Description
Pisto Manchego with Eggs is a traditional Spanish vegetable stew made with sautéed onions, zucchini, bell peppers, garlic, and fresh tomatoes, simmered to a rich consistency and topped with softly cooked eggs. This hearty and flavorful dish is perfect for a comforting breakfast, brunch, or light dinner, served best with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 white onion, thinly sliced
- 1 zucchini or yellow squash, peeled and chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
Other Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil (about 2-3 tablespoons)
- ½ tsp sea salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar (optional)
- ½ cup water
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- Sauté the Onions: Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions with a pinch of sea salt. Stir occasionally until the onions become golden and caramelized, which should take about 8-10 minutes.
- Cook the Zucchini and Peppers: Add the peeled and chopped zucchini to the pan and cook until it softens, around 5 minutes. Then stir in the chopped green and red bell peppers and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until they start to tenderize.
- Add Garlic and Tomatoes: Stir in the minced garlic and cook briefly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chopped ripe tomatoes and cook until they release their juices and start breaking down, approximately 5 minutes.
- Simmer: Pour in the optional sherry vinegar and the ½ cup of water. Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer gently, uncovered, until the stew thickens to a nice, stew-like consistency, about 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Cook the Eggs: Make four small wells in the thickened vegetable stew. Crack one egg into each well. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat until the egg whites are just set but the yolks remain runny, about 5-7 minutes.
- Serve: Remove from heat and serve the pisto immediately. It pairs excellently with crusty bread to soak up the rich sauce and runny egg yolks.
Notes
- Adjust salt to taste throughout cooking.
- If sherry vinegar is not available or desired, it can be omitted without major impact on flavor.
- For fully cooked yolks, extend cooking of eggs by 2-3 minutes.
- This dish can be made vegan by omitting the eggs or substituting with scrambled tofu.
- Use fresh, ripe tomatoes for best flavor or substitute with canned tomatoes if out of season.
- Serve with crusty bread or alongside rice for a more filling meal.
