Shakshuka Nutrition Explained

What’s stable, what changes, and why numbers disagree

Why this page exists

Search results for shakshuka nutrition are inconsistent.

Some label it low-calorie.

Others treat it as heavy brunch food.

Both can be true — depending on how it’s cooked and what’s added.

This page explains the nutritional reality without diet framing or clickbait.

For a definition of the dish itself, see What is shakshuka / chakchouka?

The baseline (what we’re actually measuring)

Unless stated otherwise, the ranges below assume:

• Tomato-pepper base

• 2 eggs

• Olive oil used for cooking

• No bread counted

• One finished pan portion (≈350–450 g)

This matters. Most online sources do not state their assumptions.

Calorie & macro ranges (honest)

Scenario	Calories (kcal)	Protein (g)	Fat (g)	Carbs (g)
Minimal oil (≈1 tbsp), eggs only	280–360	18–22	18–24	18–24
Typical home version (2–3 tbsp oil)	400–520	18–22	30–40	20–26
+ Bread (1 medium piece)	+160–220	+5–7	+2–4	+30–40
+ Cheese (30–50 g)	+80–150	+4–8	+6–12	+1–3
+ Meat (50–80 g)	+150–280	+10–18	+12–22	0–2
+ Chickpeas (½ cup)	+120–160	+6–8	+2–3	+18–24

Key point:

Two shakshukas that look identical can differ by 300–500 kcal.

What stays relatively stable

Across most preparations:

Protein floor

• Eggs anchor protein at ~18–22 g per serving

• This does not change unless egg count changes

Vegetable volume

• Tomatoes, peppers, onions are low-calorie, high-water foods

• They add bulk without major calorie load

Micronutrients

Commonly present:

• Lycopene (tomatoes)

• Vitamin C (peppers)

• Choline (eggs)

These remain stable unless the dish becomes oil- or bread-dominant.

What actually changes the numbers (ranked)

1. Oil (largest swing)

• 1 tbsp olive oil ≈ 120 kcal

• Many home and restaurant versions use 3–5 tbsp

• Volume looks the same; calories double

This is the main reason nutrition labels disagree.

Oil quantity and sauce reduction are discussed separately in how shakshuka is cooked properly.

2. Bread (second largest swing)

• Often excluded from listings

• Almost always eaten with the dish

• Adds fast carbohydrates, little protein or fiber

Bread can change the meal more than the shakshuka itself.

3. Meat or cheese

• Raises calories quickly

• Shifts the dish toward fat density

• Nutritionally valid, but no longer neutral

4. Chickpeas

• Adds carbs and fiber

• Moderate calorie increase

• Improves satiety per calorie more than meat or cheese

Why online calorie counts conflict

Most discrepancies come from:

• Oil not measured or omitted

• Bread counted sometimes, ignored other times

• Different egg counts (1 vs 2 vs 3)

• Restaurant portions vs home portions

• “Per pan” vs “per plate” confusion

Very few sources explain these variables.

Is shakshuka “healthy”?

That depends on how the variables are handled.

Structurally:

• Vegetables + eggs = balanced base

• Oil and bread determine calorie density

Shakshuka is best described as calorie-elastic, not inherently light or heavy.

Practical framing (non-diet language)

• Light oil, eggs, vegetables → moderate, balanced meal

• Heavy oil, bread, meat → calorie-dense dish

• Eggs stabilize protein; vegetables stabilize volume

• Oil and bread are the wildcards

No single label fits all versions.

What this page does not claim

• It does not market shakshuka as a diet food

• It does not demonize fat or bread

• It does not flatten cultural eating patterns

• It does not use “superfood” language

It explains what moves the numbers.

For historical and culinary context, see the canonical definition page.