Description
Shakshuka is a flavorful Middle Eastern and North African dish featuring poached eggs in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce. This recipe balances aromatic spices like paprika, cumin, and cayenne with fresh vegetables, creating a rich and comforting meal that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or any time of day. Traditionally baked or simmered on the stovetop, shakshuka is served with crusty or pita bread to soak up every bit of the luscious sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Base
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small red onion, peeled, halved and sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 small red capsicum (bell pepper), halved lengthways and sliced into 0.5cm/1/4” strips
- 1 tomato, diced
- 400 g / 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml chicken or vegetable broth (or water)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or other hot spice, adjust to taste)
- 1/2 tsp salt
Eggs and Garnish
- 4 eggs (up to 6 eggs if desired)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley or coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped
To Serve
- Pita or crusty bread
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: If baking the shakshuka, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) to prepare for the final cooking step.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium-sized cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and sliced red onion, cooking for about 2 minutes until the onion is translucent and fragrant.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in the sliced red capsicum and cook for 1 minute. Then add the diced fresh tomato, cooking for another 2 minutes until the tomato breaks down into a slightly pasty texture.
- Create Tomato Sauce: Pour in the canned crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and broth (or water). Season with paprika, cumin, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients well.
- Simmer Sauce: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer gently for 5 minutes. This allows it to thicken just enough to make spoon indentations while remaining saucy—not dry or sludge-like.
- Prepare Eggs: Using the back of a spoon, make four indentations in the sauce. Carefully crack one egg into each indentation. Let the eggs cook for 1 minute on the stovetop until the edges of the whites begin to set.
- Finish Cooking Eggs: For baked shakshuka, transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 7 to 12 minutes, depending on how runny you want the yolks—7 minutes for runny yolks, longer for firmer whites. Alternatively, cover the skillet with a lid and steam on the stovetop for about 3 minutes or simmer uncovered to your preferred doneness.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven or stove, scatter fresh parsley or coriander over the top, and serve immediately with warm pita or crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
Notes
- Shakshuka can be cooked entirely on the stovetop without baking for an easier alternative that still yields deliciously poached eggs.
- The sauce is lightly spiced with Middle Eastern and North African flavors, and you can adjust the heat by varying the amounts of cayenne or substituting other hot spices.
- Crusty bread or pita is essential to enjoy with shakshuka, perfect for dipping and scooping up the sauce and egg.
- This recipe is versatile and lends itself to many variations, such as adding feta cheese, spinach, or different vegetables.
- Use a cast iron skillet if possible, as it allows seamless transfer between stovetop and oven, but any oven-safe frying pan will work.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 354 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 211 mg
