Shakshuka
This recipe was written for the Arizona Republic.
This vibrant dish delivers perfectly poached eggs simmered in a robust yet cozy, homemade tomato sauce. The sauce is made with warming spices, aromatic vegetables, and as much fiery spice as desired. Add some warm bread and serve this dish any time of day, from breakfast through dinner. Even better news? This shakshuka is incredibly healthy and ready in less than 30 minutes.
What is shakshuka? Shakshuka is a North African dish that features a savory tomato sauce dotted with tender poached eggs. The sauce typically contains onions, bell peppers, and garlic, and it can be moderately spicy or mild. The classic seasonings are paprika, cumin, and chili powder, so the sauce isn’t exceptionally fiery, just warm on the palate.
The poached eggs are simmered directly in the sauce, so they pick up a tremendous amount of flavor while enriching the sauce with their protein.
Often served with bread, the dish is popular for breakfast, but is equally welcome at brunch, lunch, dinner, and snack-time. I love shakshuka because it’s made with pantry staples, ready in a flash, and requires one pan.
Here’s what you need for this shakshuka
- Olive oil. Olive oil is used to sauté the vegetables in the first step in the recipe. Use a good-quality, nicely flavored olive oil for the best result.
- Onion and bell pepper. Onion and bell pepper provide the sweet, aromatic elements of the sauce and they partner nicely with the tangy tomatoes. You may use white, yellow, or red onion. Shallots also work. For the bell pepper, I prefer red for its sweetness, but green, yellow, and orange bell peppers work just as well.
- Garlic. Pungent garlic perfumes the sauce with its distinct nuances. If you’re a garlic fan, feel free to use more than 4 cloves.
- Spices. The warming spices of paprika, cumin, and chili powder are used to scent the sauce and give it depth and complexity. All are classic additions to this dish. Note, the recipe calls for sweet paprika, not smoked. I also added crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat; you may add more/less to suit your tastes.
- Tomatoes. Canned whole tomatoes make up the bulk of the sauce for shakshuka. Any brand works, so choose what’s handy. The whole tomatoes are smashed in the pan, creating a thick, lumpy sauce with great texture. I do not recommend fresh tomatoes in this recipe, no matter what season it is. Canned tomatoes deliver a consistent, dependable flavor and texture profile you can rely on, all year long.
- Eggs. Whole eggs are simmered in little wells in the sauce. You may cook them to your liking, meaning you may keep the yolks runny or cook them until firm. Egg whites should always be fully cooked.
- Cilantro. Cilantro is an optional garnish, but it adds a great pop or color and flavor. You may also use fresh parsley if desired.
- Salt and black pepper. Salt and pepper are used to enhance the sauce and ensure every bite is flavorful.
Optional garnishes: I topped my shakshuka with cilantro, but there are plenty of additions you can play with. Great options include olives (especially oil-cured black olives), crumbled feta cheese, goat cheese, artichoke hearts, and capers.
Tips for making this shakshuka
- Let your vegetables soften. To ensure you get the most flavor from your vegetables, let them caramelize before adding the spices and tomatoes. Cook the onion and bell pepper in the olive oil until they are soft and golden brown. While some shakshuka recipes suggest “sweating” the vegetables (meaning soft with no color), I prefer the extra layer of flavor the browning adds to the sauce. Plus, the extra sweetness from the caramelization (sugars released from the veggies), cuts the tanginess of the tomatoes.
- Let your spices bloom. When you add the spices (and garlic) to the pan, give them a moment to release their oils. The process is quick, only about 1 minute. When you “bloom” the spices before adding any liquid to the pan, it unlocks more flavor, creating a cohesive sauce with more complexity.
- Smash the tomatoes. This recipe calls for whole peeled tomatoes so, to create a sauce, you need to smash them. While you can squish the tomatoes with your hands (over a bowl to conserve the liquid), I find it much easier to smash them directly in the pan. I used a potato masher, and it worked perfectly. You can also use a pastry cutter or fork. Canned tomatoes break down easily, so it doesn’t require much work.
- Get creative with toppings. I mentioned a few add-ons above, but there’s no end to shakshuka garnishes. In my opinion, if it works on pizza, or in an omelet, it works on shakshuka. That includes green onions and chives, fresh herbs like parsley, dill, and mint, mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, Pecorino Romano or parmesan cheese, goat cheese, and microgreens.
What pan should you use for this shakshuka? Many photos for shakshuka show the finished dish in a cast iron pan. While the image is gorgeous, tomatoes are acidic and can react with the iron pan, resulting in a metallic (“penny”) taste. Plus, tomatoes can erode the seasoning on your cast iron pan. For that reason, I prefer stainless steel, or your favorite nonstick pan.
How should you serve shakshuka? Shakshuka is typically served with some sort of bread for sopping up the eggs and sauce. You can choose crusty loaves like sourdough, Italian, challah, or French, or soft rounds, like pita, naan, and tortillas.
Can you make shakshuka in advance? Absolutely. In fact, I find the sauce more flavorful the next day. To prep this dish in advance, make the sauce as directed, without adding the eggs. Cool to room temperature, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. To finish the dish, reheat the sauce in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the sauce is simmering, add the eggs and cook as directed.
How to store leftovers. Once cool, transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat leftover shakshuka in a large skillet over medium-low heat, allowing the mixture to warm gently. If necessary, add a splash of water to thin the sauce. Note that the texture of the sauce will remain the same, but the egg yolks will firm up when reheated.
If you want to freeze leftovers, remove the eggs and freeze the sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating the sauce and adding more eggs.
Shakshuka
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced, about 1 heaping cup diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more/less to taste
- Salt and black pepper
- 28- ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
- 6 large eggs
- Fresh cilantro for serving
For serving
- Bread, naan, or pita
Instructions
- Heat the oil a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft and golden brown.
- Add the garlic, paprika, cumin, chili powder, crushed red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer, breaking up the tomatoes with a potato masher, pastry cutter, or heavy fork.
- Simmer for 10 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Using a large spoon, make a well in the tomato mixture.
- Crack an egg into a small bowl or ramekin and then add the egg to the well in the sauce. Repeat with the remaining eggs, making a well for each one.
- Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the eggs reach your desired level of doneness. Note that the whites should be fully cooked.
- Top with cilantro and serve with bread, naan, pita, or tortillas.