Bacon and Sweet Potato Shakshuka is an easy but impressive take on traditional Shakshuka. It's untraditional in that it has meat. However, Shakshuka with bacon just makes sense. We all know how wonderfully bacon pairs with eggs and tomatoes. It also adds the perfect amount of salty umami to balance out the sweet potatoes.
This Shakshuka with Bacon and Sweet Potatoes has so much flavor, with sweet, spicy, warm, acidic, and rich qualities, all in one delicious skillet. It's impressive but quick to prepare and versatile enough to be enjoyed as breakfast, lunch, or dinner any day of the week.
What is Shakshuka?
I've learned through some research that Shakshuka*, a dish in which eggs simmer in a spiced tomato sauce, likely originated somewhere in North Africa. However, there are varying theories as to where specifically. It eventually became very popular in nearby countries in the Middle East and Mediterranean, where there are countless takes on this traditional dish.
Shakshuka with Bacon
Like I said earlier, most versions are entirely vegetarian, but mine has bacon. Its use of meat in addition to the smokey spicy flavors of nutmeg, coriander, cumin, chili powder, and jalapeño, make my recipe similar in taste to a chili.
This recipe also calls for crusty bread because in my humble opinion, runny eggs and tomato-based sauces are scooping foods.
Since I recommend always keeping at least one type of herb in the kitchen, parsley finishes the dish. But you can substitute with cilantro, basil or even mint.
Why Sweet Potatoes?
I firmly believe that the best use for sweet potatoes is in savory dishes. They can overwhelm with sweetness, and really benefit from salty savory ingredients for balance.
The warm cumin and coriander, acidic tomatoes, crunchy toasted bread, umami-bursting bacon, and fresh parsley all help balance out the sweet potato. If you want more savory ways to eat sweet potatoes, check out this recipe from the blog, Apple Chicken Meatballs with Spiced Sweet Potatoes.
How to Make Bacon and Sweet Potato Shakshuka
This Shakshuka recipe is a one-pan meal. One-pan meals are usually deeply flavorful because all of the ingredients mingle and flavor one another as they cook.
- Cook the bacon
- Remove bacon and cook the sweet potatoes, onions, and jalapeños in the same pan.
- Add the can of tomatoes and the bacon, and simmer for a few minutes.
- Adding the cheese and the eggs, and cover. The eggs only take about 5 minutes for whites to set and yolks to remain runny.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley, serve with crusty bread, and enjoy!
Recipe
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Bacon and Sweet Potato Shakshuka
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: breakfast
- Method: shakshuka
Description
This Shakshuka with Bacon and Sweet Potatoes is a deeply flavorful, easy-to-make one pan meal. Ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 slices of thick cut bacon, cut into large chunks
- 1 sweet potato, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup of red onion, diced
- 14oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 4 eggs
- Nutmeg, corriander, cumin, chili powder, about ½tsp each
- 2 Tb fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 slices of your favorite bread, cut diagonally and toasted
- ¼c shredded or grated cheese. Use any kind that suits your mood; gouda, cheddar, and parm have all proven to work well in this dish.
- Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper
Instructions
- Mise en place: Slice and dice all of your ingredients first and set them aside so they're readily available as you need them throughout the recipe. You can also toast your bread during the prep phase.
- Heat a medium cast iron skillet or saucepan over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook bacon for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crispy all over. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon from skillet and place it on a paper towel set to the aside. Discard most of the bacon fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
- Increase flame to medium-high and add 1Tb of olive oil to the same skillet you used to cook the bacon. Add the sweet potatoes, onions, and jalapeños, and season with salt and pepper. Once the sweet potato mixture has browned slightly, add the spices and sauté for 1 minute more.
- Add the bacon back to the pan along with the canned tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and bring mixture to a simmer. Let it simmer for 3 minutes then add salt to taste. Top with an even layer of cheese then make 4 divets in the sauce and drop 1 egg directly into each divet.
- Cover and cook until the egg whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 5 minutes. Top with fresh parsley. Place the whole skillet on a hot plate on your table and serve yourselves.
Keywords: shakshuka with bacon, bacon and sweet potato shakshuka
Find it online: https://onthebias.nyc/bacon-sweetpotato-shakshuka/
Definitions
*Shakshuka: An Arabic word meaning "mixture"
*Monogustic: Technically a neologism rather than a word, as it is not lisited in the dictionary...yet. It means "consisting of one flavor or texture", or "without complexity or variation in flavor or texture." I found this neologism via an online serach forum while trying to find a word that matched this idea I had about sweet potatoes.
Monogustic is to taste as monotonous is to pitch.