Vegan Shakshuka

This Vegan Shakshuka will become your new favorite weekend breakfast! It's made with diced tomatoes and chickpeas and topped with vegan ricotta or cream cheese for a tasty, protein-rich recipe.

This weekend is a great weekend to make this hearty vegan shakshuka!

See, I adore my favorite shakshuka recipe (that's why it's called my favorite), but if/when you're serving guests who eat plant-based, it's good to have a vegan option.

And, if you can believe it, I might like this version just as much as the version WITH eggs, mostly because it's filled with delicious vegan cheese!! I love all cheese, so of course I had to include it in this recipe.

If you're looking for a brunch item to pair with this dish, I recommend trying my air fryer sweet potatoes or my skillet roasted fingerling potatoes. It's a fact that potatoes are a MUST HAVE item at breakfast time!

Now, let's walk through how to make this recipe and why I love it so much.

Recipe features

• A savory breakfast option made with a hearty tomato base
• Instead of eggs, it uses vegan cheese -- your choice of ricotta or cream cheese
• The BEST breakfast to pair with sourdough bread (just saying!)

Ingredient notes:

This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients; the full ingredient list is below in the recipe card.

• Bell pepper: I always use green bell pepper in shakshuka, but red, orange or yellow work too.

• Harissa: Harissa adds a little heat to this dish, and it's an ingredient commonly found in North African cooking, so I do recommend adding it. ....unless you hate spice, then omit it.

• Diced tomatoes: Always use fire roasted! I'm telling you, they have more flavor (I almost always use fire roasted over plain diced tomatoes).

• Chickpeas: Traditional shakshuka contains eggs, i.e. protein, but without them I think it's great idea to add chickpeas in for some added protein and substance.

• Vegan cheese: Instead of eggs, we're using vegan cheese! I used vegan ricotta cheese (Kite Hill brand found at Whole Foods), but vegan cream cheese would be delicious too and possibly a bit easier to find.

How to make vegan shakshuka

Step 1: Sauté. Start by sautéing the pepper, onion and garlic with some olive oil in a large skillet for 4-5 minutes, or until the pepper is soft.

Step 2: Add remaining ingredients. Next, add the tomato paste, harissa, half of the cilantro, diced tomatoes with their juices, chickpeas, and spices to the skillet and stir to combine. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes so that the chickpeas absorb some of the flavor.

Step 3: Top with cheese. Last, add 4-5 dollops of vegan cheese (ricotta or cream cheese) in the mixture and simmer for 1 more minute. Remove the skillet from the heat, then sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and, if you opt to use it, vegan feta cheese.

Tips and tricks

• Make sure to use a large skillet so that everything fits.

• You'll want to use the diced tomatoes AND the juices from the can, but for the chickpeas, make sure to drain and rinse them first.

• This dish is best served with a slice of two of your favorite crusty bread.

Where can I buy harissa?

You should be able to find harissa at most grocery stores in the Indian cooking aisle, or you can purchase some online.

Is this dish spicy?

A little bit! The harissa is spicy, though the recipe only calls for 2 tbsp, and the combination of smoked paprika and chili powder adds a little heat as well. But, I wouldn't say it's too spicy or is going to make you want to chug water -- I'm not about that!

How should leftovers be stored?

Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

More savory breakfast recipes:

• Mini Breakfast Pizzas
• Cheesy Savory Oatmeal
• Cauliflower Breakfast Bowl
• Tempeh Bacon

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!