Green Shakshuka With Avocado and Lime

Updated Aug. 19, 2022

Green Shakshuka With Avocado and Lime
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
35 minutes
Rating
4(5,850)
Comments
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This easy twist on classic North African shakshuka (traditionally eggs baked in tomato-pepper sauce, with cumin, paprika and cayenne) starts with an onion-garlic-chard sautéed until gently wilted: a nest of sorts for steam-poaching eggs. Once the eggs go in, be sure to keep the flame low and keep the pan covered while cooking, so the eggs stay soft and almost oozy at their yolk, and the Cotija melts a bit. The chard and the half-and-half create a sort of light broth at the bottom of the shakshuka, which holds so much flavor and is one of the dish’s charms. Lastly, be daring with smoked hot sauce at the end: It’ll push the creamy avocado, cheese and eggs to their peak.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 3tablespoons olive oil
  • 1yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1large bunch/1½ pounds Swiss chard, stems and leaves separated and chopped (about 9 cups)
  • ½teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
  • cup half-and-half or heavy cream
  • 8large eggs
  • ¼teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed
  • 3ounces Cotija cheese or queso fresco, crumbled (about ¾ cup)
  • 1avocado, sliced, for serving
  • 1small jalapeño, thinly sliced, for serving
  • Chopped cilantro, for serving
  • Smoked hot sauce, for serving
  • Corn tortillas, toasted, for serving
  • 1lime, cut into wedges, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

472 calories; 37 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 19 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 21 grams protein; 803 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook until softening, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 5 minutes more.

  2. Step 2

    Raise the heat to medium-high, add the chard stems, and cook to release some liquid, 5 minutes. Add the chard leaves, in batches, adding more as they wilt, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until completely wilted, 3 to 5 minutes more. Season with ½ teaspoon salt, pour in the half-and-half and stir loosely together.

  3. Step 3

    Make eight small hollows in the cooked chard with the back of a spoon. Gently crack an egg into each hollow. Cover with a lid or foil and cook on medium-low until the eggs are just set, but still soft, about 7 to 9 minutes. Remove the lid, sprinkle with salt, pepper, Cotija, avocado, jalapeño and cilantro. Serve with smoked hot sauce, toasted tortillas and lime wedges.

Tip
  • Some cast-iron skillets come with a matching lid, which is useful for making the skillet operate a bit like a mini stove-top oven, cooking evenly and basting the food with flavor and steam. If you don’t have one, use a lid from another pan, or two layers of thick foil, folded at the center and large enough to cover your pan.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
5,850 user ratings
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Comments

Nothing to do with the food (which looks awesome) - but for cast iron pan covers, I frequently use silicone "suction lids" (found everywhere on the web). They work like a charm, hold the heat, can be used as well in the fridge for bowl covers on all those differently-sized bowls - and they hang right over my stove. Best little investment (very small!) ever.

Perhaps some chopped tomatillos would add a nice, green touch of acid that would go well with the jalapeños and smoked hot sauce?

Substituted greek yogurt thinned with lime juice for the cream and only used 4 eggs. It was perfect!

Very tasty. It's a bit like a creamed spinach in flavor. All the toppings really bring it to life. The hit of acid in the lime and the hot sauce bring it all together. We like to poach our eggs on the side as we all have different preferences for the poach time.

This was very tasty. After following the timings in the recipe, the eggs were hard and it was stuck to the pan. Next time: prep everything in advance, it will come together in under 10 min. Don't bother with cast iron, a good nonstick will do as long as it has a tight fitting lid.

Too much work!

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