sweetheart, Mark, and I love eggs cooked in the Italian style. The Italian version is lighter than traditional Shakshuka. We regularly enjoy a fantastic recipe that is one of my favorites. I found it in the Mediterranean Diet Cookbooks, The 30-Minute Mediterranean Cookbook. The recipe is called Marina Eggs. From my travels to Italy, I realize the name in Italy is” Ova ‘mpriatorio”, meaning Eggs in Purgatory. Recently, I shared Olive Sunshine’s recipe for Turkish Mememen. Mememen is a Turkish-style egg scramble that is Mediterranean Diet egg dish friendly. Unlike Marina Eggs, there are more eggs than sauce. It is also delicious, but I digress. Needless to say, there are many versions of Shakshuka that are suitable for the Mediterranean Diet. However, there are NOT too many to try them all and this Israeli style of Green Shakshuka is worth a try.

The Inspiration for Green Shakshuka on Olive Sunshine

To be fair, the Israelis, who are known for beautiful breakfasts, also enjoy the traditional red Shakshuka. I have not yet traveled to Israel. Speaking only from what I read, it is my understanding that many of the restaurants include this traditional dish on their menu. My first introduction of the Green Shakshuka came from an article in the magazine, Eating Well. The article by Alyssa Schwartz is called, “HaBasta’s Greens & Eggs” and it features the original inspiration to Green Shakshuka: Israeli Style Eggs. HaBasta is a restaurant in Tel Aviv. In Hebrew, HaBasta means, a stand in the market. This well-known restaurant is situated inside the Carmel market, the largest market in Tel Aviv. One day, when I make it to Israel, this restaurant is on my “to-do” list.

I first made greens and eggs Shakshuka half a decade ago and knew that I loved it. Since then, I love experimenting with different ingredients and methods as the inspiration hits. Making Green Shakshuka for breakfast for my Sweetheart and my Mother-in-Law I found myself describing it. It was then, I realized that I finally had my own version of this breakfast that I am proud to share. While Green Shakshuka is popular throughout other parts of the world, many people in my world have yet to try it. I am happy that Olive Sunshine can share this version that is certainly Mediterranean Diet egg dish friendly!

Ingredients for Green Shakshuka

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Sweet onion
• Kosher salt
• Mature kale
• Baby spinach
• White wine (see below)
• Garlic
• Kalamata olives
• Jalapeño pepper
• White pepper
• Chicken broth (reduced sodium)
• Eggs
• Feta cheese
• Aleppo Pepper

Need more ingredients for Shakshuka?

Does greens and eggs sounds good right now?

Try Olive Sunshine’s #2 ever recipe: Perfect Greek Scrambled Eggs are simple and fast and just perfect to enjoy on the Mediterranean Diet. Spinach, creamy feta and scallions makes this a simple, but tasty, breakfast that can be steaming next to coffee within minutes.

Tips for Selecting Ingredients for Israeli Style Eggs

The Greens

I have tried a variety of different greens, often due to what is available at the grocery. Feel free to experiment. My only suggestion. Use one baby version, i.e. baby spinach and one mature version, kale. Why? Using only young greens, the greens wilt too much leaving you nothing to cook the eggs. Using only adult greens can make the dish too bitter. Some may love it, my family – not so much. I buy my greens pre-washed and chopped. It makes life easier!

The Wine

I like to use a dry white wine for this dish, but not too dry. Something you would like to sip on a hot summer day. This morning my Sweetheart opened a bottle of Torciano’s Luciana, Bolgheri Bianco, DOC. I have always heard that if you do not like the wine to drink do not use the wine for cooking.

Additions

The HaBasta Greens and Eggs recipe did have jalapeño pepper, so a little spice is traditional. I use jalapeño pepper minced from a jar. The reason being, I can use more pepper. Jarred tends to be milder than fresh. Using more, I can distribute it better throughout the dish. Kalamata olives are not traditional, but I love the briny addition feel free to omit them. For the feta, I use only real sheep and goat cheese feta. Any traditional cheese will work, and it is also delicious being completely dairy free. I love to cook with white and Aleppo pepper, but any seasoning will work on Green Shakshuka!

Green Shakshuka: Israeli Eggs

I love writing about food. Especially food I experience through reading or travelling. The influence of different traditions, history and culture can be shared through recipes that bring us together around the table. The Mediterranean Diet focuses on the act of eating together, making memories and sharing experiences while gathering around the table.