Red Spinach Shakshuka with Feta
Red spinach isn't limited to salads, curries or side dishes. It can also be folded into a rich tomato shakshuka for an easy breakfast, brunch or light dinner.
Red spinach — red amaranth, also known as lal shak — is added towards the end of cooking so the leaves have just enough time to soften before the eggs are cooked in the tomato sauce.
Finish with crumbled feta and serve straight from the pan with warm bread.
Serves: 2–3
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 25 minutes
Ingredients
100g young red spinach/red amaranth leaves
4 large eggs
1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 red pepper, diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp chilli flakes, optional
50g feta, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Small handful of microgreens, optional
Warm sourdough, flatbread or crusty bread, to serve
Method
1. Soften the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper and cook for 6–8 minutes until softened.
2. Add the flavourings. Stir in the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and chilli flakes, if using. Cook for around 30 seconds.
3. Make the tomato base. Add the chopped tomatoes. Season lightly with salt and black pepper, then simmer for around 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
4. Add the red spinach. Roughly chop any particularly large leaves, then stir the red spinach through the tomato sauce. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the leaves begin to soften.
5. Add the eggs. Make four small wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each one.
6. Cook gently. Cover the pan and cook over a low-to-medium heat for around 5–8 minutes, or until the egg whites are completely set and the yolks are cooked to your preference.
7. Finish. Scatter the feta over the shakshuka. Add a few microgreens after removing the pan from the heat, if using.
8. Serve. Bring the pan to the table and serve with warm sourdough, flatbread or crusty bread.
Why red spinach works here
Red amaranth can be cooked much like other tender leafy greens, which makes shakshuka an easy way to introduce it into a familiar dish.
Adding the leaves shortly before the eggs means they don't need prolonged cooking. The tomato, pepper, garlic and spices provide the main sauce, while the red spinach becomes part of the dish rather than simply being used as a garnish.
Serving ideas
For brunch, serve the shakshuka straight from the pan with toasted sourdough and coffee.
For a more substantial evening meal, add chickpeas to the tomato sauce and serve with flatbread.
For cafés and restaurants, make individual portions in small ovenproof pans and add microgreens immediately before serving.
For a dairy-free version, simply leave out the feta.
Discover WeGrow Farms
WeGrow Farms is developing UK-grown red amaranth and speciality microgreens, with future production being shaped around the requirements of buyers.
If you're a chef, restaurant, wholesaler, distributor, veg-box scheme or other food business interested in future supply, we'd like to understand the products, formats and volumes you need.