Shakshuka Pepper Cups
Colourful bell peppers filled with a warmly spiced tomato mixture and baked eggs, finished with feta and fresh parsley in the air fryer.
Equipment
- Kitchen Knife
- Measuring spoons
- medium saucepan
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 4 small bell peppers any colour
- 4 large eggs
- 410 g canned diced tomatoes with juice
- ½ medium brown onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cm piece fresh turmeric peeled and minced
- ¾ tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ tablespoon no-added-sugar tomato paste
- 1½ tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
- 1½ tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon erythritol sweetener
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and cook for approximately 10 minutes until soft.
- Add the garlic and turmeric.
- Cook for 1 minute while stirring.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, smoked paprika, salt, erythritol, cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper.
- Stir until evenly combined.
- Simmer for 2 minutes and remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (356°F) for 3 minutes.
- Cut the tops from the bell peppers and remove the seeds and membranes.
- Check that the peppers can stand upright in the air-fryer basket.
- Divide the tomato mixture evenly among the four peppers.
- Make a shallow hollow in the filling of each pepper.
- Crack one egg into each filled pepper.
- Place the peppers upright in the air-fryer basket.
- Air-fry at 180°C (356°F) for 9 minutes.
- Check that the egg whites have set.
- Sprinkle the crumbled feta over the eggs.
- Air-fry for another 1 to 3 minutes, depending on the preferred firmness of the yolks.
- Check that the eggs have reached an internal temperature of 71°C (160°F).
- Transfer the peppers to a serving plate.
- Rest for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.
Notes & Wine Advice
Serving Suggestions
Serve one filled pepper per person with a green salad or toasted flatbread. For a larger brunch, accompany the peppers with olives, cucumber, hummus and fresh fruit.Recipe Notes
Choose small bell peppers that can stand upright inside the air-fryer basket. If necessary, carefully trim a very thin slice from the base without cutting through the pepper. Egg cooking times vary according to their size, starting temperature and the air-fryer model. Begin checking after 9 minutes. The whites should be completely set, and the eggs should reach 71°C (160°F). The saucepan cooking takes approximately 13 minutes, while the peppers require 10 to 12 minutes in the air fryer. This produces a realistic cooking time of approximately 23 minutes.Dietary Information
This recipe contains egg and cow’s milk from the feta cheese. It is suitable for vegetarian, pescatarian, gluten-free, wheat-free, nut-free, soy-free and low-carbohydrate diets when all packaged products meet those requirements. Check the tomato paste, canned tomatoes, spices and feta for allergen warnings and possible cross-contamination. Feta made with animal-derived rennet may not be suitable for every vegetarian, so choose feta labelled vegetarian when required.Nutrition Information
The nutritional estimate applies to one stuffed bell pepper, including one egg, one-quarter of the tomato filling and feta. The previous recipe contained no nutritional information, so these values were calculated from the listed ingredients. Sodium varies considerably according to the canned tomatoes, feta and amount of salt used. Using no-added-salt tomatoes or reducing the added salt will lower the sodium content.Variations
Replace the feta with crumbled goat cheese or a plant-based feta alternative. Add chopped spinach to the tomato mixture or increase the cayenne for more heat. Fresh red chilli can replace the cayenne pepper.Storage
These pepper cups taste best immediately after cooking. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and consume them within 2 days. Reheat until the centre reaches 74°C (165°F). Freezing is not recommended because the cooked egg and pepper can develop a watery texture.Wine Advice
Pair these spiced shakshuka cups with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or a dry Rosé. Their fresh acidity complements the tomato, bell pepper and feta without overpowering the eggs.Nutrition values
Serving: 1 filled bell pepper | Calories: 165 kcal | Carbohydrates: 15 g | Protein: 9 g | Fat: 8 g | Saturated Fat: 2 g | Sodium: 510 mg | Sugar: 9 g