Keto Shakshuka
Eggs gently poached in a smoky, cumin-scented tomato and pepper sauce, finished with salty feta. It's a one-pan breakfast that works just as well for dinner.
Nutrition per serving
2 eggs with sauce- Net carbs
- 6.5g
- Calories
- 302kcal
- Protein
- 16g
- Fat
- 22g
- Total carbs
- 10 g
- Fiber
- 3.8 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Green shakshuka: The tomato sauce is replaced by a garlicky tangle of zucchini, spinach and herbs, and the eggs poach right in the greens. It tastes lighter and fresher, and every serving still gets two eggs.
- Cook the onion and zucchini in the oil for 5–6 minutes, until the zucchini is tender and lightly golden, then add the garlic and spices.
- Add the spinach a few handfuls at a time, tossing until it wilts, then pour in the broth and simmer 2 minutes so the greens are loose and saucy rather than dry. Stir in half the parsley.
- Make the wells and cook the eggs, covered, for 4–6 minutes; greens heat through faster than tomato sauce. Finish with feta and the rest of the parsley.
With spiced lamb: Ground lamb browned with the onions and spices turns the shakshuka into a hearty dinner with the warm, savory flavor of merguez sausage.
- Brown the lamb in the oil over medium-high heat, breaking it up, 5–6 minutes. Add the onion and pepper and keep cooking until the vegetables soften and the lamb has no pink left (160°F/71°C).
- Spoon off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat before adding the garlic and spices, then continue with the recipe.
Dairy-free (avocado & tahini): Creamy avocado and a drizzle of lemony tahini replace the feta, which is how shakshuka is often served across the Middle East.
- Whisk the tahini with the lemon juice and 1–2 tablespoons of warm water until smooth and pourable.
- Once the eggs are set, scatter the avocado over the pan and drizzle with the tahini sauce before adding the cilantro.
- Nice to have (optional)
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
-
⅓ cup fetaleave out - Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $4.62 for 3 servings ($1.54 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
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Warm the olive oil in a 10- to 12-inch (25–30 cm) skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook 5–6 minutes, stirring, until soft and the onion is translucent.
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Stir in the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and pepper flakes and cook 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.
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Add the tomatoes with their juices and the salt. Simmer 8–10 minutes, stirring now and then and crushing any large pieces, until the sauce is thick enough that a spoon dragged through it leaves a clear trail.
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Make six wells in the sauce with the back of a spoon and crack an egg into each. Spoon a little sauce over the edges of the whites, leaving the yolks exposed.
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Cover and cook over medium-low heat 5–8 minutes, until the whites are opaque and set but the yolks still jiggle. (Or, in an oven-safe skillet, bake uncovered at 375°F/190°C for 8–10 minutes.)
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Scatter the feta and cilantro over the top and serve straight from the pan.
Tips for success
-
Crack each egg into a small cup first, then slide it into its well. Yolks stay whole and stray shell stays out of the sauce. - Watch the whites, not the clock. When the white closest to the yolk turns from clear to opaque, take the pan off the heat; the yolks keep cooking for another minute.
- Instead of pita, scoop it up with cloud bread or a slice of 90-second mug bread.
Nice to have, not needed
- A spoonful of harissa stirred into the sauce adds smoky heat — the red pepper flakes do the job without it.
- An oven-safe skillet lets you finish it in the oven — a covered skillet on the stove works just as well.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 3 months
Reheat: Reheat the sauce in a skillet until bubbling, then crack in fresh eggs and cook as directed.
Prep tip: Make a double batch of sauce and freeze it in portions; poaching eggs in thawed sauce turns this into a 15-minute breakfast.
Refrigerate leftover sauce (without eggs) up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat and poach fresh eggs in it; cooked eggs reheat poorly.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosGreen shakshuka
VeggiesThe tomato sauce is replaced by a garlicky tangle of zucchini, spinach and herbs, and the eggs poach right in the greens. It tastes lighter and fresher, and every serving still gets two eggs.
- diced tomatoes (14.5 oz) → baby spinach
- red bell pepper → zucchini
- + ¼ cup vegetable broth
- + ¼ cup fresh parsley
6.3 g net · 309 kcal · 19 g protein · 23 g fat · ≈$2.48 per serving (−0.2 g net carbs vs the original)
With spiced lamb
ProteinGround lamb browned with the onions and spices turns the shakshuka into a hearty dinner with the warm, savory flavor of merguez sausage.
- + ½ lb ground lamb
6.5 g net · 515 kcal · 29 g protein · 40 g fat · ≈$3.04 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
Dairy-free (avocado & tahini)
DietCreamy avocado and a drizzle of lemony tahini replace the feta, which is how shakshuka is often served across the Middle East.
- + ½ medium avocado
- + 1 tbsp tahini
- + 1 tsp lemon juice
- no feta
7.1 g net · 335 kcal · 16 g protein · 26 g fat · ≈$1.48 per serving (+0.6 g net carbs vs the original)
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