Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a simple, flavorful recipe featuring perfectly poached eggs in a rich, flavorful tomato sauce. This egg recipe is perfect for breakfast, brunch or an easy, healthy dinner.
What is Shakshuka?
Shakshuka is a dish that was made popular in the Middle East and Northern Africa featuring eggs poached in a rich tomato sauce. The traditional method involves sautéing onions, peppers, and garlic in olive oil until they become soft and slightly caramelized. Then, ripe tomatoes are added to the pan along with flavorful spices and allowed to simmer until the flavors meld together and the sauce thickens.
Once the tomato base is ready, small wells are created in the sauce, and fresh eggs are cracked into these indentations. The pan is covered and left to cook on low heat until the egg whites set, but the yolks remain slightly runny. This cooking method allows the eggs to poach in the tomato sauce, infusing them with its rich flavors.
Origin of Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a popular North African and Middle Eastern dish that has become well-loved worldwide. It is a savory, one-pan dish made from simple ingredients like eggs, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and various spices. The name “shakshuka” is believed to originate from Arabic, meaning “mixture.”
Ingredients for Shakshuka
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need for this recipe. For a printable recipe card and exact measurements, keep scrolling down to the bottom of the page.
- Olive Oil: any neutral oil such as avocado oil will work. This is just for sauteeing the vegetables.
- Fresh Vegetables: onion, red bell pepper, and garlic.
- Spices and Herbs: dried oregano, sweet paprika, cumin, turmeric, salt, and pepper. As well as fresh parsley.
- Canned crushed tomatoes: If you like it spicy, use the fire-roasted version! If you’ve got fresh garden tomatoes, simply peel the tomatoes and crush them with a potato masher in a bowl before adding.
- Eggs: size large eggs. This recipe uses 6 but it is possible to add up to 8 in this recipe if you need to stretch things a little further.
- Cheese: crumbled feta is used in this recipe
How to Make Shakshuka
In addition to the ingredients listed above you will want a great non-stick or very well seasoned cast iron pan, as well as a good wooden spoon for stirring. This meal is so flavorful, it tastes like you worked all day for it! Instead, this dish is surprisingly simple. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide for making this delicious vegetarian meal.
Saute Vegetables
The first step is the saute the vegetables. In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, add the oil, diced onion and peppers. Saute for 8-10 minutes, mixing occasionally, until softened and lightly charred.
Make and Simmer Sauce
Once the peppers and onions have softened add the minced garlic, oregano, paprika, cumin, turmeric, pepper and salt. Add the crushed tomatoes and parsley and stir everything together. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a simmer, place a lid on the sauce and reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to cook covered for 10-15 minutes.
Add Eggs
Once the sauce has simmered remove the lid and stir well. Use your spoon to create wells in the sauce and very carefully crack an egg into each well. Cover and allow the eggs to cook for 5-8 minutes until the eggs reach your desired consistency.
Serve
Serve this dish immediately once the eggs reach your desired consistancy because they will continue to cook in the sauce. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and crumbled feta. You can also serve this dish with toasted bread which is excellent for dipping into the savory tomato sauce.
Storage
Shakshuka is typically served hot, straight from the pan, and can be enjoyed with crusty bread or pita, which is perfect for dipping into the tomato sauce. You just cannot get the same flavor and texture with reheated shakshuka.
Technically this dish can be stored up to 3 days in an airtight container. However, this dish is really best served fresh. The eggs simply do not store well in this sauce.
Tips and Tricks
- If you have a well-seasoned, well-cared-for cast iron skillet that is perfectly fine to use. If your cast iron isn’t well-seasoned skip it and use a nonstick or stainless steel pan, as the acidity from the tomatoes may impact cast iron that hasn’t been prepped properly.
- The eggs continue to cook with residual heat. Depending on how you like your eggs you may want to remove the skillet from heat when the eggs are slightly underdone.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, the only dairy is the feta cheese. You can skip this ingredient or use a dairy free alternative if needed.
Shakshuka and Eggs in Purgatory are very similar dishes, but they are not exactly the same. Both dishes involve poaching eggs in a flavorful tomato-based sauce, but there are some slight differences in their origins, method and flavor profiles.
There are many factors so the best guide I can give you is the 5-8 minute range. You will need to watch the eggs and give the skillet a little shake to see if the egg has set, or watch to see when it reaches your desired doneness.
No, I wouldn’t call this dish spicy. I think it is very rich and flavorful with depth but I don’t believe it is spicy.
If you love this one-pan meal, you’ll love these Brunch Recipes
- This hearty Overnight Breakfast Casserole is loaded with sausage, eggs, and cheese. Perfect for a holiday brunch or weekend breakfast!
- This Mexican Breakfast Hash is loaded with seasoned, crisp potatoes, peppers, onions, bacon and eggs! This is the perfect one pan breakfast recipe!
- Pesto Eggs: This easy recipe features a crispy parmesan crust, flavorful pesto, and a perfectly fried egg!
- This easy Air Fryer French Toast is ready in about 10 minutes and great for a meal prep breakfast!
- Sausage Balls: perfect to make ahead of time!
Get the Recipe: Easy Shakshuka (step by step!)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into very thin strips
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon EACH dried oregano, cumin, and kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, Fire Roasted version is great here
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 6 large eggs*
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta
Instructions
- In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, add the oil, diced onion and peppers. Saute for 8-10 minutes, mixing occasionally, until softened and lightly charred.
- Add the minced garlic, oregano, paprika, cumin, turmeric, pepper and salt. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and increase the heat, bringing the mixture to a simmer. Place a lid on the sauce and reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to cook covered for 10-15 minutes.
- Once the sauce has simmered remove the lid and stir well. Use your spoon to create wells in the sauce and very carefully crack an egg into each well. Cover and allow the eggs to cook for 5-8 minutes until the eggs reach your desired consistency.
- Serve this dish immediately once the eggs reach your desired consistency because they will continue to cook in the sauce. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and crumbled feta.
Notes
-
- If you have a well-seasoned, well-cared-for cast iron skillet that is perfectly fine to use. If your cast iron isn’t well-seasoned skip it and use a nonstick or stainless steel pan, as the acidity from the tomatoes may impact cast iron that hasn’t been prepped properly.
- The eggs continue to cook with residual heat. Depending on how you like your eggs you may want to remove the skillet from heat when the eggs are slightly underdone.
- If you need to stretch this recipe to serve 4 you can add an additional 2 eggs. The new serving size will be 2 eggs and about 1/2 cup sauce.
- This recipe has 11 net carbs per serving.
