Agile in the kitchen

Spicy Moroccan Shakshuka

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I use my tomato sauce base for a lot of different things. Always having a container in the freezer, makes dinner quick and easy and because of its versatility there are so many different dishes I can make.

One of the dishes I like to do, combining two of my freezer staples, is my version of a spicy Moroccan shakshuka. Using the tomato sauce and my Moroccan meatballs.

Shakshuka cooking in a large sauteuse, showing traces of poached eggs poking out of the red sauce.
Shakshuka cooking in a large sauteuse

To make the dish even quicker, I let the tomato sauce and the meatballs defrost in the fridge during the day. When I return home, dinner takes about thirty minutes to finish, just enough time to switch off from work, set the dinner table and relax.

On a day when I do not already have the different ingredients in my freezer, it is still easy enough to make the Shakshuka. It just takes a bit longer. But there are no complicated steps and many of the elements are done while something else is cooking. Start by placing all ingredients needed on your kitchen counter. Then divide them into similar tasks, such as cutting onions, measuring spices and crushing garlic. Start cooking the tomato sauce and once it is on the stove, bubbling away, turn your attention to the meatballs.

Ingredients for the best adaptable basic tomato sauce laid out. One onion, a glass jar with red lentils, three cloves of garlic, a bowl with oregano, salt, sugar and white pepper, a green bowl with crushed tomatoes. All sitting on top of a kitchen towel printed with green leaves.
Tomato sauce ingredients.

If you are making a full batch of the tomato sauce, one for now, two for the freezer, divide the sauce before adding in the extra tomato passata, crushed tomatoes and spices. This way you can use the tomato sauce for something else later.

Freezable

You often hear to not refreeze food once it has been thawed once, and I try to stick with that as much as I can. But there are times when life happens and I have to throw something back in the freezer. So far, it has been fine. However, because this completed dish contains cracked eggs, which does not freeze quite well. I would not recommend it.

Twenty-three Moroccan meatballs rolled out, placed on a red silicone cookie sheet and ready to go in to the oven
Moroccan meatballs rolled

Substitutes

Only regular meatballs in your freezer? Don’t worry, you can still use them. Taste the sauce and see if you need to add more spices, or leave as is, if you prefer.
The same for store bought meatballs, adjust the spices in your sauce to your taste.

Shakshuka cooking in a large sauteuse, showing traces of poached eggs poking out of the red sauce.
Print Recipe

Shakshuka

A spicy, fragrant tomato sauce with meatballs and eggs
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Moroccan
Keyword: Meatballs, spicy
Servings: 4 portions

Ingredients

1/3 batch tomato sauce base

  • 400 g crushed tomatoes
  • 50 ml red lentils
  • ½ yellow onion
  • 1 garlic cloves
  • 100 ml water

Additional ingredients and spices to sauce

  • 200 g passata
  • 400 g crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp chili
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon

1/2 batch Moroccan meatball (12)

  • ½ yellow onion
  • 1 garlic cloves
  • 100 ml milk
  • 20 g bread crumbs
  • 250 g mince meat
  • 1 egg
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • A pinch of chili

To finish

  • 4 eggs

Instructions

  • If you are using a tomato sauce from the freezer, allow extra time to thaw in the fridge over night or to slowly reheat if you are using it straight from the freezer.
  • Chop one large onion and mince the garlic.
  • Fry the onion and garlic in vegetable oil in a deep pot for about five minutes, until the onion is soft.
  • Add the canned tomatoes, lentils and water, give a good stir.
  • Add salt, oregano and sugar.
  • Bring the sauce to boil, then let simmer under lid 15-20 minutes.
  • Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.
  • Add in the extra passata, crushed tomatoes and spices. Let all the ingredients the tomato sauce cook together for about 10 minutes in a 27 cm non-stick saute pan under lid. Add an extra pinch of chili if you like more heath.
  • If you are making the sauce from scratch, allow twenty minutes for the sauce to cook together under a lid.
  • Add twelve meatballs into the pan and let simmer for another three minutes (longer if you cook the meatballs straight from frozen.
  • Take mince meat out of the fridge and let come close to room temperature.
  • Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
  • Mix onion, garlic, milk and breadcrumbs in a bowl and let sit for at least 5 minutes.
  • Once the mixture has come together in to a sludge add the mince, egg, salt, pepper and all spices.
  • Stir it all together. I will do it using my hands but feel free to use a spoon, just make sure that everything comes together in a smooth batter.
  • Wet your hands with cold water and roll the mince batter into round meatballs. Place on a cooking tray, space apart.
  • Oven cook for 10 mins in the middle of the oven 180 degrees C fan (360F).
  • If using a frying pan, add some butter in the bottom of the pan and fry the meatballs on all sides until golden in colour.
  • Make four spaces in the pan and crack the eggs in each one of them. Poach under lid for about five minutes or until the egg whites have stiffened.
  • Serve with couscous and a green salad.

Notes

Make a full batch of tomato sauce and meatballs and stick the rest in the freezer for a later day. 

Variations

There are several other variations I have using the same tomato sauce base, that you can try. There is a healthy version with extra vegetables.