If you love a good breakfast skillet, this high protein shakshuka is going to be right up your alley. With 26 grams of protein per serving, it has all the cozy tomato-and-egg goodness of classic shakshuka, but with a Southern-style twist from turkey sausage, Creole seasoning, feta, and biscuits for dipping.
This recipe was originally developed for a sponsored Instagram post with Delallo Foods. All opinions are my own and I'm grateful to partner with brands I truly use and love.
As a Southern RD, I love when a recipe brings comfort and balance to the same skillet. Classic shakshuka is made with eggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce, but this version adds breakfast turkey sausage and Creole seasoning for a Southern-inspired spin that still keeps things simple, colorful, and satisfying.
It's hearty enough for dinner, fun enough for weekend brunch, and simple enough for a regular weekday morning if you're feeling a little extra.
If you love cozy breakfast-for-dinner recipes, you may also like my breakfast casserole with crescent rolls, cornbread chicken and waffles, or breakfast rice bowls.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- High in protein: Each serving has about 26 grams of protein thanks to the turkey sausage and eggs, so it's hearty enough for breakfast, brunch, or an easy dinner.
- Southern twist: Breakfast turkey sausage and Creole seasoning bring that cozy, savory flavor while still keeping the classic tomato-and-egg skillet feel.
- Simple ingredients: Canned crushed tomatoes, eggs, onion, bell pepper, and pantry seasonings make this easy to pull together without a special grocery run.
- Made in one skillet: Everything simmers together in one pan, so you get big flavor without a sink full of dishes!!
Ingredients for Southern Shakshuka
This recipe uses pantry staples, fresh produce, and protein-rich ingredients to make a skillet that feels hearty but still balanced.
- Breakfast turkey sausage: Turkey sausage adds savory breakfast flavor and helps make this shakshuka higher in protein.
- Canned crushed tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes create a thick, saucy base without needing fresh tomatoes, which makes this recipe easy year-round.
- Red bell pepper: Red bell pepper adds color, natural sweetness, and a little extra produce to the skillet.
- Onion: Onion builds the flavor base and softens into the tomato sauce as it cooks.
- Garlic: Garlic gives the tomato sauce more depth and makes the whole skillet smell amazing.
- Creole seasoning: Creole seasoning adds warm, savory Southern flavor without needing a long list of spices.
- Eggs: Eggs cook right in the spiced tomato sauce until the whites are set and the yolks are cooked how you like them.
- Feta cheese: Feta adds a salty, creamy finish that pairs so well with the tomato sauce.
- Fresh parsley: Parsley adds freshness and color right before serving.
- Biscuits (optional): For this Southern-style shakshuka, we're using warm biscuits for dipping, scooping, and soaking up all that tomato sausage sauce.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
You can absolutely make this recipe work with what you have on hand, and there are a few fun ways to lean even more Southern.
- If you want a similar high-protein option with a slightly different flavor, use chicken sausage in place of the breakfast turkey sausage.
- For a richer Cajun-style shakshuka, try andouille sausage to add smoky, savory flavor.
- If you want to work in extra greens, add spinach or collards during the last few minutes of simmering the tomato sauce.
- When crushed tomatoes are not in the pantry, use diced tomatoes and let the sauce simmer a little longer so it thickens.
- To add more heat, make it spicier with cayenne pepper, hot sauce, diced jalapeño, or crushed red pepper flakes.
- If you want a creamier, tangier finish, swap feta for goat cheese before serving.
- For an extra cozy Southern breakfast-for-dinner meal, serve it over grits with a warm biscuit on the side.
- If you want more fiber and another simple protein boost, add white beans to the tomato sauce before adding the eggs.
- While biscuits give this recipe its Southern-style feel, feel free to serve it with toasted bread or pita if that's what you have on hand for dipping and scooping.
How to Make High Protein Shakshuka Recipe
The key to good shakshuka is letting the tomato sauce thicken before adding the eggs so everything cooks evenly.
Step 1: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the breakfast turkey sausage and cook until browned, breaking it into small crumbles as it cooks.
Step 2: Add the diced onion and red bell pepper to the skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften.
Step 3: Stir in the garlic and Creole seasoning. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Step 4: Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir everything together. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
Step 5: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
Step 6: Use the back of a spoon to make small wells in the tomato sauce. Crack one egg into each well. Cover the skillet and cook for 6 to 9 minutes, or until the egg whites are set and the yolks are cooked to your liking.
Step 7: Remove the skillet from the heat. Sprinkle with feta cheese and fresh parsley. Serve warm with biscuits for dipping and scooping.
Tips For Best Healthy Shaskuka
A few simple tips help keep the sauce thick, the eggs tender, and every bite full of flavor.
- To help the eggs cook evenly, use a wide skillet so they have enough room to sit in the sauce without crowding. I love using my Lodge braiser pan for dishes like this!
- For the best texture and flavor, let the sauce simmer before adding eggs so the tomatoes thicken and the seasonings have time to come together.
- Since Creole seasoning, turkey sausage, and feta can all add saltiness, taste before adding extra salt.
- For softer yolks, pull the skillet off the heat slightly early because the eggs will keep cooking in the warm sauce.
Storage
Shakshuka is best right after the eggs are cooked, but the sauce is easy to prep ahead.
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave in short intervals or in a skillet over low heat.
- Meal prep tip: Make the sauce 2 to 3 days ahead, then warm it in a skillet and add fresh eggs when you are ready to serve!
FAQ
Traditional shakshuka has protein from the eggs, but this version adds breakfast turkey sausage to make it more satisfying. The exact protein amount will depend on your sausage, egg size, and serving size, so I recommend adding your final ingredients to your nutrition calculator after testing.
Keep the heat on medium-low, cover the skillet, and check the eggs often once they start cooking. Remove the skillet from the heat when the yolks are just a little softer than you want because they will keep cooking in the warm sauce.
The tomato sauce probably needed more time to simmer before the eggs were added. Let the sauce cook until it thickens enough to hold small wells for the eggs.
This version uses breakfast turkey sausage, Creole seasoning, and warm biscuits to give classic shakshuka a Southern-inspired twist. It still has the cozy tomato-and-egg skillet feel, just with flavors that fit right into a Southern kitchen.
More Recipes You'll Love!
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Did you try this recipe?
Let us know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing it on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest!
Thank you!
Jessie
High Protein Shakshuka with Turkey Sausage
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lb breakfast turkey sausage
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning adjust to taste
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 5 large eggs
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Warm biscuits for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the breakfast turkey sausage and cook until browned, breaking it into small crumbles as it cooks.
- Add the diced onion and red bell pepper to the skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften.
- Stir in the garlic and Creole seasoning. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir everything together. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Use the back of a spoon to make small wells in the tomato sauce. Crack one egg into each well. Cover the skillet and cook for 6 to 9 minutes, or until the egg whites are set and the yolks are cooked to your liking.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Sprinkle with feta cheese and fresh parsley. Serve warm with biscuits for dipping and scooping.
Notes
- Nutrition information is calculated without biscuits, so totals may vary depending on what you serve with it.
- For softer yolks, remove the skillet from the heat when the eggs look slightly underdone because they will keep cooking in the warm sauce.
- If the tomato sauce looks watery, let it simmer a few extra minutes before adding the eggs.
- Biscuits give this shakshuka its Southern-style feel, but you can serve it with toasted bread or pita if that's what you prefer.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave in short intervals or in a skillet over low heat.
Leave a Reply