Under 45 minutes: Shakshuka-inspired Brunch

Starting the timer

Brunch is fun…it’s even funner if you can make it under 45 minutes. Seriously — when you have people over, it’s key to make sure you’re not in the kitchen the whole time. It’s part of why I love this recipe, and my easy vanilla-almond baked french toast: fast, delicious, and you won’t have to do much.

I’m trying this new thing where I time how long it takes me to make some of my key meals: it makes me feel like Rachel Ray on 30 minute meals, and I can share with you the actual time it takes to make stuff, and even my tips and tricks on how to save time in the kitchen.

This Shakshuka-type dish is one where you you can put it in the oven in under 30 minutes, and within 7 minutes, it’s good to go! Serves four people with healthy portions, and makes a great brunch or a fast dinner.

Getting everything together is the first time saver

two tablespoons olive oil

you can save time by pre-chopping up an onion and keeping it in the fridge

1 bell pepper chopped up

sautee my little lovelies!

Tips
1. If your eggs are just a little off from being done when you pull them out of the oven, you can finish them over low heat on the stove

2. If you don’t cover the shakshuka when it bakes, then the eggs will form a hard-ish film on top. Less than pleasant.

3. Definitely allow a lot of water to cook off when you’re first cooking the tomatoes and peppers, or else the dish will be too watery.

4. Time saver: If you have an onion, chop it up when you get home from the grocery store and store it in a glass jar in the fridge. It makes adding an onion to your meals super easy.

Tomatoes in, veggies sauteed in 20 minutes

Time for spices…

…and parsley + feta

Eggs on, and in the oven in under 30 minutes

Shakshuka-inspired Brunch

Time: 37 min
Difficulty: easy
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Based off of Melissa Clarke’s NYT recipe

Pretty pretty

1 28-oz can good tomatoes, whole or diced
1 bell pepper, diced
0.5 red onion, sliced or diced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 cup feta
6 eggs
1 large fistful parsley, chopped.
2 tablespoons olive oil + more for topping
Salt and Pepper

Spices
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
0.5 tablespoons garam masala (optional, just add a kick)
0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, just add a kick)

Turn on oven to 375F.

In a oven-safe saucepan (if you have one) sautee onions and garlic for 3-4 minutes in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Then add in the diced bell pepper and sautee it for another 3 minutes, until it is soft. Meanwhile, open your can of tomatoes. If they are whole, put them in a bowl and gently break them up with your fingers. When the peppers are a little soft, add in the tomatoes, and mix it all together. Then add in all your spices, as well as your salt and pepper. Taste and adjust as needed.

Let your mixture simmer for 10 minutes on low heat until it’s reduced, stirring occasionally. Then add in of half of the parsley and most of your feta cheese, stir in, and turn off the heat. Crack your six eggs in a separate bowl, and gently pour them on top of your tomato mixture. Then create an aluminum foil covering for the eggs, making sure the foil doesn’t touch the eggs themselves. Then put in the oven for around 7-10 minutes, depending on how cooked your like your eggs.

Pull it out, allow to cool, and top with remaining feta and parsley. Serve with a thinly sliced baguette!