The Best Shakshuka with Pasta Sauce and Leeks (Easy & Delicious)
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Having shakshuka with pasta sauce and leeks is a great way to start your weekend. It is hard to resist the smell of simmering leeks, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and spices. And all this in a delicious tomato pasta sauce. It will keep you full for hours, so bookmark this easy breakfast recipe.
Shakshuka is a traditional Middle Eastern dish consisting of tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and spices cooked together in a pan with eggs. Several years ago, I was pleasantly surprised by how famous shakshuka is in restaurants with healthy food in New York City. This is where I tried it the first time, and I have liked it ever since.
Where does shakshuka come from?
My friend Tamir from Israel showed me how to make shakshuka. I didn’t write down the recipe then; for years, I have been preparing it based on my memory. So, It probably isn’t exactly how Israelis would make it, but I added my twist here and there to accommodate what my family likes.
One twist is to exchange some of the onions with leeks for a milder flavor.
Shakshuka dish originated in Yemen; some food historians claim it came from the Ottoman Empire. It then came to Israel from the northeast African cultures. It is now considered a staple dish in Israeli breakfast.
Traditional ingredients in shakshuka
The main ingredients in a shakshuka dish are olive oil, tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, and eggs, all spiced with cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
If spicy meals are not your favorite, you can omit cayenne pepper since paprika will give enough flavor. And, if someone around you likes spicy shakshuka, they can always sprinkle cayenne pepper or even add red pepper flakes on top when on the plate. Or a hot sauce, even.
The best part of shakshuka is that you only need one pan with a lid to cook everything.
There are recipes out there recommending using canned tomatoes in shakshuka recipes. I have my opinion on canned vegetables, which you can read here. So, I always recommend using fresh whole tomatoes.
Also, I used pasta sauce in a glass jar in this recipe. You can use a simple marinara sauce you can purchase in any grocery store. If you like your dish spicy, you can use spicy tomato sauce.
I only tweaked the recipe a little, except for adding leeks. So, I hope you’ll like this shakshuka with pasta sauce and leeks.
Using leeks instead of onion in recipes
Leeks are commonly used for cooking in Europe. They go well in soups, scrambled eggs, and pies (or pita in Serbian). During my first years in the US, I was surprised by how rare it was to find leeks in the stores. I now buy them at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s and often use them in various recipes.
Leeks belong to the Allium genus of vegetables, where onions, garlic, shallots, and chives are also classified. They are milder in flavor than onions and won’t make your eyes water when you cut them. Bonus!
Some people can’t tolerate too much onion in a dish. So, replacing it entirely or only a portion with leeks might be good. I replaced a bit of onion and added leeks in this shakshuka recipe.
And, if you were wondering. Although all parts of leeks are edible, the green part is quite bitter and is typically discarded. So, you usually want to use the white and the light green parts.
Health benefits of leeks
Just like an onion, leeks offer many health benefits. In just one cup of leeks (about 90 g), there are many essential vitamins and minerals:
| 1 cup (90 g) leeks, raw | Recommended Daily Intake | |
| Protein | 1.35 g | 46 g (W) | 56 g (M) |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.27 g | 44 g (W) | 77 g (M) |
| Fiber, total dietary | 1.62 g | 25 g (W) | 31 g (M) |
| Carbohydrates | 12.8 g | 130 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 53.1 mg | 1000 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.89 mg | 18 mg (W) | 8 mg (M) |
| Magnesium, Mg | 25.2 mg | 320 mg (W) | 420 mg (M) |
| Vitamin C | 10.8 mg | 75 mg (W) | 90 mg (M) |
| Folate | 57.6 mcg | 400 mcg (W) | 400 mcg (M) |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.21 mg | 1.3 mg (W) | 1.3 mg (M) |
| Vitamin K | 42.3 mcg | 90 mcg (W) | 120 mcg (M) |
Leeks are rich in vitamin K (over 35% of the recommended daily intake in 1 cup), which is essential for bone health, and vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant.
Shakshuka cooking tips
- Cut the onion, leeks, and red bell pepper into small cubes.
- I often use red peppers, but you can also use any bell peppers available (green bell peppers or orange bell peppers). Bell pepper gives a charming texture and taste to the dish. You can go here to find out why bell peppers are good for us.
- Cut cherry tomatoes into two halves. Mince the garlic cloves right before you are ready to add them to the veggie mix.
- Prepare pasta sauce and spices (cumin, sweet paprika, salt, black pepper, oregano, fresh dill). I like using tomato basil pasta sauce from Whole Foods.
- You can use a large skillet with a lid. You want all the veggies and pasta sauce to spread evenly on the bottom.
- Cook onions until fragrant (about two minutes), then add leeks and cook for another two minutes. Add garlic, peppers, tomatoes, and spices. Lastly, add pasta sauce, cover the lid, and cook it for about 10 minutes (or until peppers and tomatoes are soft) on low to medium heat (you might have to adjust the heat as it cooks). If the mixture starts drying, you can add a little water (1-2 tbsp) – it should not get dry.
- When you crack the eggs on top, you should turn down the heat and cover the pan until the eggs are set to your liking—some people like runny eggs, which is a personal taste. I cook it longer until the egg whites are set and the egg yolks are softer but not runny.
- Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese, fresh dill or other fresh herbs, and sliced olives. You can also add some goat cheese.
- Enjoy your delicious shakshuka with crusty bread, such as French bread or warm pita bread.
Quick Tip!
If the vegetable mixture begins to dry out while simmering, simply add a small amount of water, around 1-2 tablespoons, ensuring it doesn’t become too dry.
Jump down and see the recipe card for a detailed, step-by-step recipe on preparing shakshuka with pasta sauce and leeks, and let me know in the comments below if you like it.
In conclusion, this easy shakshuka recipe with pasta sauce and leeks offers a delightful fusion of flavors. By incorporating the rich depth of leeks and the convenience of pasta sauce, this dish brings a unique twist to the classic shakshuka recipe.
Whether served for breakfast, brunch, or dinner, this dish will impress with its vibrant colors and bold flavors. So, gather your ingredients, heat your skillet, and treat yourself to a delicious dish of eggs inspired by Middle Eastern cuisine.
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Shakshuka with Pasta Sauce and Leeks
Equipment
- 1 Large pan with lid
Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1/2 cup leek diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut into halves
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup pasta sauce
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp ground paprika
- 2 tsp oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the onion, leeks, and bell pepper into small cubes.
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
- Mince the garlic.
- Prepare pasta sauce in a small cup.
- Use a wider pan with a lid. You want all the veggies and pasta sauce to spread evenly on the bottom.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add onions and cook them until fragrant (about 2-3 minutes).
- Add sliced leeks and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
- Add minced garlic, diced bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes to the skillet and cook for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper and mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Add pasta sauce, mix well, turn the heat to low, and cover with a lid. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for about 5-10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together and the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Uncover the pan and crack the eggs on top of the veggie mix. Make sure to spread the eggs evenly across the mix.
- Cover the skillet and let the shakshuka cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny (cook longer if you prefer firmer yolks).
- Once the eggs are cooked to your liking, sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over the top if desired, and garnish with fresh dill or parsley.
- Serve the shakshuka hot, with crusty bread or pita for dipping.
Notes
- Refer to the post above for video instructions and other useful information.
- Nutrition information is an estimate and will depend on your specific ingredients.
- Cut the onion, leeks, and red bell pepper into small cubes.
- I often use red peppers, but you can also use any bell peppers available (green bell peppers or orange bell peppers). Bell pepper gives a charming texture and taste to the dish. You can go here to find out why bell peppers are good for us.
- Cut cherry tomatoes into two halves. Mince the garlic cloves right before you are ready to add them to the veggie mix.
- Prepare pasta sauce and spices (cumin, sweet paprika, salt, black pepper, oregano, fresh dill). I like using tomato basil pasta sauce from Whole Foods.
- You can use a large skillet with a lid. You want all the veggies and pasta sauce to spread evenly on the bottom.
- Cook onions until fragrant (about two minutes), then add leeks and cook for another two minutes. Add garlic, peppers, tomatoes, and spices. Lastly, add pasta sauce, cover the lid, and cook it for about 10 minutes (or until peppers and tomatoes are soft) on low to medium heat (you might have to adjust the heat as it cooks). If the mixture starts drying, you can add a little water (1-2 tbsp) – it should not get dry.
- When you crack the eggs on top, you should turn down the heat and cover the pan until the eggs are set to your liking—some people like runny eggs, which is a personal taste. I cook it longer until the egg whites are set and the egg yolks are softer but not runny.
- Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese, fresh dill or other fresh herbs, and sliced olives. You can also add some goat cheese.
Yummy!
Glad you liked it!
It’s an insult to Middle Eastern food, only Americans can think you can cook Shakshuka with ready made pasta sauce
Thanks for your comment, Don! Shakshuka tastes better with whole ingredients; I have to agree with you on this one. Growing up in Serbia, my mom and grandma always made tomato sauce from scratch, and we never used ready-made pasta sauce for cooking – we either used homemade sauce in the winter or whole tomatoes in the summer for cooking. But you’d probably agree that the fast-paced life and inability to find good-tasting tomatoes in the stores today made us choose the best alternative, so this is how my Shakshuka recipe ended up with ready-made pasta sauce. It was never meant to insult Middle Eastern food; I greatly enjoy Middle Eastern cuisine! Plus, I grow tomatoes in my garden and enjoy their taste compared to store-bought ones 😉😊.
Awesome! Reminds me on my favorite somer time dish – bećarac, sataraš.
You are correct! The ingredients are the same as in becarac, just the eggs are cooked differently.