Description
Shakshuka is a flavorful Middle Eastern dish featuring eggs poached in a rich, spiced tomato and bell pepper sauce. This recipe offers a delicious combination of garlic, onions, crushed tomatoes, and warm spices like paprika and cumin, gently simmered then finished either baked or stove-top poached. Served with crusty or pita bread, it’s a perfect savory breakfast or brunch that’s both comforting and vibrant in taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 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 0.5 cm (1/4”) strips
- 1 tomato, diced
Canned & Liquid Ingredients
- 400 g (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) chicken or vegetable broth (or water)
Spices & Seasonings
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or other hot spice, adjust to taste)
- 1/2 tsp salt
Eggs & Garnish
- 4 eggs (up to 6 eggs can be used)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley or coriander/cilantro, roughly chopped
To Serve
- Pita or crusty bread
Instructions
- Preheat Oven (Optional): Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) if you plan to bake the eggs after starting the sauce.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a medium cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and sliced onions, cooking for about 2 minutes until the onions turn translucent and fragrant.
- Add Bell Pepper: Stir in the sliced red capsicum and cook for an additional minute to soften slightly without browning.
- Cook Fresh Tomato: Add the diced tomato to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes until it breaks down and becomes a slightly pasty texture, helping build the base of the sauce.
- Add Tomato Sauce Base: Pour in the canned crushed tomatoes, add tomato paste and broth (or water). Stir in paprika, cumin, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix well to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
- Simmer Sauce: Reduce heat to medium-low and allow the sauce to gently simmer for 5 minutes until it thickens just enough to hold indentations for the eggs, while remaining saucy—not dry or sludge-like.
- Create Egg Wells: Using a spoon, make small indentations in the sauce mixture and carefully crack the eggs into these wells. Let cook on the stove for 1 minute until the edges of the egg whites start to set.
- Cook Eggs: For baked shakshuka, transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 7 to 12 minutes, until whites are just set and yolks are runny or cooked to your preference. Alternatively, cover the skillet with a lid and steam on the stovetop for 3 minutes for runny yolks, or simmer uncovered for more firm eggs.
- Finish and Serve: Remove from heat and sprinkle the chopped parsley or coriander over the top. Serve immediately with warm crusty or pita bread to soak up the flavorful sauce.
Notes
- Shakshuka has Middle Eastern and North African roots and is traditionally a breakfast or brunch dish.
- Crusty bread or pita is essential to enjoy the sauce to its fullest.
- You can adjust the number of eggs to suit your serving size, 4 eggs serving 2 to 3 people comfortably.
- The tomato and pepper sauce is lightly spiced but can be customized with additional spices or heat levels.
- The eggs can be baked in the oven or poached on the stovetop depending on your preference.
- This recipe lends itself well to variations by adding ingredients like feta, olives, or spinach if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 354 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg
