Butternut Squash Shakshuka — A healthy recipe with eggs poached in a spiced butternut squash sauce, and topped with feta and fresh herbs. A quick and easy vegetarian and gluten-free meal!
This post was originally published in 2018, but has since been updated.
Oh, shakshuka. I still don’t know how to pronounce you. I’m only half sure I know how to spell you. But I sure as hell know how to eat you. With BREAD. Lotsa crusty (preferably sourdough) bread.
Eggs in purgatory. Eggs in tomato sauce. Heaven on earth. Whatever you call it, this humble peasant dish has become a dear friend to my dinner, breakfast, brunch, and lunch plate.
Why this recipe works
The spiced squash makes a flavorful sauce for the eggs.
Feta cheese adds a creamy and salty bite to the dish.
Cooking it all in one skillet makes this quick and easy to prepare.
How to Make this Butternut Squash Shakshuka
Start by preheating your oven to 375°F. Heat a cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium heat, and adding a teaspoon of oil. Add 1/2 cup of diced yellow onion, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until softened. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic, and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
Stir in a teaspoon each of paprika, cumin, and cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Pour in 3 cups of pureed butternut squash, and stir to combine, and remove from heat.
Make 6 wells into the sauce, and break an egg into each well. Top with 1/2 cup of crumbled feta, and bake in preheated oven for 7 to 10 minutes, or until eggs are set. Let dish cool for 5 minutes, and finish with a tablespoon each of chopped parsley and rosemary before serving.
Pro Tips:
- Serve alongside crusty bread for dipping into the spiced sauce.
- Bake until eggs are just barely set, since they will continue cooking even after removing from the oven.
- Use frozen squash puree, or leftover mashed squash that’s been thawed to make it super quick.
FAQs
Can I make this vegan?
You can make this vegan-friendly by swapping out the eggs for crumbled firm tofu or white beans, and leaving out the feta cheese.
Where do I find squash puree?
I usually use frozen pureed squash that has been thawed. It’s super cheap, and takes no prep time. If I have leftover mashed squash, I’ll use that as well.
What do I serve this with?
I love serving this dish with some crusty sourdough to soak up all the sauce, but can also be served with a side salad or over a bed of quinoa to make it gluten-free.
Money-Saving Tips for this Butternut Squash Shakshuka:
- Use frozen squash. Since we’re jazzing it up anyway, using already prepped, frozen squash can be an easy way to cut back on time and costs. See my tips in the recipe below!
- Buy spices in the bulk section. Spices are one of the items that are worth hitting up the bulk section for. They can be less expensive, and you can get just the amount you need.
- Buy a block of feta. It can seem like a block of cheese is more expensive than the crumbled kind, but you actually end up getting more for your money by buying the block. You know what they say, more feta is betta!
More squash recipes:
Smoky Tempeh Stuffed Acorn Squash
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Butternut Squash Shakshuka
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Pin RecipeDescription
This Butternut Squash Shakshuka is a healthy recipe with eggs poached in a spiced butternut squash sauce, and topped with feta and fresh herbs. A quick and easy vegetarian & gluten-free meal!
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 3 cups butternut squash puree (about 1 large butternut squash)
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion, and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Stir in spices and squash puree. Remove from heat.
- Make 6 wells in squash mixture, and crack an egg into each.
- Top with crumbled feta.
- Move dish to the preheated oven, and bake until eggs are just set, about 7-10 minutes.
- Let cool 5 minutes, and top with fresh herbs.
- Serve with toasted bread.
Notes
- You can use thawed, frozen butternut squash already pureed to make this dish super speedy. If using fresh, simply blend cooked squash with 1/3 cup water in a blender or food processor until smooth, or use my favorite simple mashed butternut squash recipe instead.
- Make sure not to overcook the eggs! They will continue to cook after removed from the oven, so bake until they look like they are just nearly cooked.
- Crumbled goat cheese works perfectly with this dish too.
- Want to make this vegan-friendly? Replace the eggs with slices of tofu, and leave out the feta.
- Category: Brunch
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
- Calories: 287
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 738
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 24
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 19
- Cholesterol: 294
Keywords: butternut, squash, eggs, brunch, vegetarian, gluten-free,
Make it a great day!
What’s your favorite type of winter vegetable?
Which way do you like your eggs cooked?
I love eggs and eat them a lot during the week as they are so easy, versatile, and good for you. I think my favorite way is fried, with the edges really crispy, preferably cooked in leftover bacon fat. 😉
This actually looks amazing and I cannot wait to try! Pinned!
THIS LOOKS AMAZING! Pinning it now! I love some butternut squash!
never would have thought of butternut squash! what a great idea! yum
★★★★★
This sounds delicious. My kids veto anything with squash so I’d have to make this for my husband and me only!
I am a huge shakshuka fan and I love your twist with butternut squash! Definitely must try
Love how healthy and delicious this looks! It really is a dish that’s perfect to enjoy for any meal of the day!
I have never tried making this, but have seen several recipes for it! I love the butternut squash in this one…YUM!!!
I haven’t made shakshuka in agessss but I love butternut squash, so I’m definitely going to have to try out this version!!
This looks so good!
LOVE shakshuka!!! This twist with squash looks amazing.
Looks delicious! Love all the different ingredients!
This looks SO good! I think I might have to try this with the tofu too… and perhaps a little goat cheese! 😉
★★★★★
Fantastic! I never thought to do shakshuka with butternut squash, such a great idea
What a great idea! This sounds delicious!
★★★★★
I always buy spices in the bulk section for exactly that reason! Too often I’ve thrown out mostly full expired spices.
It’s seriously changed my cooking game!