Harissa Eggplant Shakshuka

By now we all know my eggplant origin story – that I didn’t like it until I LOVED IT, and now I can’t get enough – this Harissa Eggplant Shakshuka is now part of that origin story. It takes everything I love about shakshuka but adds some tender, melty, eggplant to the mix. Where shakshuka is normally eggs poached on top of stewed tomatoes, this recipe has a creamy, soft eggplant base. It only looks heavy on the tomato because the eggplant is simmered in a touch of tomato paste and a heavy hand of harissa. The whole thing comes together as a sweet-and-spicy, hearty meal that’s perfect for a summer dinner when eggplants are abundant and ready for roasting.

First, let’s talk about eggplant

A common question or complaint I get about eggplant is that people don’t seem to know how to cook it “properly,” which means, well, I have both good and bad news. The good news is there are multiple correct ways to cook an eggplant, the bad news is that its versatility might leave you guessing when you are trying to find the best way to cook it.

With eggplant, I’ve found the most common cooking techniques are pan frying and roasting. With a pan-fry, the eggplant stays in pieces and gets all meaty and creamy. The downside is it takes on a lot of oil as you pan-fry it, so it can get a little greasy, too.

Roasting is another reliable technique. If you roast it whole, your recipe is most likely betting on you wanting it to melt into a creamy, almost dip-like texture. The eggplant will usually be fall-apart tender after roasting, so if you want it in pieces, you can easily scoop and dip, better to stick with the pan-fry.

This Eggplant Shakshuka uses the roasting technique because I want the eggplant to be so soft that it perfectly melts into the harissa mixture. This also makes it so you just pop the eggplant in the oven, set a timer, and you’re good.

Don’t ever think you’re cooking eggplant wrong, it’s just an interesting plant that can be cooked in a myriad of ways!

And what is shakshuka?

Traditional shakshuka (or shakshouka, as it is also spelled) originates from Northwest Africa, but it’s now common in many other cultures and cuisines. The exact history is disputed, but if you trace it waaay back, it is said to have evolved from an Ottoman meat stew. Now it has transitioned to a vegetarian poached egg dish that typically consists of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion and garlic, and various spices.

Tomatoes are the most common base for shakshuka, but here the eggplant really makes up the bulk of it! It still is a vegetable stew simmered with tomato juices and finished with eggs on top, so it felt fitting to keep it in the shakshuka family.

How to make this eggplant shakshuka

This eggplant shakshuka does require you to roast your eggplant, but the rest of the process is really simple and quick. So ignore the eggplant while it’s cooking, and then dinner will only take you twenty minutes of active time. Here’s the full step-by-step:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Halve the eggplant, score it in a criss-cross pattern, going about 1 cm deep. Sprinkle the cut sides of the eggplant with a few big pinches of salt and let sit for 30 minutes to pull out any excess moisture.
• Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels and place it cut-side-down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until fully collapsed and softened.

Active cooking time

• When the eggplant has 15 minutes left of roasting time, plae a large high-sided sauté pan over medium heat and add two tablespoons of olive oil. Toast the bread for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden, adding more oil as needed. Set aside.
• Whisk together the grated garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, harissa paste, honey and 1/2 cup water. Season generously with salt and set aside.
• Returning the pan to medium heat, add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the red onion. Cook, stirring often for 5-6 minutes or until the onion has softened. Push it to the side of the pan and add the tomato paste to the other side of the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste has turned one shade darker. Then combine with the red onion.
• By now the eggplant should be out of the oven. Scrape it away from the skin, creating an eggplant-mash. Scoop the mash directly into the pan with the red onion. Stir to combine.
• Pour the harissa mixture into the pan and stir to combine. Season with salt to taste and let it come to a gentle simmer.
• Crack the eggs on top, make sure they are evenly spaced apart. Cover the pan and let the eggs steam to fully cook. This will take about 5 minutes.
• When the egg whites are fully cooked through, turn off the heat. Garnish with the tender herbs and a few cracks of black pepper. Scoop and serve with half a slice of bread per bowl.

Looking for similar recipes?

Here are a few other egg-based favorites!

And that’s everything for this Harissa Eggplant Shakshuka!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3