The one-pan classic: eggs poached in a spiced tomato-and-pepper sauce. Bumped up with egg whites, one pan comes to 31g of protein for 368 calories. It’s savoury, a little spicy, and eaten straight from the pan with bread or on its own.

Cumin, paprika and chilli are what separate shakshuka from “eggs in tomato sauce” — don’t skip them.

Ingredients

  • Whole eggs — 2 [P 12 C 1 F 10]
  • Egg whites — ½ cup [P 13 C 1 F 0]
  • Onion — 1 medium, chopped [P 1 C 7 F 0]
  • Red bell pepper — 1 medium, chopped [P 1 C 7 F 0]
  • Canned diced tomatoes — 1 cup (salt-free) [P 2 C 8 F 0]
  • Spinach — 1 cup, chopped [P 1 C 1 F 0]
  • Minced garlic — 1 tsp
  • Olive oil — ½ tsp (or spray)
  • Salt, pepper, paprika, chilli powder, cumin — to taste

Method

  1. Soften and bloom. Cook the onion, pepper, salt, paprika, chilli and cumin in the oil ~3 minutes until soft.
  2. Build the sauce. Add the diced tomatoes, garlic and spinach; mix well.
  3. Poach the eggs. Make two wells, crack in the whole eggs, pour egg whites around, cover and simmer on low ~4 minutes until the whites set but yolks stay runny. Top with pepper and more spinach.

What to eat it with

  • Crusty or whole-wheat bread — to mop the sauce (adds carbs).
  • On its own — a complete 368-cal meal.
  • Cilantro or parsley — a fresh garnish.

Variations

  • More authentic: use whole peeled tomatoes and break them down in the pan.
  • Spicier: add harissa or extra chilli.
  • Higher protein: more egg whites.

Honest notes

  • Fibre: about 6g, from the peppers, tomato and spinach.
  • Fat lever: the whole eggs carry most of the 13g fat.
  • Macros: reconcile with the 368 cal / 31g protein listed; no correction needed.