We’re still settling in to life in the new house. It’s a larger space than the apartments we’ve always lived in, so it’s a welcome adjustment. We also have a pretty spacious backyard that I’m looking forward to setting up, and hopefully having friends and family over when it’s safe. Warmer weather, more and more vaccinations everyday, it seems like things are finally inching towards a new day. With that in mind, I can’t help but want to make brunch food. A DIY bagel bar, a make-you-own-toast station, all the pancakes and waffles one could imagine, and a big pot of shakshuka. These are things that run through my head regularly.

In that vein, I thought a combination of a few of those ideas sounded super fun. So here we have it, Shakshuka Toast! Shakshuka is a staple in North African and Middle Eastern cuisine, which consists of: onions, pepper, garlic, spices (I like adding harissa paste, but it’s not a deal breaker), canned tomatoes, and in this vegan variation we use butter beans instead of eggs. We pan-fry some toast with olive oil, rub it with some garlic, sprinkle it with some flaky salt, then on goes the shakshuka sauce. We serve it warm with some chopped radishes, maybe some herbs - you could also top it with a dollop of plant-based yogurt as well. This kind of meal is made for a family style meal, and I actually love that with making this version vegan, here isn’t the pressure to poach the eggs perfectly. Super low maintenance, which is something to love.

We’re using Little Northern Bakehouse Sprouted gluten-free bread here. They sent me some try to a few weeks ago, and my kids and I love it. It does double duty as an everyday sandwich bread, while also being great to jazz up for a fancy toast brunch situation. It has an airy quality, but also has great texture and flavor (if you’re gluten-free, then I’m sure you know that’s a hard thing to come by!). I especially love using their sprouted bread for all these reasons, and also because the sprouting process makes nutrients more accessible and more easily digestible. It stands up great to the shakshuka here (but don’t let it sit too long, like with any bread, it will get soggy), adding a wonderful crunchy texture.

*This post was sponsored by Little Northern Bakehouse, as always all the thoughts and opinions are my own.

VEGAN BUTTER BEAN SHAKSHUKA TOASTS | GF

| makes 8 toasts |

print the recipe

ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for frying the bread
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tablespoons prepared harissa paste (depending on how spicy you want it)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar
1 (28 ounce) can whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed with a masher or your hands
1 teaspoon fine salt
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 15-ounce can butter beans, drained and rinsed
Spray oil (preferably high-heat oil like avocado)
8 pieces Little Northern Bakery Sprouted 7 Grain Gluten-Free Bread
1 clove garlic, sliced in half
Flaky salt
Sliced radishes, for serving
Fresh dill, for serving

method

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low. Add onion and pepper, cook, stirring every so often until soft; about 15-20 minutes. Add garlic and cook until tender and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the harissa, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and sugar. Stir, and cook for another minute. Pour in the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring everything to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
Fold in the beans. Taste and adjust any seasonings, adding more salt or spices if necessary. Remove from heat and cover.
Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Once hot, spray with oil, place bread in the pan, and spray the other side of the bread. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until toasted. Remove from the pan and rub one side of the toast with the cut side of the garlic. Top with flaky salt, and repeat with remaining pieces of toast.
Serve toasts with a heaping serving of the shakshuka. Top with sliced radishes, fresh dill, and more flaky salt. Serve immediately.