Tomatillo Shakshuka (Paleo, Whole30)

Tomatillo Shakshuka is my summertime twist on a classic, and it just might become your new favorite way to eat eggs. Instead of simmering in tomato sauce, the eggs poach gently in a vibrant, tangy green sauce made from roasted tomatillos, poblano peppers, onions, garlic and a handful of spinach. It’s herbaceous, fresh, and just a little bit spicy thanks to jalapeños and warm spices like cumin and coriander. Inspired by the flavors of huevos rancheros, it comes together with ingredients you can easily grab from the farmers market in late summer. It’s naturally Paleo and Whole30. Whether you’re cooking up Sunday brunch or want something light and for dinner, this green shakshuka brings the flavor.

How this recipe fits Paleo and Whole30

This tomatillo shakshuka is fully compliant with Paleo and Whole30. It’s built around whole, unprocessed ingredients—roasted tomatillos, poblano peppers, onions, garlic, leafy greens, and eggs—without refined sugar, grains, dairy, or seed oils.

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Tomatillos look like small, green tomatoes, but they’re actually more closely related to the gooseberry. They’re very tart and tangy when raw, but they get jammy and sweet when cooked. Remove the husks from the tomatillos and wash them thoroughly to remove the sticky husk residue. Cut them in half (or in quarters if they’re quite large) and place on a prepared baking sheet. Coat with a drizzle of olive oil season generously with a pinch of salt and roast for about 15 minutes.

Pour the roasted tomatillos and all their juices into a food processor and pulse until the tomatillos are pureed and smooth.

You’ll also want to roast the poblano peppers, to make it easier to remove their skins and soften them before adding them to the quick-cooking shakshuka. Poblanos are most often a mild pepper, but occasionally you’ll find one that has some heat. Cut them in half and remove the ribs and the seeds, then place skin-side down on a prepared baking sheet. Season generously with salt and a light brush of olive oil and roast for 15 minutes. You can roast the peppers alongside the tomatillos in the oven to save some time.

After roasting, the skin of the peppers should be charred and begin to blister. Once they are cool enough to handle, gently peel the skin off, then roughly chop into half-inch pieces.

Sauté the onion in a medium skillet with a pinch of salt until it’s translucent. Add the garlic and cook another minute more, then add the spinach with another pinch of salt and cook until it’s just wilted but still bright green.

Add in the poblano peppers and the cumin and coriander. Cook a few minutes more to allow the spices to bloom, then pour in the pureed tomatillos. Simmer for around five minutes and season to taste.

Make four or five divots in the sauce and add an egg into each. I find that it’s easier to crack each egg one at a time into a small bowl and gently pour it into a divot, to make sure the yolk doesn’t break. Season the eggs with a pinch of salt and cover and cook until the egg whites are fully set and opaque but the yolks are still runny.

Garnish with handfuls of chopped cilantro, sliced jalapeños and avocado. Or, serve an egg and a scoop of tomatillo sauce over a pile of sliced avocado, as an alternative to a layer of bread. You’ll love this Whole30 and Paleo tomatillo shakshuka for a quick weeknight breakfast-for-dinner or an easy mid-day weekend brunch.

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Tomatillo Shakshuka (Paleo, Whole30)

5 from 1 vote

Tomatillo shakshuka is a green shakshuka recipe with eggs poached in a tangy roasted tomatillo sauce with poblano peppers, spinach, onion, garlic, cumin, and coriander. A fresh, late-summer breakfast-for-dinner that’s Paleo and Whole30.

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Total Time:45 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Christina Marche

Ingredients

• 1½ lb tomatillos
• 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil, divided
• Kosher salt
• 2 poblano peppers
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 oz spinach, about 4 cups roughly chopped
• ⅓ tsp coriander
• ¼ tsp cumin
• 4-5 eggs
• ½ cup chopped cilantro, for topping
• 1 jalapeño, sliced into thin rings, for topping
• Sliced avocado, for topping

Instructions

• Husk and rinse the tomatillos to remove their sticky residue, then quarter and toss them with a tablespoon of olive oil or avocado oil and a pinch of salt on a baking sheet. Roast at 425° for about 15 minutes, until soft and lightly browned.
• Transfer the roasted tomatillos and their juices to a food processor and blend until mostly smooth, with some texture remaining. Season to taste.
• Meanwhile, halve the poblanos lengthwise, remove the seeds and ribs, and brush them lightly with oil. Season with salt and roast skin-side down on a baking sheet for 15 minutes at 425°, until the skins blister.
• Once cool enough to handle, peel the skin from the peppers, then dice.
• In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more.
• Add the spinach and another pinch of salt, cooking just until wilted but still bright green.
• Stir in the diced poblanos, coriander and cumin, then pour in the tomatillo puree and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Make small wells in the sauce and gently crack the eggs into each one. Cover and cook over low heat until the egg whites are set and yolks are still runny, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Top with chopped cilantro, jalapeño slices, and avocado just before serving.

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Paleo, Whole30