Herbs and lemon meet cauliflower rice and silky poached eggs in this hearty version of a Green Shakshuka. An easy brunch, lunch, or dinner, this dish will appeal to vegetarians, or those on a low-carb or keto diet as well.
Best Green Shakshuka Recipe - Keto, Low Carb, Gluten-free, Vegetarian
When we first started eating more low-carb, I had a hard time finding something for breakfast. I go through weird phases when I don't really want to eat eggs. I've always just preferred a muffin, cereal, or bagel for breakfast, but I suppose that's probably where all the problems started from. I was a carbohydrate fiend; starting my day with such a carb heavy meal just instigated more and more carbs throughout the day.
During one of my Internet recipe scouring sessions, I came across a New York Times post about some wacky eggs poached in tomato sauce dish called shakshuka. Poached eggs...spicy North African food...you have my attention, tell me more.
The original recipe had onions and lots of red and yellow peppers as the vegetable matter in a spicy red sauce. I hate to say it, but peppers are best enjoyed as a contributor and never the star of a dish. I don't know what I have against peppers. Maybe it is some leftover stigma from those wilty green stuffed peppers my mom used to make us. Sorry, Mom.
This low carb green shakshuka uses cauliflower rice as a base. This version is bright, green, herbal, and fresh. I've kept a similar flavor profile by using parsley and cilantro, but also and added mint. Lemon was a must as this needs some tang, along with fresh feta cheese at the end for that sour and salty component. I like my shakshuka with some heat, so I added a full, seeded serrano pepper. You certainly could reduce or omit that if you'd like something more subdued.
How to Make Green Cauliflower Shakshuka
Ingredient Notes
Spinach. I suggest using fresh spinach for this low carb breakfast recipe. Frozen spinach cooks down too much and is often too watery.
Herbs. Much like the spinach, all the herbs in this recipe should be fresh. Since you are blending them into a sauce, using dried will not yield the same result or appropriate measurements.
Cauliflower rice. I highly suggest using fresh instead of frozen for this green shakshuka. To make fresh cauliflower rice, simply grate or blitz the florets in a food processor until crumbly and fluffy. This recipe can be made with frozen, but is slightly more watery than using fresh.
Feta cheese. The feta cheese in this recipe adds a nice salty, briny pop, but it is totally optional. If you eat dairy-free or paleo, omit this garnish. I suggest looking for a Greek feta cheese in brine if you can find it. Many deli counters carry fresh Greek feta. It's much more mild and delicious than what is sold in the refrigerated cheese sections in the store.
Directions
To make this low carb shakshuka,
Combine spinach, herbs, oil, water, garlic, serrano pepper, lemon juice and zest, and 1/2 tsp salt into a blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a cast iron skillet or large saute pan. Add onion and saute 2-3 minutes. Add cauliflower rice. Saute another 2-3 minutes.
Add herb sauce. Stir to combine.
Crack eggs on top of the cauli-herb mixture, giving each egg its own area in the pan. Cover with lid and cook until white of egg is opaque and yellow is just set but still runny. Approximately 5-7 minutes.
Plate and serve with feta cheese, if using. Salt and pepper to taste.
Tips, Tricks, and FAQs
Make your own cauliflower rice. Cauliflower is a huge part of this low carb shakshuka, so making your own will yield better results. It is so simple, and vastly superior to frozen. I also think the texture is much better since you don't have to deal with the water content of the frozen version. I use a small food processor and blitz up a few batches of florets. It takes minutes and improves the recipe significantly.
Watch your eggs carefully. I like a runny yolk, so about five minutes does just the trick. You want the whites to be just solidified. Too long and you'll have a firm yolk that, while still tasty, won't give you that silky liquid to mix into your green cauli-herb mixture.
How to Serve and Store
To serve this low carb cauliflower shakshuka, scoop down underneath the basted egg to collect the cauliflower rice mixture with the egg on top. Arrange on a plate, top with additional herbs and crumbled feta cheese, if using.
This green shakshuka can be eaten as is for a wonderful low carb breakfast or lunch option, or with a piece of keto-friendly flatbread to make it a fuller meal.
This dish can be made ahead or frozen, but stop and save before cooking the eggs. The eggs will not reheat nicely. Once the cauliflower portion is fully cooked, refrigerate or freeze until it's time to eat. This low carb green shakshuka can be frozen in an airtight container for up to one month. Reheat and then proceed with cooking the eggs.
Other Low Carb Keto Breakfast Recipes You'll Love
- Mediterranean Egg Muffins
- Cauliflower Breakfast Fritters
- Keto Cinnamon Swirl Bread
- Chocolate Raspberry Breakfast Porridge
Green Shakshuka
This version adds cauliflower rice and more herbs to brighten up this classic Israeli egg dish. It works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner as fits in to just about any diet as it is vegetarian, keto, and paleo.
Ingredients
- 2 cups spinach, packed
- 1 cup cilantro, packed
- 1 cup flat leaf parsley, packed
- 1/4 cup mint
- 1/4 cup olive oil, extra virgin
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 serrano pepper, seeded
- 1/2 lemon, juice
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 tbsp neutral oil for sautee (avocado, olive, etc)
- 1/4 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cups cauliflower , rice
- 4 eggs
- crumbled feta cheese
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
Combine spinach, herbs, oil, water, garlic, serrano pepper, lemon juice and zest, and 1/2 tsp salt into a blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a cast iron skillet or large saute pan. Add onion and saute 2-3 minutes. Add cauliflower rice. Saute another 2-3 minutes.
Add herb sauce. Stir to combine.
Crack eggs on top of the cauli-herb mixture, giving each egg its own area in the pan. Cover with lid and cook until white of egg is opaque and yellow is just set but still runny. Approximately 5-7 minutes.
Plate and serve with feta cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
If you are making this for less than four people, I would advise not cooking additional eggs. The cauli-herb mixture reheats nicely, but the egg does not. Make it fresh.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 357Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 192mgSodium: 392mgCarbohydrates: 8gNet Carbohydrates: 3gFiber: 5gSugar: 1gProtein: 13g
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and calculated to the best of my ability using online databases. It is suggested that you perform your own check to ensure that a recipe fits within the scope of your dietary needs.
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I wanna try this!! great for vegetarians 🙂