Vegan shakshuka with tofu & feta

This time of year, I’m all about the warm breakfast.

I want something that’s cozy, tasty, and filling.

Vegan shakshuka is just the answer.

Stewed tomatoes & bell peppers make a comforting base. While slabs of eggy tofu, baby spinach, and salty vegan feta sit on top.

In this post:

Jump to:

• What is shakshuka?
• Ingredients
• Step by step instructions
• Make it your own
• How to store & reheat
• 📖 Recipe

Shakshuka (pronounced shack-shoe-kah or shock-shoe-kah) is an egg dish that’s common in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and North Africa.

To make traditional shakshuka, eggs are poached in a spicy tomato and pepper sauce. It’s also known as eggs in purgatory.

Finally, shakshuka is served with bread or pita to spoon up the sauce. (To keep this dish gluten free, serve with GF bread, hashbrowns, or rice.)

It’s easy to make vegan shakshuka at home by simply replacing the eggs with eggy tofu and using vegan feta as a garnish.

Most of the time, shakshuka is made with cumin and paprika. However, I prefer to lean in a more Italian direction with basil and oregano.

While shakshuka is known as a brunch dish, there’s no reason you couldn’t enjoy this tomato stew for lunch or dinner!

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.

Oil: Avocado oil is my go-to, but use whatever neutral-flavored cooking oil you like.

Onion: I typically use yellow onion for this recipe.

However, you could use white or red onion. Or replace with an equal amount of shallots or leeks.

Bell pepper: This adds color and sweetness. Use red, orange, or yellow bell pepper.

Garlic: Freshly minced garlic adds wonderful flavor.

It can be replaced with ½ teaspoon of granulated garlic, if necessary.

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If you can’t find fire roasted, replace with an equal amount of chopped stewed tomatoes.

Herbs & seasonings: You’ll need dried oregano, dried basil, granulated onion, and salt.

Tofu: For easiest use, I recommend the super firm variety in vacuum packaging, because it doesn’t need to be pressed first.

Nutritional yeast flakes: A sprinkling of nutritional yeast flakes adds umami.

Look for it in natural grocery stores, Trader Joe’s, or online.

Kala namak: This sulfurous black salt adds an eggy flavor to the tofu. Look for it in Indian grocery stores or online.

Baby spinach: A handful of baby spinach adds color & nutrients.

Vegan feta: Use store-bought or homemade vegan feta. Violife, Herbivorous Butcher, and Trader Joe’s all sell vegan feta.

Alternatively, it can be replaced with avocado or omitted.

Step by step instructions

Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

Sauté onions, red bell peppers, and garlic in oil.

Add a can of diced fire roasted tomatoes with juices.

Season the stew with the following seasonings:

• Dried oregano
• Dried basil
• Granulated onion
• Salt

Allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Use an immersion blender to break up some of the tomatoes and peppers into a stew.

(Don’t have an immersion blender? Just use a spoon to break up pieces as they soften.)

While the tomato stew thickens, make the eggy tofu in either circles or rectangular slabs.

Cut vacuum-packed, extra firm tofu into ¼ to ½ inch thick slices.

Brown the slabs in a non-stick skillet with oil.

Flip. Sprinkle on more seasonings. And flip again to seal in the seasonings.

Divide the tomato sauce between four shallow bowls or mini cast iron skillets.

Top each one with two slices of eggy tofu, torn pieces of baby spinach, and vegan feta crumbles.

Serve with toast or crusty bread.

It’s easy to make this dish your own by varying the ingredients.

• For a spicier dish, use canned tomatoes with green chilies or add red pepper flakes.
• For a softer poached egg-like experience, use silken tofu instead of super firm.
• For shakshuka without tofu, top the stew with eggplant parmesan, browned slices of polenta, roasted chickpeas, fried zucchini, folded Just Egg, or air fried hashbrown patties.
• Instead of or in addition to vegan feta, top with slices of avocado.
• Instead of baby spinach, garnish the dish with fresh parsley, cilantro, or fresh basil leaves.

Vegan shakshuka stores beautifully in the refrigerator. That makes it great for meal planning!

Keep the tomato & bell pepper stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Without toppings, it will keep for about a week. (Tofu has a shorter shelf life once opened.)

When you’re ready to eat, quickly make eggy tofu as a topping. Then warm the stew in a pot on the stove or in the microwave.

The stew (without tofu & toppings) also freezes well. Simply store in a freezer-proof container.

Then thaw in the refrigerator once you’re ready to use it. Or use the defrost function on the microwave.