This recipe for chorizo shakshuka with chickpeas is a quick, one-skillet dinner or anytime meal featuring a smoky spice blend for bold flavor.
Ever get a word turned around in your brain? Where the wrong pronunciation gets hard-wired up there and it takes forever to break the habit? A notable example for me was the 'Hermione' in Hermione Granger when reading through the Harry Potter books when they first came out. I still have to take a second and think before speaking her name out loud (but it looks like I'm not alone there).
Now it's 'shakshuka'. For whatever reason when I first learned about this glorious egg and tomato dish I could not stop thinking of this dish as "shuk-shaka". ?? Lord knows why. Thankfully I've gotten that all straightened away now. I mean, I better have judging by how often this meal graces our table.
Much like with its pronunciation I'm not going to pretend to be an expert as for shakshuka's origin story. A quick Google search shows me it has both North African and Middle Eastern ties, with a range of variations based on region. I don't feel comfortable saying this is an authentic version of anyone's shakshuka as I definitely put my own spin on it, but this smoky chorizo shakshuka with chickpeas is enjoyable all the same.
Recipe ingredients
One of the things I love about shakshuka is that it's made with mostly kitchen staples and is done in forty minutes, making it a great dinner option for weeknights.
We always have eggs hanging around, as well as a large can of crushed tomatoes, a can of chickpeas, onion, garlic, etc. I've always added chickpeas to the tomato mixture for extra protein and fiber, but recently I've begun throwing chorizo in the mix to make this shakshuka even heartier.
Chorizo adds another layer of spice to this dish, and plays off the cumin (an essential flavor in shakshuka) and smoked paprika so well, all the while adding extra protein and heft. Use either pork or beef chorizo in line with your preferences, or even vegetarian chorizo.
As for what else, there are plenty of different things you can top or serve alongside this chorizo shakshuka, including:
- Fresh herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, or mint
- Hummus (store-bought or my favorite homemade roasted garlic hummus)
- Warmed pita or naan
- Crumbled feta
- Plain yogurt
Step-by-step instructions
Start by browning up the chorizo in a large oven-safe skillet with fairly tall sides. Transfer the cooked and crumbled chorizo to a plate while you saute the onions and garlic in the now-empty skillet. There's no need to dirty up another pan!
Add back the cooked chorizo to the pan, along with the rinsed and drained chickpeas, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. We want to rinse and drain canned chickpeas as this reduces the sodium of the finished dish, as the canned bean liquid is salty.
Give everything a big stir and then pour in the crushed tomatoes and water. Let everything simmer for 10-15 minutes to thicken. I highly recommend placing a splatter screen or vented saucepan lid over top to reduce hot tomato splatters. At this time preheat the oven to 375°F.
Once thickened, you'll want to make wells in the mixture in which you'll crack your eggs. It certainly doesn't have to look picture perfect (mine never do) but just try and make a little space for them to sit so the egg whites don't completely cover the surface. Also be gentle so that the yolks remain whole.
Four eggs works for the two of us, but feel free to add more (or less) as you like.
Be sure to use an oven-safe skillet as this chorizo shakshuka finishes off by baking in the oven so the eggs can cook. You can certainly cook the eggs as long as you like, but somewhere in the 9-10 minute range is typically where I like mine. The whites should be set with a little bit of runny yolk action going on, too.
Oh! And if you have all of the ingredients to make this except for the chorizo and absolutely cannot fathom the thought of running out to the store for one ingredient (hi, me all the time), go ahead and make this smoky chickpea shakshuka without it. It's truly delicious made ovo-vegetarian, too.
Recipe notes
- Be sure to use a large skillet that's oven-safe, too, as this chorizo shakshuka starts on the stovetop and finishes in the oven.
- Use your preferred variety of ground chorizo: pork, beef, or even vegetarian.
Smoky Chorizo Shakshuka with Chickpeas
Ingredients
- ½ - ¾ lb ground chorizo
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika or regular
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup water
- 4 eggs, more or less if you like
For serving (optional):
- Fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, mint, etc.
- Hummus
- Warmed pita or naan
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Plain yogurt
Instructions
- Add chorizo to a large oven-safe skillet set over medium heat. Cook chorizo until browned, breaking it up into smaller crumbles as it cooks. Once browned, transfer chorizo to a plate and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Place skillet back on the stovetop set over medium heat. Add olive oil and let heat. Add diced onion and saute for 4-5 minutes, or until golden.
- Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the browned chorizo, chickpeas, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper and stir.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes and water and stir. Cover and let mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes, periodically stirring.
- Make four wells in the tomato mixture and crack an egg in each of them, being careful not to break the yolks.
- Place skillet in the oven and bake so that the egg whites set, about 9-10 minutes, or to your preferred doneness.
- Top with your favorite herbs, hummus, and other toppings and serve alongside warmed pita wedges.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
Food Safety and Nutrition DisclaimerRecipe adapted from Food Network
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