1-Pot Chickpea Shakshuka

Name: 1-Pot Chickpea Shakshuka
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp olive or avocado oil; 1/2 cup diced white onion or shallot; 1/2 medium red bell pepper ((chopped)); 3 cloves garlic, minced ((3 cloves yield ~1 1/2 Tbsp)); 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes; 1-3 Tbsp tomato paste; 2-3 tsp coconut sugar or maple syrup ((or omit if avoiding sugar)); Sea salt to taste; 2 tsp smoked or sweet paprika; 1 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp chili powder; 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 pinch cayenne pepper ((optional)); 1 pinch each cardamom and coriander ((optional)); 1 ½ 15-ounce cans cooked chickpeas ((rinsed and drained)); 4-5 whole kalamata or green olives ((optional // pitted and halved)); Lemon wedges; Bread (gluten-free or this recipe or flatbread); Fresh chopped parsley or cilantro; Rice or cauliflower rice; Brown rice pasta (I love Trader Joe's organic brand with quinoa)

GF VG V DF NS

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Cast-iron skillet filled with our gluten-free vegan Chickpea Shakshuka recipe served with crunchy bread

During our time in Vancouver, we tried lots of delicious restaurants, one being Medina – famous for its brunch.

The long line was worth the wait on a cold dreary morning and all I was craving was a hot beverage and a comforting pot of something warm and delicious. One bite into the tagine (a close cousin to the North African dish known as “shakshuka”) and the smoky, intense flavors in the tomato sauce, I was hooked!

I got to work recreating this dish once we returned home.

Sautéing onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a cast-iron skillet

Origins of Shakshuka

Shakshuka is believed to have originated in North Africa and perhaps been inspired by a similar dish called saksuka from the Ottoman Empire.

Its popularity spread throughout the Middle East, especially in Israel, where it was embraced as a hearty, inexpensive, and simple dish. The Israeli version is thought to include eggs served over a seasoned tomato-based sauce.

The following is our plant-based (not traditional) take on the concept, made with chickpeas instead of eggs.

How to Make This Recipe

This 30-minute, 1-pot meal starts with a mixture of onions, garlic, and bell pepper. Next comes tomato puree (or diced tomatoes) and tomato paste for plenty of rich, hearty flavor.

Seasonings can practically be whatever you have in your pantry, but I felt that cumin, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, coriander, and cardamom worked best, giving the dish a smoky, earthy, rich, and comforting flavor.

Stirring chickpeas into a cast-iron skillet filled with our gluten-free vegan Shakshuka recipe

Next comes cooked chickpeas and olives to provide a little more saltiness and substance. Plant protein to the rescue!

This dish is quite amazing. It’s:

Smoky
Tomato-y
Rich
Hearty
Spicy
Comforting
Vegetable-forward
Protein- & fiber-rich
& Insanely easy to make!

This is the type of plant-based meal that can be enjoyed at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. From what I gather, shakshuka is traditionally a baked egg dish, but I swapped in chickpeas for the protein. Serve with toasted bread, flatbread, or over rice, cauliflower rice, or gluten-free pasta of choice! I think this pairs especially well with my Garlicky Chickpea Kale Salad.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see what you came up with. Cheers, friends!

Skillet of Chickpea Shakshuka loaded with gluten-free plant-based protein

Slices of crispy gluten-free bread with vegan Chickpea Shakshuka

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 6 (2/3-cup servings)

Course Entree

Cuisine Gluten-Free, Middle Eastern-Inspired, North African-Inspired, Vegan

Freezer Friendly 1 month

Does it keep? 4 Days

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

SHAKSHUKA

1 Tbsp olive or avocado oil
1/2 cup diced white onion or shallot
1/2 medium red bell pepper (chopped)
3 cloves garlic, minced (3 cloves yield ~1 1/2 Tbsp)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1-3 Tbsp tomato paste
2-3 tsp coconut sugar or maple syrup (or omit if avoiding sugar)
Sea salt to taste
2 tsp smoked or sweet paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1 pinch each cardamom and coriander (optional)
1 ½ 15-ounce cans cooked chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
4-5 whole kalamata or green olives (optional // pitted and halved)

FOR SERVING optional

Lemon wedges
Bread (gluten-free or this recipe or flatbread)
Fresh chopped parsley or cilantro
Rice or cauliflower rice
Brown rice pasta (I love Trader Joe’s organic brand with quinoa)

Instructions

Heat a large rimmed metal or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and fragrant.
Add tomato puree or diced tomatoes, tomato paste, coconut sugar, sea salt, paprika, cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper (optional), cardamom, and coriander (optional). Stir to combine.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add chickpeas and olives (optional). Stir to combine. Then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and marry with the beans.
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more cumin or paprika for smokiness, cayenne for heat, coconut sugar for sweetness, cardamom and coriander for earthiness (or slight curry flavor), chili powder for smoke/heat, or olives for saltiness and to balance the tomato flavor. Cook longer, as needed, to develop flavors.
Serve as is or with bread, pasta, or rice. I loved this alongside a kale salad, and it went especially well over gluten-free pasta! Garnish with fresh lemon juice, additional olives, and cilantro or parsley for extra flavor (optional).
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat on the stovetop until completely warmed through.

Video

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without additional toppings or sides.
*Recipes makes ~4 cups total.

Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)

Serving: 1 two-third-cup servings Calories: 211 Carbohydrates: 36.3 g Protein: 8.8 g Fat: 5.1 g Saturated Fat: 0.7 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 182 mg Fiber: 8.8 g Sugar: 13.6 g