Shakshuka-ish Breakfast Casserole with Feta Drop Biscuits
This playful twist on shakshuka is a hearty, showstopping choice for brunch for a crowd.
Serves8
Prep35 minutes to 40 minutes
Cook1 hour 5 minutes
One of the things I love doing in the kitchen is trying to combine two different dishes that I already love into one new dish that I will hopefully love even more. Here, I started with shakshuka, one of my favorite breakfast dishes, and gave it the breakfast casserole treatment.
The recipe starts with peppers and onion, which I sauté with a chile pepper for some heat. The vegetables are cooked until they’re caramelized and soft, which takes a full 20 minutes (don’t rush it). Then I added in some garlic, diced tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes for a hit of umami. There’s also the classic shakshuka spices, like the cumin seeds, hot paprika, and cayenne pepper. And then the classic ingredients, like the whole milk, eggs. And then I opted for feta cheese because that’s traditional in shakshuka.
While the pepper mixture cools, you make the feta drop biscuits. I love biscuits, so I thought that would be a fun addition to this recipe. Shakshuka is often served with pita or another type of bread, but here I’ve added the bread to the dish itself. To stick with the theme, I used feta and cilantro in the biscuits, which are the two classic toppings for shakshuka.
When it’s time to put everything together, the pepper mixture is stirred into an egg-and-milk mixture, then you drop the biscuits on top. And it really just all comes together into this super flavor-packed dish. You have the buttery, carby biscuits on top that pair really well with that super-rich, vegetable-filled, tomato-onion mixture underneath.
Shakshuka-ish Breakfast Casserole with Feta Drop Biscuits Recipe
This playful twist on shakshuka is a hearty, showstopping choice for brunch for a crowd.
Prep time 35 minutes to 40 minutes
Cook time 1 hour 5 minutes
Serves 8
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
For the shakshuka:
- 2
small or 1 1/2 medium red bell peppers
- 1
small yellow bell pepper
- 1
large yellow onion
- 1
medium chile pepper, such as jalapeño or Fresno
- 1 1/4 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 cup
olive oil
- 3 large cloves
garlic
- 1
(14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup
chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon
cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon
hot paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon
cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
For the feta drop biscuits:
- 4 ounces
feta cheese
- 1/2 bunch
fresh cilantro
- 2 cups
all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon
baking powder
- 1 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon
granulated sugar
- 10 tablespoons
(1 1/4 sticks) cold unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups
whole milk
For the casserole:
- 4 ounces
feta cheese
Cooking spray
- 12
large eggs
- 1/2 cup
whole milk
Crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh cilantro, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Make the shakshuka:
Trim and cut the following into large dice, placing each in the same medium bowl as you complete it: 2 small or 1 1/2 medium red bell peppers (2 cups), 1 small yellow pepper (1 cup), and 1 large yellow onion (2 cups). Trim and cut 1 medium chile pepper into small dice (1/4 cup) and add to the bowl.
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion mixture and 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and reducing the heat as needed if the vegetables start to burn, until caramelized and soft, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop 3 large garlic cloves (about 3 teaspoons). Drain 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes. Coarsely chop 1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes if needed.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the diced tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon hot paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Season with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and cook until the flavors meld, about 2 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and let the shakshuka mixture cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Make the drop biscuit dough.
Make the feta drop biscuits:
Crumble 4 ounces feta cheese. Coarsely chop the leaves and tender stems of 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro until you have 1/2 packed cup.
Place 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Cut 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter into 1/2-inch cubes. Add the butter to the flour mixture. Using your hands, toss the butter in the flour until fully coated. Using a fork or your hands, cut the butter into pieces no larger than a pea.
Add the feta and cilantro and toss to combine. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in 1 1/4 cups whole milk. Using a flexible spatula, mix until a wet, scoopable dough forms.
Assemble and bake the casserole:
Crumble 4 ounces feta cheese into large pieces. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Place 12 large eggs in a very large mixing bowl and whisk until the yolks and whites are fully combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup whole milk and whisk to combine. Add the cooled shakshuka mixture and feta and stir to combine. Pour the egg mixture into the baking dish.
Using an ice cream scoop or a 1/4-cup measuring cup, drop scant 1/4-cup portions of the biscuit dough on top of the egg mixture to create 4 rows with 4 or 5 biscuits in each row.
Bake until the eggs are fully set and the biscuits are golden-brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then slice and serve with more cilantro and feta, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.