Breakfast Egg-less Shakshuka (Vegan)

We all know that every little thing affects every little thing. That’s no different with what we put in our stomachs! Especially — your first meal of the day, breakfast.

In Yoga, Ayurveda, of course, modern food science and many other subtle or spiritual traditions, certain foods are recognised to affect your body in certain ways. Some are heating (ushna) and should be avoided when you’re having a fever or experiencing inflammation; some are clearing (lekhaniya) and can ‘scrape’ the body of its toxins and, some are dulling (tamasic) which can cause the mind and body to become sluggish or ineffective.

This Vegan Tofu Shakshuka recipe takes one of our classic breakfast ingredients which is can be seen to influence lethargy and replaces it with a more energising alternative — Eggs are set aside for Tofu! You’ll also notice onions and garlic aren’t used either for those exact same reasons. Typically we would swap them with other ingredients, but since we’re already introducing some unique ingredients, we’ve left their alternative out for this recipe to keep things simple.

We’ll explore more specific ingredient swaps that are seen to uplift your mental or bodily functions and the concept of ingredients and their inherent qualities further in coming blogs, courses and workshops! For today, let’s look at kala namak and nutritional yeast.

• Kala Namak (Himalayan Black Salt): Naturally high in sulfur compounds, a small pinch instantly provides that distinct “eggy” taste and aroma. In Ayurveda, it is celebrated for stimulating digestion (agni) while remaining cooling and gentle on the system.
• Nutritional Yeast: These golden flakes bring warm, savory umami that mimics the depth of cooked yolks. They offer clean, steady energy and B vitamins without the sluggishness (tamas) of heavy dairy.

Now, that we know a little about our key ingredients let’s get into a warm, toasty breakfast.

Ingredients

Tofu ‘Egg’

• 150g of firm tofu
• Pinch turmeric
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• Pinch kala namak (black salt) or sea salt
• As needed, water

Tomato Sauce

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium red capsicum/bell pepper, 1cm cubes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes (or canned chopped tomatoes)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 handful chopped parsley

Method

Sauté base

Heat your olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the capsicum/bell pepper, and cook for a few minutes until softened. Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, and red pepper flakes, cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Simmer your sauce

Stir in your tomatoes. Season with salt and black pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

Tofu eggs

Whilst your sauce is reducing, blend all Tofu ‘Egg’ ingredients together until a grainy paste forms.

Use the back of a spoon to create 2 or 3 small wells in the sauce. Gently place the tofu ‘egg’ into the wells. Cover with a lid and simmer on low for 3 minutes to warm through (alternatively, place your entire skillet into the oven uncovered at 175C for 5-8 minutes).

Finish and serve

Remove lid, sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs, and serve warm straight from the pan with crusty toast.

Enjoy your breakfast yogis!

With love, Crystal