Israeli Green Shakshuka

About This Recipe

Green shakshuka has emerged as a beloved modern riff on the classic, replacing the tomato base with a sautéed mix of spinach, Swiss chard, zucchini, and aromatic herbs. The eggs still poach in this verdant, garlicky base, and a generous amount of feta cheese adds saltiness. It's brighter, fresher, and arguably more spring-like than the original, and it's become a staple of Israeli brunch culture.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gbaby spinach
• 2 mediumzucchini, grated
• 1 mediumonion, finely chopped
• 4 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1/2 cupfresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cupfresh cilantro, chopped
• 6 largeeggs
• 150 gfeta cheese, crumbled
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 1 tspcumin
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 1/4 tspblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Sauté the vegetables

   Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe pan. Sauté onion until soft. Add garlic and zucchini, cook 3 minutes until zucchini softens and releases liquid. Add cumin, salt, and pepper.

2. 2

   Wilt the greens

   Add spinach in batches, stirring until wilted. Add parsley and most of the cilantro. Cook until most liquid has evaporated and mixture is thick.

3. 3

   Add eggs

   Make 6 wells in the green mixture. Crack an egg into each well.

4. 4

   Cook the eggs

   Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes until whites are set but yolks are still runny. Or finish under the broiler for 2–3 minutes.

5. 5

   Serve

   Sprinkle with crumbled feta and remaining cilantro. Serve from the pan with warm pita or challah.

Variations

• •

  Add jalapeño for heat

• •

  Use Swiss chard or kale instead of spinach

• •

  Top with pine nuts and lemon zest

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Green vegetables don't reheat as well as tomato-based shakshuka.

Frequently Asked Questions