Low Calorie Shakshuka with Bell Peppers and Tomatoes

Name: Low Calorie Shakshuka with Bell Peppers and Tomatoes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tsp olive oil (extra virgin); 1 medium red onion (finely diced); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 large red bell pepper (deseeded and sliced into thin strips); 1 large yellow bell pepper (deseeded and sliced into thin strips); 1 large orange bell pepper (deseeded and sliced into thin strips); 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp ground cumin; 0.5 tsp ground coriander; 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste); 0.25 tsp black pepper (freshly ground); 0.25 tsp sea salt; 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes (no added salt variety if possible); 200 g cherry tomatoes (halved); 2 tbsp tomato paste (no added sugar); 60 ml low sodium vegetable broth (or water); 80 g baby spinach (fresh); 8 large eggs (free-range); 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley (roughly chopped, to serve); 0.5 tsp red chilli flakes (optional, to serve)

High ProteinDairy-FreeGluten-FreeMeal PrepPaleoNut-Free

Prep Time10 min

Cook Time25 min

Servings4

Calories230 kcal

Health Score7/10

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Low Calorie Shakshuka with Bell Peppers and Tomatoes

There is something genuinely special about a meal that looks and tastes indulgent but quietly ticks every nutritional box. That is exactly what this low calorie shakshuka with bell peppers and tomatoes delivers. It is vibrant, deeply savoury, and filling enough to carry you through a busy morning, yet it comes in well under 250 calories per serving. The base is built on a generous mix of red, yellow, and orange bell peppers slow-softened with red onion and garlic, creating a naturally sweet foundation that lets you cut way back on oil without sacrificing any richness or depth.

The tomato sauce here gets its bold flavour from a combination of smoked paprika, ground cumin, coriander, and a pinch of cayenne. These spices do a lot of the heavy lifting, so you do not need to rely on added salt or fat to make everything pop. A full can of crushed tomatoes brings lycopene and fibre to the party, while a handful of fresh baby spinach stirred in just before the eggs go in adds iron, folate, and a subtle earthiness that rounds out the whole dish beautifully. Each serving gives you around 16 grams of protein from two eggs, which is a genuinely impressive number for a breakfast under 250 calories.

What makes this version healthier than most traditional shakshuka recipes comes down to a few deliberate choices. First, olive oil is kept to a single teaspoon rather than the usual generous pour. Second, there is no added sugar to balance the tomatoes, because the bell peppers provide all the sweetness you need once they are properly cooked down. Third, the eggs are nestled into the sauce and cooked gently with a lid on, which means they stay tender and silky without any extra fat. The result is a dish that feels luxurious but genuinely supports your health goals rather than working against them.

This shakshuka is also wonderfully flexible. You can serve it straight from the pan for a fuss-free solo breakfast, or double the batch and feed a crowd at a weekend brunch without breaking a sweat. It works beautifully with a side of wholegrain sourdough toast for extra fibre, or keep it completely grain-free and serve with sliced avocado. Leftovers of the sauce, without the eggs, store brilliantly in the fridge for up to four days, so you can make a big batch of the tomato-pepper base on Sunday and have quick, nourishing breakfasts ready to go all week. Just reheat the sauce, crack in fresh eggs, and breakfast is on the table in under ten minutes.

Ingredients

Serves:4

1 tsp olive oil (extra virgin)
1 medium red onion (finely diced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 large red bell pepper (deseeded and sliced into thin strips)
1 large yellow bell pepper (deseeded and sliced into thin strips)
1 large orange bell pepper (deseeded and sliced into thin strips)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
0.5 tsp ground coriander
0.3 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
0.3 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
0.3 tsp sea salt
1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes (no added salt variety if possible)
200 g cherry tomatoes (halved)
2 tbsp tomato paste (no added sugar)
60 ml low sodium vegetable broth (or water)
80 g baby spinach (fresh)
8 large eggs (free-range)
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley (roughly chopped, to serve)
0.5 tsp red chilli flakes (optional, to serve)

Instructions

1
Place a large, deep non-stick skillet or wide sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and let it warm for about 30 seconds. Add the diced red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes until it softens and turns translucent.
Low and slow is key here. Rushing the onion will mean you miss out on its natural sweetness, which forms the flavour base of the whole dish.
2
Add the minced garlic and all three colours of sliced bell pepper to the pan. Stir well to combine. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the peppers have softened significantly and started to develop a little colour at the edges.
Using three colours of bell pepper is not just about looks. Red and orange peppers are sweeter and higher in vitamin C, while yellow adds a mild, almost fruity note that balances the acidity of the tomatoes.
3
Sprinkle in the smoked paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander, cayenne, black pepper, and sea salt. Stir everything together and let the spices toast in the pan for about 60 seconds. This short blooming step deepens the flavour noticeably.
4
Add the tomato paste and stir it through the vegetable mixture, coating everything evenly. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, halved cherry tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
The cherry tomatoes add bursts of juicy freshness that complement the deeper, richer flavour of the crushed tomatoes. Do not skip them.
5
Add the fresh baby spinach to the pan and stir it gently into the sauce. It will wilt down within about 60 to 90 seconds. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed.
6
Use the back of a large spoon to make 8 shallow wells evenly spaced across the surface of the sauce. Crack one egg carefully into each well, keeping the yolks intact.
Crack each egg into a small cup first before sliding it into the well. This prevents any shell from landing in the sauce and gives you more control over placement.
7
Place a lid on the pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Five minutes will give you soft, runny yolks. Seven minutes produces fully set yolks. Keep an eye on them from around the 4-minute mark as every pan and hob runs slightly differently.
If your pan does not have a lid, a large baking tray or sheet of foil placed firmly over the top works just as well.
8
Remove the lid and scatter the fresh chopped parsley over the top. Add chilli flakes if desired. Serve immediately, straight from the pan, dividing the eggs and sauce evenly between four bowls or plates.

Nutrition per serving

230kcal

Calories

16g

Protein

18g

Carbs

10g

Fat

Fibre

Sugar

320mg

Sodium

Pro Tips

✓
Do not rush the bell peppers. Getting them properly soft and slightly caramelised before adding the tomatoes is what gives the sauce its natural sweetness.
✓
Use a wide, shallow pan rather than a deep saucepan so the eggs cook evenly and the sauce reduces properly.
✓
If the sauce looks too thick before you add the eggs, splash in a little extra vegetable broth to loosen it slightly.
✓
For a higher protein version, add half a can of drained and rinsed white beans into the sauce before adding the eggs. It adds fibre and plant-based protein without significantly changing the flavour.
✓
Serve with wholegrain toast or warm wholemeal pitta for extra fibre, or keep it grain-free and pair with half an avocado.
✓
The sauce base, without the eggs, freezes well for up to 3 months. Make a double batch, freeze half in portions, and you have an instant flavour-packed breakfast base ready whenever you need it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories are in this low calorie shakshuka with bell peppers and tomatoes?↓

Each serving contains approximately 230 calories, which includes two eggs and a generous portion of the tomato and bell pepper sauce. This is significantly lower than many traditional shakshuka recipes, which can reach 350 to 400 calories per serving due to higher oil content and added sugar.

Can I make the sauce ahead of time?↓

Yes, absolutely. The tomato and bell pepper sauce keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you are ready to eat, simply reheat the sauce in a skillet over medium heat, create the wells, crack in the eggs, and finish as directed. Fresh eggs in a freshly reheated sauce take about the same time as the original recipe.

Is this shakshuka suitable for a gluten-free diet?↓

Yes, the shakshuka itself is completely gluten-free. Just be mindful of what you serve alongside it. Wholegrain toast or pitta contains gluten, so opt for gluten-free bread, corn tortillas, or simply serve it with sliced avocado if you need to keep the whole meal gluten-free.

Can I increase the protein content further?↓

Definitely. Adding half a 400g can of drained chickpeas or cannellini beans to the sauce before adding the eggs will increase plant-based protein and fibre meaningfully. You could also crumble a small amount of low-fat feta over the finished dish for an extra protein and calcium boost, though this will add a few calories and is not dairy-free.

Why use three colours of bell pepper instead of just one?↓

Different coloured bell peppers actually have different flavour profiles. Red peppers are the sweetest and highest in vitamin C. Yellow peppers add a mild, slightly fruity note. Orange peppers sit somewhere in between. Using all three creates a more layered, naturally sweet sauce that means you genuinely do not need to add any sugar to balance the tomatoes.

What can I substitute for eggs to make this vegan?↓

To make the dish vegan, you can skip the eggs and instead stir in a full can of drained chickpeas and a block of cubed firm tofu at the same time as the spinach. The chickpeas provide protein and fibre while the tofu adds a satisfying texture. The dish will still be nourishing and filling, just a different experience from the original.

Variations

•
Spicy Harissa Shakshuka
Stir 1 to 2 teaspoons of harissa paste into the sauce along with the crushed tomatoes for a deeper, North African-inspired heat. Reduce the cayenne to a pinch if you do not want it too fiery.
•
Green Shakshuka
Swap the crushed tomatoes for 200ml of low sodium vegetable broth and increase the spinach to 200g. Add a large zucchini, grated, with the bell peppers, and stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill at the end. This version is lighter, brighter, and feels completely different from the original while keeping the same comforting egg-in-sauce format.
•
Chickpea and Spinach Shakshuka
Add one 400g can of drained and rinsed chickpeas to the sauce before adding the eggs. This boosts fibre to over 9g per serving and adds plant-based protein, making it especially satisfying. Reduce the number of eggs to one per person if you are watching calories closely.
•
Moroccan-Spiced Shakshuka
Add half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a quarter teaspoon of ground ginger alongside the other spices. These warm, sweet spices give the dish a distinctive Moroccan character. A small handful of raisins stirred into the sauce might sound unusual but adds a lovely counterpoint to the heat.

Substitutions

•
Fresh baby spinach → Kale or Swiss chard (Remove tough stems and chop finely. Kale and chard take slightly longer to wilt, around 3 to 4 minutes, so add them a little earlier than you would spinach.)
•
Crushed tomatoes → One can of petite diced tomatoes plus one can of plain tomato sauce (This gives a similar texture to crushed tomatoes without needing a specific product. Use no-added-salt varieties where possible to keep sodium in check.)
•
Low sodium vegetable broth → Water with a pinch of garlic powder (Plain water works fine here. The broth just adds a little extra depth, but the spices and tomatoes carry the flavour perfectly well without it.)
•
Red onion → White onion or shallots (White onion is slightly more pungent but softens beautifully in the pan. Shallots are milder and slightly sweeter, which works very well in this recipe.)
•
Olive oil → Avocado oil or a light spray of cooking oil (Avocado oil has a higher smoke point and a neutral flavour. A cooking oil spray reduces calories further if that is a priority, though you will need to stir more frequently to prevent sticking.)

🧊 Storage

Store any leftover sauce separately from the eggs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Cooked eggs do not store well as they become rubbery when reheated, so it is best to only cook as many eggs as you plan to eat immediately. Reheat the sauce gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat and crack in fresh eggs to finish.

📅 Make Ahead

The tomato and bell pepper sauce can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in the fridge. It also freezes well in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat in a skillet, and add fresh eggs to finish. This makes it an excellent meal prep option for busy weekday mornings.