Kale Asparagus and Fava Shakshuka
This Kale, Asparagus, and Fava Bean Shakshuka is a perfect spring brunch meal. It’s so delicious you might just want to eat it straight out of the pan. Best part is that it’s simple to make, and full of fiber and protein.
Shakshuka is my TOP favorite brunch item to make at home. It’s easy, versatile, and totally shareable! Traditionally, shakshuka is made with a base of tomatoes and peppers. In this Kale, Asparagus, and Fava Bean version, we are spring-ifying shakshuka with seasonal vegetables, taking some inspiration from Persian dishes too. The final result is a beautiful and dreamy green shakshuka.
If you’re not a brunch person, this savory dish would be great for a breakfast-for-dinner night too.
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Ingredients
- Onion & Garlic: Sauteed first to add depth to the dish.
- Kale: We chop up the curly kale leaves small, then sautee with the onions and garlic. This nutrient-dense leafy green, adds a hearty texture and base to this shakshuka.
- Asparagus: Asparagus adds a bit of a bite and helps celebrate spring.
- Shelled fava beans: Fava beans, also known as broad beans, provide a buttery texture and nutty flavor that is unlike anything else. They’re also a great source of protein and fiber!
- Dill: Compliments fava beans so well and adds some freshness and to this spring vegetable dish.
- Parmesan: There’s a huge difference when parmesan is added to this dish and a little goes a long way! Parmesan cheese adds an umami element, enhancing the overall taste and richness.
- Eggs: Eggs are the key ingredient in a shakshuka! You can make this recipe them with a runny, jammy, or cooked yolk.
- Toasted bread, to serve: There’s nothing like dipping the edge of a crusty slice of baguette right into a jammy egg yolk! Scoop up some of the spring greens along with it and you’re golden.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions for Kale Asparagus and Fava Shakshuka
This is a one-pan delicious meal!
- Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add an onion, and sauté for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- Chop the kale leaves into small pieces or pulse in a food processor, then add to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and salt, stir, cook for another 5 minutes, then add the fava beans, dill, and half of the Parmesan.
- Create 4 wells in the vegetables, add a little olive oil to each, and crack an egg into each well. Cover and cook for 3 minutes for runny yolks or 5 minutes for jammy yolks, then uncover and remove from heat.
- Serve directly from the pan, using slices of toasted bread to scoop up the shakshuka.
Wells created in the skillet.
Eggs added into the wells to cook.
What is Shakshuka?
Shakshuka is a popular Middle Eastern and North African dish made of poached eggs in a savory and (traditionally) spicy tomato-based sauce. The sauce is cooked stovetop, then little wells are made to drop in the eggs to fininsh cooking in the sauce. Shakshuka is often served for breakfast or brunch and is accompanied by bread, such as pita or crusty baguette, for dipping into the flavorful sauce. It’s a versatile dish and many families have their own recipes. My husband makes an amazing traditional shakshouka!
In this recipe, we are replacing the tradional base of tomatoes and peppers with a very spring-forward mix of greens! The base is kale, asparagus, and fava beans, sprinkled with dill and parmesan. I was inspired by Baghali Polo, a Persian rice dish filled with fava beans and dill.
Storage
Store the Kale, Asparagus, and Fava Beann Shakshuka leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. Simply reheat in the microwave, or in a skillet.
Other brunch ideas:
- Green goddess pasta salad
- Roasted summer vegetable couscous
- Matcha pistachio raspberry rose muffins
- Zucchini strawberry bread
Kale, Asparagus, and Fava Bean Shakshuka
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 8 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 bunch kale stems removed (I use curly kale)
- 10 stalks asparagus bottoms removed, sliced into 1-2 inch pieces
- 1 cup shelled fava beans
- ½ cup grated parmesan divided
- ¼ cup fresh dill
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- pepper to taste
- Toasted bread to serve
Instructions
- In a nonstick pan on medium heat, add the olive oil and onion. Sautee for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, chop up the kale leaves into small pieces. Option to use a food processor here and pulse the leaves until cut up. Do not blend. Add the kale to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and salt, stir, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the fava beans and dill and stir to combine. Sprinkle about half of the parmesan over the greens.
- Using a spoon or a spatula, create 4 wells in the pan by pushing the greens. Add a little bit of olive oil to the well, then crack one egg in each. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes for a runny yolk and 4-5 minutes for a jammy yolk. Uncover and remove from heat.
- Serve directly out of the pan. Use slices of toasty bread to scoop up the shakshuka if desired.
