Shakshuka with Ground Beef & Eggplant
Spiced ground beef, soft eggplant cubes, and a poached egg, all simmered together in a paprika-tomato sauce in one pan. Twenty minutes from cutting board to plate.
30 grams of protein and 394 calories for the full pan. The beef and egg carry the protein, the eggplant soaks up the sauce and brings 8 grams of fiber along with it, and the whole thing stays under 20 grams of carbs. Add fresh parsley right before serving for a hit of brightness against the rich, spiced tomato base.
Ingredients
- onion 0.5
- garlic 1 clove
- eggplant 1
- olive oil 1 tablespoon
- 96% lean ground beef 3 ounces
- paprika (ground spice) 1 teaspoon
- ground cumin 0.5 teaspoon
- diced tomatoes 6 ounces
- tomato paste 1 tablespoon
- egg 1
Method
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Finely chop the onion. Mince the garlic. Cut the eggplant into small cubes.
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Heat the oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Add the ground beef and spices, cook for another 4 minutes. Add the eggplant, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste, stir everything together, and let it simmer gently for 5 minutes.
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Make a well in the center of the pan with a spoon and crack the egg into it. Cover with a lid and let it cook for about 8 minutes.
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Serve the shakshuka on a plate. Season with salt and pepper.
Make the well in the sauce deep enough that the egg white pools around the yolk before you put the lid on. The trapped steam sets the top of the egg without flipping, giving you a runny center if you pull it at 7 minutes or a firm yolk at the full 8.
A crossover study tracked the same group of adults on two eating patterns with identical daily protein. When they spread it evenly across meals (about 30 grams each), their bodies built 25 percent more muscle protein over 24 hours than when they loaded most of it at dinner. Same food, same total, different split, measurably different outcome.
Protein Distribution & Muscle Synthesis · DOIBehind this recipe
Is 30 grams of protein in one meal enough to build muscle?
More than enough to trigger muscle protein synthesis. A crossover study found that spreading about 30 grams across each meal produced 25% more muscle building over 24 hours than piling most protein at dinner. And the old claim that your body caps out at 30 grams per sitting? A 12-hour tracer study tracked 100 grams in a single meal and found the body was still using it for muscle hours later. The ceiling never existed. Read the full evidence review →
Read the full evidence reviewCan I swap the ground beef for another protein?
Ground turkey or chicken mince work in the same pan time. The macros will shift depending on the fat content of the swap. Turkey breast mince runs leaner, so you may end up closer to 25g protein and less fat. Lamb mince goes richer. Adjust based on what fits your day.
Why does the eggplant go in with the tomatoes instead of getting seared first?
Eggplant is a sponge. If you sear cubes in oil first, they absorb every drop before the sauce goes in and the pan dries out fast. Adding them directly into the tomato sauce lets the cubes soften in liquid instead of fat, keeping the dish under 400 calories without sacrificing texture. Five minutes of simmering is enough to make them tender.
Does the egg need to be fully set, or can I leave it runny?
Your call. Seven minutes under the lid gives you a set white with a soft, runny yolk that breaks into the sauce when you cut it. Eight minutes firms the yolk up. If you want it somewhere in between, peek at 7 and decide. The sauce stays hot enough to keep cooking the egg even after you take the lid off.
