For a simple one-pot vegetarian meal, try this traditional Shakshuka recipe. Eggs are gently poached in a thick and hearty spiced tomato sauce with onions, peppers, and garlic. Pair it with some toasty bread for dipping and you have a comforting meal that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner!
Shakshuka is one of those dishes that is so easy to make and so flavorful that you’ll find yourself turning to it again and again.
What is Shakshuka?
It’s a classic dish that’s commonly served in North Africa and various areas in the Middle East for breakfast, although people enjoy it during any meal of the day. It’s said to have its origins in Tunisia, but you’ll find traditional versions all over the region.
Shakshuka can be loosely translated from Arabic to mean “mixed up” or “a mixture”. It’s a simple and healthy dish of tomatoes, onions, spices, and soft poached eggs.
If you’re familiar with the Italian version “eggs in purgatory”, you get the idea. The main difference between the two is that shakshuka favors spices used in North Africa or the Middle East (like cumin and paprika), whereas the Italian version relies on oregano and basil.
I like to serve this dish with some toasted ciabatta, or homemade flatbread to dunk into the deliciously spiced tomato sauce and eggs. I’ll often serve it alongside bowls of homemade labneh and classic hummus which are also great for dipping the flatbread into.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Shakshuka is a super easy one-pot vegetarian meal that works for any meal of the day. It’s healthy and hearty and made with kitchen staples, so you can whip it up at a moment’s notice. You’ll also love that it’s a breeze to scale up or down so you can feed a crowd or enjoy a cozy meal for two.
key ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this fabulous shakshuka recipe:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Vegetables: I keep it simple and use thinly sliced yellow onion and red bell pepper. You can dice them, but I prefer the texture of sliced.
- Spices: I use either smoked paprika or sweet paprika and some cumin to flavor the sauce.
- Tomatoes: I use whole peeled tomatoes instead of diced ones because I can mash them a little while in the skillet with a spatula and get the desired texture. But diced can also be used. You can also use fresh tomatoes instead of canned ones if they are in season.
- Eggs: I added 6 large eggs and I usually account for 1 – 2 eggs per person.
- Toppings: Sprinkle shakshuka with some feta cheese, red pepper flakes, and chopped cilantro or parsley before serving.
How To Make Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a quick and easy egg dish that’s perfect for any meal. Follow the steps below for a nourishing vegetarian breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Use a deep skillet or sauté pan. I used an 11-inch pan which is similar to this skillet, but any 11 or 12-inch skillet with a lid will work.
Tip!
Do not use cast iron, unless it’s seasoned very well since this is a tomato-based recipe, and the acidity from the tomatoes can react with the pan and cause your dish to taste metallic.
- Sauté the vegetables. Sauté the onions and peppers in a deep skillet over medium-high heat until fully softened and slightly charred.
- Make the sauce. Add the garlic and spices and sauté for a few seconds, then add the tomatoes and stir everything to combine. Break down the tomatoes with a spatula or the back of a spoon until you have a chunky mixture. Continue to simmer the sauce over low heat until it thickens and reduces. This can take anywhere from 10 – 15 minutes.
- Crack in the eggs. Use a spoon to make wells in the sauce and then one by one, carefully crack the eggs into the wells. Spoon a little bit of the sauce over the egg whites to help them set faster, but leave the yolk exposed.
- Cook. Put the lid on your skillet and let the eggs. This will take 5 – 6 minutes. If you prefer your yolks to be firmer, add a couple of more minutes to the simmering time.
- Serve. Remove the skillet from the heat and garnish the shakshuka with crumbled feta cheese, red pepper flakes, and chopped cilantro or parsley.
Tip!
You know your eggs are ready when the whites of the poached eggs are set, and the yolks thicken slightly and rise up a bit and are still soft.
Making Shakshuka in the Oven
I make this easy shakshuka recipe on the stovetop, but you can also cook the eggs in the sauce in the oven.
Once you make the tomato sauce and crack the eggs in, carefully transfer the dish to a preheated 375°F/190°C oven for 8 – 12 minutes until the eggs are softly poached. If you’re going to use this method, make sure you use a dish that is safe for both the stovetop and the oven.
Recipe Variations
Swap the spices: My shakshuka recipe calls for traditional spices, but you can switch them up to make your own delicious flavor combo. Try adding some chili powder, or ground coriander or for added heat, you can add some diced chile or a teaspoon of harissa paste.
Switch up the veggies: If you don’t have red bell pepper, try using green, yellow, or orange. Also, sautéing some mushrooms, spinach, or kale with the onions and peppers will add more bulk to the sauce.
Additional toppings: Try topping your shakshuka with some sliced olives, capers, sliced jalapenos, or sliced avocado to add even more flavor.
Recipe Tips
- Sauté the spices with the garlic to toast them a little bit until they become fragrant. Sautéing them helps to boost their flavors.
- To avoid getting pieces of eggshell in your eggs before poaching, crack them individually into small bowls before adding them to the tomato mixture.
- Serve your dish with plenty of toasted bread for dunking in the eggy tomato sauce.
Storing Tips
Shakshuka is really meant to be eaten when it’s freshly cooked. The poached eggs make it challenging to store and reheat without the eggs overcooking.
The good news is that you can easily cut this recipe in half or scale it up if you have a big enough pan depending on how many people you’re serving.
You could also store just the tomato sauce to reheat another day with some fresh eggs cracked in.
In the refrigerator: Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days and reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat before adding the eggs, covering the dish, and cooking for another 5 – 6 minutes until the eggs are cooked.
In the freezer: Freeze the sauce in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight, reheat on the stovetop, and crack in the eggs like above.
Serving Suggestions
Shakshuka is usually served with bread of some sort. I toasted some ciabatta with olive oil and used it to soak up all of the delicious tomato sauce. I also recommend trying it with warm pita bread.
If you’re feeding a few people, you could also serve it alongside some falafel, baba ghanoush (smoky eggplant dip), and tabbouleh salad for a Middle Eastern-inspired feast.
More Mediterranean Recipes
Recipe FAQs
You can turn up the spiciness to suit your tastes. I leave it up to you as to how many red pepper flakes you wish to add and you can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper for additional heat.
If you find your sauce is too acidic for your taste, you can try adding a pinch of sugar to offset the acidic flavors, or a pinch of baking soda can also help raise the PH level to neutralize acidity in the sauce.
Traditionally, the poached eggs in shakshuka are soft so the yolk flows out and mixes with the tomato sauce. If you want your yolks to be more of a solid consistency, then you’ll have to cook them for a few minutes longer. Start with 5 minutes extra and go from there.
In North Africa and the Middle East, you’ll find that shakshuka is most often served for breakfast, but you can always enjoy it for lunch or dinner!
I hope you enjoy this comforting shakshuka dish! Save this recipe for the next time and pin it for more people to enjoy too!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Shakshuka
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil not extra virgin
- 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika sweet paprika also works
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 28-ounce can (2 400g cans) whole peeled tomatoes
- 6 large eggs
- Red pepper flakes optional
- 2 ounces (56 grams) crumbled feta cheese for serving
- Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish
- Crusty bread for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a deep skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat, and add the onion and bell pepper. Cook until fully softened and slightly charred, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and spices, and cook for 30 seconds. Then add the tomatoes, stir to combine and break down the tomatoes with the spatula leaving some chunks in the mixture. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes to reduce.
- Using a spoon, create 6 small wells/dips and break in egg in each well. After you break each egg, spoon some of the tomato sauce over the whites leaving the yolk exposed.
- Cover with a lid, and cook for 5-6 minutes. You want the whites to barely set, and the yolks to stay runny.
- Remove from heat, garnish with red pepper flakes, crumbled feta cheese, chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve with toasted bread.
Notes:
- Sauté the spices with the garlic to toast them a little bit until they become fragrant. Sautéing them helps to boost their flavors.
- To avoid getting pieces of eggshell in your eggs before poaching, crack them individually into small bowls before adding them to the tomato mixture.
- Serve your dish with plenty of toasted bread for dunking in the eggy tomato sauce.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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