This post is a collaboration with Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. on behalf of the Beef Checkoff. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own.

Shakshuka has taken over Instagram and for good reason! It’s quite easy to prepare, uses a few simple ingredients and is very customizable. Though traditionally prepared with only tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggs and spices we like to Beef it up with ground beef from the freezer to add nutrition, flavor and to make it heartier! In South Africa we have a similar dish called “smoortjie” - onions and tomatoes cooked down to form a sauce with meat, served on top of crunchy toast. Growing up with very little taught me to be resourceful and lately I think all of us are looking for ways to get creative with what we have on hand. Some of my favorite meals (like this one) includes beef, and no other protein does it quite like beef in terms of taste to be honest. It’s the superior choice. Recipes like grandma’s spaghetti, taco salad and a juicy burger are just on another level for me.

You can find lots of recipes at Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner - There’s a very useful section featuring recipes with 5 ingredients or less that is perfect to stretch your budget but feed your family nutritiously at the same time. Another feature of the website is a variety of cooking lessons, Beef safety information, meal planning information and tips to help you along the way. Download this awesome coloring book for your kids and cook a recipe with Beef together while everyone is at home :) If you have ground beef in the freezer and plan to make this or any meal, here’s a handy infographic on Ground Beef Thawing as a useful refresher especially if you’re short on time!

What do I need to make this recipe?

All you need to make shakshuka with spiced beef breakfast sausage is a can of tomatoes, one onion, some water or beef stock, olive oil, eggs, a few simple spices and ground beef. Here are a few optional changes:

- Use a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies instead
- Add a jar of roasted red bell peppers and sauté with your onions
- Add that ½ bottle of jarred salsa sitting in your fridge
- Add ½ cup more beef stock or water depending on how you prefer the consistency
- Use butter instead of olive oil
- Add any non-starchy canned vegetables to bulk up the meal
- Top it off with shredded cheese or cubes of feta cheese and fresh herbs if you have them.
- Use a pre-mixed spice blend like taco seasoning instead of blending your own

How do I prepare this recipe?

I cook my beef breakfast sausage crumbles and store it in the fridge for use not only in this recipe, but to top scrambled eggs and taco salads. We like to stir it in right before adding the eggs but if you prefer to cook the beef as part of this recipe all at once, please feel free. Cook your onions and garlic as directed, followed by the ingredients for beef breakfast sausage until cooked through and proceed with the recipe for shakshuka.

Shakshuka with Spiced Beef Breakfast Sausage
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For the sausage: (Can be made ahead and safely stored in the refrigerator until ready to use, up to 3 days. Visit Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner for guidelines on safely storing ground beef.)
1/2 pound Ground Beef (93% lean or leaner)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder OR chopped chipotle chili in adobo sauce
½ teaspoon salt

For the Shakshuka:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1-2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon chili powder or cumin
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 cup beef stock or water
4 large eggs
8 oz. beef breakfast sausage crumbles
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional add-ins based on what you have: A tablespoon of harissa paste, 1 teaspoon of tomato paste.
Optional to serve: crumbled feta cheese, crusty bread, fresh herbs

Method:

For the sausage:
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add sausage mixture; cook 5 to 8 minutes, breaking into 1/2-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally. Set aside or cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Shakshuka:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet to medium-high. Add onions and saute for 3-5 minutes until light golden brown. Add garlic and spices, stirring gently to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes. At this stage you could add uncooked beef sausage directly and cook for 5-8 minutes until internal temp is 160F, or wait to sprinkle them on after the eggs are cooked.

Add chopped tomatoes, harissa paste/tomato paste and beef stock or water. Reduce heat to medium and place a lid on your skillet. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice until tomatoes have broken down and a rich sauce has formed. If the sauce seems too dry, top it off with some water.

Make indentations using the back of a spoon and crack eggs into those hollows. Simmer with the lid on for 5-10 minutes depending on how you like your eggs done. Remove from heat, season to taste and top with beef breakfast sausage crumbles, feta and freshly chopped herbs.