Green Shakshuka
A one-pan green shakshuka: spinach and peas simmered with pesto and cream cheese, two eggs nestled on top, feta crumbled over everything. 38g protein and 17g fiber in fifteen minutes.
Those two eggs have a second job beyond protein. A trial published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that egg yolk phospholipids increased lutein absorption from vegetables by over five times. Spinach happens to be the richest everyday source of lutein, and here, the eggs simmer directly on the spinach bed, in olive oil.
Ingredients
- garlic 1 clove
- olive oil 1 tablespoon
- spinach 4 ounces
- garden peas (frozen) 1 cup
- pesto 0.5 tablespoon
- cream cheese, reduced fat 1 tablespoon
- eggs 2
- feta cheese, crumbled 1.5 ounce
Method
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Finely chop the garlic clove.
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Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the garlic for a minute. Gradually add the spinach until it wilts, then add the garden peas, pesto, and cream cheese. Stir well and let it heat for another minute.
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Using a spoon, make two wells in the vegetables and crack an egg into each. Cover the pan and let it simmer on low heat for 6-8 minutes until the eggs are set.
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Sprinkle the feta over the dish and season with salt and pepper.
Goat cheese makes a sharper, tangier swap for the feta. Freshly chopped parsley over the top adds color and a clean, peppery finish.
Spinach delivers roughly 12 milligrams of lutein per 100 grams, more than any other common vegetable. The olive oil you sauté it in and the eggs you simmer on top both carry different types of fat that help your gut absorb what the spinach releases. A 2015 trial found eating eggs with vegetables boosted lutein uptake fivefold.
Kim et al., 2015 — Egg-Carotenoid Absorption Trial · DOIBehind this recipe
Where does 38 grams of protein come from without meat?
Two eggs deliver about 12 grams, the cup of frozen peas adds roughly 14 grams, and feta contributes around 7 grams. Three whole-food sources, no meat, no protein powder.
Is 17 grams of fiber from one meal a lot?
Most adults average around 15 grams of fiber per day total. This single meal delivers more than that. Research across 62 trials found that fiber's effect on weight loss depended more on how long you ate it consistently (studies over eight weeks showed ten times the effect) than on how many grams per day.
Read the full evidence reviewWhy frozen peas instead of fresh?
Frozen peas are picked and blanched within hours of harvest, locking in nutrients and sweetness. Fresh peas lose both quickly after picking. For this recipe, frozen peas also thaw in seconds in the hot pan, keeping the 15-minute timeline intact.
