Tofu Shakshouka
I’m still on my Middle Eastern food kick. I’ve been thinking about making a vegan version of shakshouka, a very simple dish of scrambled eggs with onions, peppers, and lots of tomatoes, ever since my brother ordered it in a café during our visit to Jerusalem. Only one change needs to be made—silken tofu replaces the eggs.
This is one of those super simple dishes that, with the right ingredients, is amazingly tasty. It’s common to both Israeli and many Arab cuisines. With the abundance of delicious tomatoes in season, this is the perfect time to make it. I accompanied it with a rice and lentil dish that did not complement it very well, so I’m still working on a better menu for this. I think some sort of potato dish would be nice, and some sort of green salad without the redundancy of more tomatoes. Hummus and baba ghanoush and pita would be most welcome with this kind of meal as well.
Tofu Shakshouka
4 to 6 servings
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
- Two 12.3-ounce package firm silken tofu, finely crumbled
- 4 large or 6 medium tomatoes, diced (about 2 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- Pinch of turmeric for color
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley, optional
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the bell pepper and continue to sauté until both are golden.
Add the tofu, tomatoes, paprika, and turmeric. Stir together, then cook over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the optional parsley, and serve.
Variation: Some traditional recipes include garlic and parsley; add a few cloves of garlic with the bell pepper if you’d like a garlicky version.
Monica said,
August 30, 2006 @ 11:34 am
This looks delicious! Just the thing for all the fresh tomatoes right now. Here’s the menu I think I’ll serve it with: some simple cauliflower soup made the way my local Mediterranean restaurant does it (onion, garlic, dill, veggie broth, and I think paprika), some hummus, pita, and cucumber salad made with soy yogurt. Oh, man, am I hungry now!
Susan G said,
August 30, 2006 @ 7:14 pm
Nava, doesn’t the silken tofu exude a lot of liquid? I have a fridge full of standard firm, I’ll try that first. and Monica, was the cauliflower soup pureed?
Nava said,
August 30, 2006 @ 7:33 pm
Susan,
The dish had a bit of liquid at the bottom, but I think it was more from all those juicy tomatoes—I served it with a slotted spoon. I’m sure the dish will be just as tasty with firm tofu (which, unless you blot it well, will exude even more liquid than silken). I opted for silken, as it has a more eggy texture, I think. The thing to do is to serve it with some good bread or fresh pita to soak up that delicious liquid!
And Monica, that sounds like a perfect menu for shakshouka. Yum.
vicki said,
August 30, 2006 @ 11:37 pm
looks & sounds delicious! & the herbs look lovely…
Anjelica said,
August 31, 2006 @ 12:03 am
Susan, I too, prefer to use firm tofu for my scrambles. I find that the way it sets up when scrambled has a wonderful “eggy” texture much like I remember of my grandfather’s and other’s scrambled eggs. Yum yum, though, that sure looks good!
Monica said,
August 31, 2006 @ 3:41 pm
Nope, the cauliflower soup isn’t pureed. It’s really just a delicious broth with cauliflower, onions, and garlic swimming in it. It’s one of those simple dishes that is more than the sum of their parts!
Gina said,
September 3, 2006 @ 8:54 am
I am very happy to find another good tofu recipe. This is delicious; thanks!
My husband and I have been living and working in Cambodia for the past 6 years and being here has prompted my evolving from vegetarian to vegan, so we are eating more tofu than ever. I am especially interested in tofu recipes. I will keep checking your great website for interesting, imaginative and great tasting recipes. Your website is enjoyable, informative and full of good advice. Thanks again.