Shakshuka
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With gently poached eggs nestled in a slightly spicy pepper and tomato sauce, shakshuka is a hearty, satisfying meal that’s as perfect for dinner as it is for breakfast. Plus, it pops together in a single skillet, making this shakshuka recipe oh-so-simple to prepare–and easy to clean up, too.
Craving a rib-sticking, satisfying breakfast to fuel your day? Protein-rich eggs in simmering tomato sauce, topped with salty feta, and then served up with crusty artisan bread or warm pita should fit the bill just fine.
Shakshuka (pronounced shahk-SHOO-kah) is a dish popular in North Africa and much of the Middle East. Tunisia, in northwest Africa on the Mediterranean coast, is the likely originator of the dish. In Tunisian dialect, the word “shakshuka” translates to “mixture” or “shaken”–and the mix of peppers, tomatoes, spices, and eggs definitely shakes it up!
Many other countries and cultures have similar egg-and-tomato dishes. If you’ve tried and enjoyed Mexico’s huevos rancheros, Italy’s eggs in purgatory, or Andalusia’s huevos flamenca, you’ll probably love shakshuka too.
Wondering exactly how to make shakshuka? It’s really easy!
This recipe starts with a tangy, slightly spicy tomato and pepper sauce that bubbles away in a cast iron skillet, reducing down to enhance all that flavor.
Then, you crack your eggs right into the simmering sauce, where the eggs poach up perfectly until ready to serve up. Finish with a crumble of salty feta cheese, a creamy counterpoint to the slightly spicy sauce.
Ingredients
Olive oil: For sauteing the peppers, onions, and garlic. Plus, what Mediterranean dish is complete without olive oil?!
Poblano pepper: We use one poblano pepper for a bit of heat. If you prefer a milder shakshuka, you can always skip the poblanos and add another bell pepper. Or if you like it spicier, feel free to double up on the poblanos or even add another variety of hot pepper like serrano or jalapeno.
Red bell pepper: For that sweet, crisp pepper flavor without the heat.
Onion: Yellow or white onions will work here.
Garlic: For that pungent punch of flavor. We use three cloves of garlic, because more garlic is always better!
Paprika: Made from dried and ground peppers, paprika adds more welcome pepper flavor to the equation.
Cumin: The warm, smoky Mediterranean spice brings it home.
Canned diced tomatoes: A can of diced tomatoes makes this meal so easy to assemble.
Eggs: The number of eggs you use depends on the size of your skillet, as well as your desired serving size. We recommend at least one egg per person for breakfast or two eggs per person for dinner.
Feta cheese: Buy it pre-crumbled or just break off a hunk and crumble it on yourself. Either way, creamy feta is the perfect counterpoint to the tangy-spicy sauce.
Parsley: A few bits of chopped parsley for garnish add a welcome touch of green.
Salt & pepper: A must!
How to Make Shakshuka–Step-by-Step
Start with a medium-to-large, deep skillet. Set it over your heat source and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the peppers and onions and cook for a few minutes to soften.
Then, add the garlic and spices, stirring and cooking to release the flavors.
Next, pour in the can of tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes to thicken the sauce and concentrate the flavors.
Now it’s time to add your eggs! Crack them directly into the sauce, spacing them evenly. Take care when cracking the eggs into the sauce –the shells are a pain to try to pick out of the sauce. If you want to err on the side of caution, you can also crack each egg into a bowl and then slip them into the sauce one by one.
Cover your pan to allow the eggs to cook until the whites are set, and the yolks are at your preferred consistency. If you like, you can spoon the sauce over the eggs a bit to help encourage even cooking.
Once the eggs are cooked just right, transfer individual servings onto plates and top with feta and chopped parsley. Nestle in a hunk or two of bread or pita and serve.
Serve It With …
Crusty bread or warm pita bread are welcome (some would say essential) companions. Another option to level up your meal is this pull-apart garlic bread. Those toasty, garlicky hunks are perfect for mopping up the sauce! For dessert, grilled peaches with honey yogurt and mint make a sweet and cooling finale.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat oil in your pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the poblano and red bell peppers and onions, stir to coat, and cook for 5 minutes or until beginning to brown, stirring as needed. Add the garlic, paprika, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes and their juices. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the mixture to thicken.
- Crack the eggs into the sauce, spacing them evenly apart. Cover and allow the eggs to cook until the whites have set and the yolk is to your prefered consistency, 5-7 minutes. You can spoon the sauce over the top as needed to encourage them to cook thoroughly.
- Season to taste. Serve immediately with feta cheese, chopped parsley, and a few slices of crusty bread.
Great! Very interesting post!! regards from Italy
We made this recipe camping last weekend and it wasn’t amazing and very simple! Ours ended up being heavier on the veggies than intended but it was a happy accident and worked well. Next time I may use more tomatoes to add more moisture and tomato flavor. I forgot the seasoning and so used salt and pepper and some Laurie’s seasoning instead, and it was still delicious! Can’t wait to try it with the seasonings the recipe calls for next time.
Great recipe! I’ll be making this every time I go camping from now on as it’s a clear improvement over our traditional instant porridge breakfast.
Definitely a keeper recipe!! The flavors, simplicity and one-pot-meal for camping is all we needed to make a great breakfast. THANKS GUYS!!!