White Bean Shakshuka is a comforting and flavorful twist on the traditional Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dish. Instead of relying only on tomatoes, this version combines creamy white beans with aromatic spices, eggs, and a rich sauce to create a hearty, satisfying meal perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner.
The foundation of White Bean Shakshuka starts with sautéed onions and garlic, which create a warm and savory base. Spices like cumin, paprika, and chili flakes add depth and subtle heat, giving the dish its signature bold flavor. As the ingredients cook together, the kitchen fills with a rich, inviting aroma that makes the meal feel both rustic and comforting.
White beans are what make this variation unique. Their creamy texture blends beautifully with the sauce, adding heartiness and plant-based protein that make the dish more filling. Cannellini beans, navy beans, or butter beans all work well, each contributing a soft texture that complements the rich spices and eggs.
The eggs are gently cooked directly in the sauce, creating soft yolks that blend into the dish when served. This adds richness and creates a satisfying contrast between the creamy beans and the bold, spiced base. Fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro brighten the flavors, while crumbled feta can add a salty, tangy finish.
One of the best things about White Bean Shakshuka is its versatility. It can be served with crusty bread, pita bread, or roasted vegetables, making it suitable for casual breakfasts or cozy evening meals. It’s also an excellent one-pan dish, making preparation and cleanup simple and convenient.
This recipe feels nourishing and balanced, combining protein, fiber, and bold flavor into one warm skillet. It’s ideal for colder days when comforting meals are especially welcome, but light enough to enjoy year-round.
White Bean Shakshuka offers a delicious blend of creamy texture, warming spices, and satisfying richness. With its comforting flavors and easy preparation, it’s a modern variation of a classic dish that feels both wholesome and deeply satisfying.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika smoked
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 can diced tomatoes 28 ounces, with juices
- 1 can white beans 15 ounces, drained and rinsed
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish
- to taste salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in minced garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Pour in the can of diced tomatoes along with its juices. Stir well and let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- Add the drained and rinsed white beans to the skillet. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Make 4 small wells in the mixture and crack an egg into each well. Cover the skillet and cook until the eggs are cooked to your liking, about 5-7 minutes for runny yolks.
- Remove the skillet from heat and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
WOW! This is like a party in my mouth! 🤩 Will impress my friends for sure. Thanks for sharing!
This sounds amazing! I can’t wait to try it myself. Shakshuka is always a hit!
I don’t know about this… Seems too complicated for beans and eggs. Can’t we just scramble the eggs and eat it with beans on the side? 🤷♂️
Very delicious! But I used black beans instead ’cause that’s what I had, and it still turned out great. Recommend to everyone!
I am not a chef, but I followed all the steps. The taste was okay, but I think my eggs got overcooked. Next time I’ll watch them closer!
This recipe is amazing! So flavorful and hearty. I added some spinach for extra greens and it was perfect! Definitely making this again.
Not gonna lie, I’m skeptical about putting cayenne and paprika together—mine tasted slightly bitter. Might be my paprika brand.
Super easy to make! I added some feta cheese on top, and it was amazing. Will definitely make again!
First time cooking shakshuka… I forgot the cilantro. Still turned out okay. Eggs were runny like I wanted. Not too bad. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Yum! 😋 This is what I needed for brunch. Much better than my usual cereal.
This looks delicious! 😍 Can’t wait to try it for brunch tomorrow. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
I dunno… beans and eggs? Sounds kinda weird to me. Personally, I’d stick with cereal. 🤷♂️
“Simmer about 10 minutes” is optimistic… I let it go longer because my kitchen was cold? Anyway it came out thicker and better than expected. Would make again.
Honestly “about 10 minutes” is never enough for me either. When my kitchen’s chilly I add like 20 and it still tastes great. Glad it worked out for you!
This recipe is incredible! The spices are just right, and the eggs came out perfect. My family loved it! 🌟
Not gonna lie, I thought it would be kinda bland because I’m not a huge fan of beans… but the tomato base fixed that. Super satisfying.
I had to substitute smoked paprika (out), and I used regular paprika. It was still okay, but not the same smoky depth.
I think it’s still basically shakshuka, so “not the same” is fine 😅. Also I once used regular paprika and added some smoked salt and it turned out great. Love white beans too!
Good call on trying it anyway—yeah, smoked paprika really does the heavy lifting for that deeper, smoky vibe. Next time you could add a pinch of liquid smoke or even a little chipotle powder to mimic it.
I dunno, it just tasted weird to me. Maybe too much cumin? Not my thing.
The cayenne was a lot. Like, I used the full 1/4 tsp and it was too spicy for me. Also I forgot to rinse the beans—oops—still ate it though.
This was super delicious! Never thought I’d like beans in my eggs. Will make again!
I don’t know, sounds kinda weird with beans and eggs together. Might try it, but my kids might not eat it.
Yum yum! I love it!!!
The smell is amazing while cooking, but the whole thing went watery for me. I simmered longer and it fixed it. Could be my tomatoes?
That sounds like you nailed the fix—if it went watery, simmering longer usually helps reduce the tomato liquid. Tomatoes can definitely be the culprit though (some cans are just extra juicy). Next time you could try cooking the tomato base a few minutes more before adding the beans, or drain the beans a bit better.
Not bad, but my eggs didn’t cook the way I wanted. I covered the skillet, but the yolks ended up more set than runny. Also, I used canned beans that were a bit too salty so I had to adjust the seasoning.
Made this last night—so cozy. The cumin + smoked paprika combo is legit, and the runny yolks on top are chef’s kiss.
The instructions are clear, but “cook until eggs are cooked to your liking” is vague 😂 I went for 5 minutes and the yolks were still runny, which is fine, just different than I expected.
I didn’t have fresh cilantro so I used parsley. Still tasted good, but cilantro would’ve made it brighter I think.
Parsley totally works—cilantro just adds that extra pop. I’m the same way when I’m out of fresh herbs. Next time I might try a little extra cumin or a squeeze of lemon to “brighten” it since you’re right about that cilantro effect.
Nice twist on shakshuka. White beans make it heartier than I expected. Cilantro garnish helped a lot.
Agreed! The white beans totally change the texture—more filling for sure. I also love adding cilantro at the end; it brightens everything up. Might try a bit of extra smoked paprika next time.
I thought shakshuka was supposed to have tomatoes, but this one has too many beans! Weird combo.
I think the beans add a nice twist! It’s a different take on shakshuka, but I’d love to try it. Thanks for the recipe!
5 stars. Like restaurant-level. I served it with crusty bread and everyone asked for the recipe.
That’s awesome—crusty bread is the perfect move for soaking up the sauce 😄 I’m glad everyone loved it! Did you do runny yolks or more set?
I think 4 eggs is too many for 15oz beans? It felt a bit egg-heavy. Flavor was good, but portion balance threw me off.
Mine took longer than 10 minutes to simmer—maybe my stove runs cool. Still tasted great though. Would make again.
Made this last night and wow—those spices with the white beans are such a cozy combo. The runny yolks on top were the perfect finishing touch. Definitely saving this.
Very easy to make and healthy too. I added some cheese on top, and it was amazing!
Pretty good, but I found it needed way more salt than I expected. Also my eggs took closer to 10 minutes covered, not 5–7.
Good points! I’ve noticed bean-based sauces can really mute salt at first—adding gradually at the end usually fixes it. Thanks for the egg timing too; mine always run a little longer once the skillet’s not fully hot.
Huh, I did wonder about the 5–7 min thing. When I cover it, mine took closer to 9 or 10 too—maybe because the sauce is thicker or the eggs were cold. Also salt… yeah, I always end up adding more than the “to taste” feels like it should mean.
I’m not usually a fan of shakshuka but this one worked. I used navy beans and it still tasted great. Wouldn’t mind a little more heat next time.
Glad it worked for you! Navy beans actually sound like a great swap—similar creamy texture. Next time, I’d bump the cayenne or add a pinch of chili flakes when the spices bloom.
This is basically bean stew with eggs… not bad, just not what I was expecting. Cilantro on top was a nice touch.
I don’t get it—shakshuka is supposed to be red and spicy, not… white beans? Like, it tastes fine but it feels like a different dish entirely. Could be my expectations though.
I totally get what you mean. Shakshuka in my head = red tomato sauce, so when I see beans it feels like a twist. But honestly the spices + diced tomatoes are still doing the heavy lifting—maybe yours just leaned more bean-forward.
Lol yeah “white bean shakshuka” sounds sus 😂 I’d want more tomato/less beans. Maybe next time use 1/2 the beans or add extra tomato paste so it turns more red. Otherwise it’s kinda like eggs in bean stew… but if it tastes fine, who cares?
Made this last night—so cozy. The cumin + smoked paprika combo is unreal, and the runny yolks mixed with the tomato/bean sauce were perfect.
Not gonna lie, I didn’t expect beans to work with shakshuka, but wow. I used pinto beans instead (didn’t have white) and it still tasted great.
I followed it pretty closely, but I added a splash of lemon at the end. It brightened everything. Next time I’ll use a little more cayenne for kick.
Cayenne felt like overkill for me. I halved it and it was still flavorful. Also chopping the onion kinda makes your eyes do the thing, so maybe use safety goggles lol.
I tried it and the yolks broke 😅 but the sauce is awesome. Next time I’ll crack the eggs closer to the center wells and cook a touch longer for firmer yolks.
Ahhh the yolks breaking happens to the best of us 😅 Glad you liked the sauce! Cracking closer to the center wells is a perfect fix—also covering a little more gently can help keep them intact.
White bean shakshuka sounds good but my eggs always scramble when I cover the pan… I’d try lowering the heat more and not stirring after you put the eggs in. Also, do you salt the tomato/bean mix before adding the eggs?
Pretty solid. I added a pinch more cayenne because I like heat, and I think the simmer time could go a little longer to really thicken the sauce. Still super tasty though.
The instructions were clear, but I accidentally forgot to rinse the beans and it was kinda starchy. Flavor still decent though—learned my lesson.
Made this last night and it was *so* cozy. The cumin + smoked paprika combo is legit, and the runny yolks really pull it together. I might add a squeeze of lemon next time for brightness.
Yes!! Cozy is exactly it. The runny yolks + white beans are such a good combo—made me want bread immediately 😄
I did it but my yolks weren’t runny at all… I guess I cooked too long or my eggs were bigger. Still tasty though, and I also added lemon like you said—helped a lot.
Wow.
Seriously—wow. The cumin + smoked paprika combo in this is so good.
Pretty good, but I found it a little bland until I added extra salt. Also my eggs took longer than 7 minutes—covered the pan though. Still a nice weeknight meal.
Glad it worked out! I totally agree—white bean shakshuka can use a little extra salt depending on the tomatoes/beans. And yep, runny yolks always seem to take longer if the pan isn’t quite hot enough. 7 minutes is more like a suggestion 😅
I think this is missing something—like maybe olives or feta? It tasted a bit like tomato bean stew with eggs. Good, but not “wow” enough for me.
Nah, I think “shakshuka” is tomato + spice + eggs. If you start adding feta/olives it’s basically a different thing. For me it’s more about using good cumin/paprika and letting it simmer longer than 10 minutes.
I get what you mean—without something briny, it can feel a little one-note. Adding feta or olives would definitely amp it up for me. I’ve also done a pinch of oregano and it helped a lot.