Shakshuka is a simple, one-pan dish with eggs poached in a spicy tomato-red pepper sauce, flavored with smoked paprika and cumin. This vibrant, nutritious meal is quick to prepare for any mealtime.
Easy Shakshuka Recipe
Shakshuka is a flavorful dish of eggs that are cooked in a fragrant tomato sauce and served right from the pan. Shakshuka literally means “all mixed up,” so just as its name implies, you can easily customize this recipe to make it your own ideal creation (if you can add it to an omelet, you can simmer it in your Shakshuka)!
The sauce starts on the stovetop with a spiced sofrito of onions, peppers, and garlic, then the eggs are simply nestled in wells within it and baked in the same skillet until they reach your desired doneness. Serve it with Challah, naan, or crusty bread for scooping and dunking in all the delicious sauce; it’s a meal meant to be eaten with your hands, with extra pita piled high on the side just in case you need more for mopping!
Shakshuka Ingredients
- Salted butter
- Onion
- Red bell pepper – Feel free to swap the red pepper with yellow, orange, or green bell peppers.
- Minced garlic
- Chicken broth
- Crushed tomatoes: If needed, you can use diced tomatoes instead.
- Smoked paprika: Regular paprika can be used instead of smoked paprika.
- Cumin
- Tomato paste
- Salt
- Pepper
- Chickpeas: If you aren’t a fan of chickpeas, you can omit them or substitute with your favorite type of bean.
- Eggs
How to Make Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a quick and easy meal made with eggs cooked in a seasoned tomato sauce and served with some sort of bread for scooping up the sauce. This simple recipe can be customized to include your favorite flavors and add-ins; it’s the perfect one-pan dish that tastes delicious for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
- Cook The Vegetables: Saute the onion and peppers in butter until soft. Stir in garlic.
- Stir On Stove: Stir in the chicken broth, tomatoes, paprika, and cumin, cook for a few minutes, and then mix in the tomato paste, chickpeas, salt, and pepper and heat for a few more minutes.
- Insert The Eggs: Remove the pan from the heat and make 5 wells in the sauce. Crack the eggs (whole) into the wells and sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Bake: Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-12 minutes, until the eggs are of desired doneness.
- Serve: Serve hot with a sprinkle of feta crumbles and cilantro or parsley sprigs on top. Enjoy!
How will I know when my eggs are done cooking?
The eggs continue to cook from the residual heat, so you don’t want to let them cook for too long. Look for whites that are mostly opaque, and yolks that have risen a bit. The eggs should jiggle a bit if you shimmy the pan. Keep in mind that under-cooked yolks can carry salmonella, so make sure they are fully cooked before consuming.
Why does this recipe bake the eggs in the oven instead of the stovetop?
Many recipes suggest covering the skillet and cooking the eggs on the stovetop until they are done. I find that a lot of condensation drips back into the skillet with this method, leaving it watery on top, and the whites take longer to set. That’s why I recommend baking the skillet in the oven (which offers more even heat), uncovered, until the eggs are just about done.
Serving Suggestions
I love eating this dish with a nice toasted baguette or other bread to sop up the delicious sauce and egg. You could also serve it with another carb such as noodles, rice, or potatoes.
Tips & Variations
- Keep an eye on the eggs at about the 8-minute mark. You can quickly lose the yokiness once it starts to finish cooking.
- I recommend that the egg yolk be soft and the egg whites solid, but cook to your desired doneness.
- Shakshuka is best served immediately. It’s not a great candidate for leftovers since soft eggs will continue to cook if you reheat them.
- Top your Shakshuka with sliced avocado, olives, feta cheese crumbles, and fresh cilantro or parsley sprigs for even more flavor.
- You can add some hot sauce, coriander, caraway, and turmeric, saffron or any of your other favorite spices to this full-flavored dish.
- Feel free to toss in more vegetables (especially hearty greens), beans, legumes, cheese, labneh, meat, or even fish or shellfish.
Proper Storage
- To Store: Leftover Shakshuka will keep in the refrigerator for 2–3 days if stored in an airtight container.
- To Freeze: This dish should not be frozen.
More Easy Brunch Recipes
Shakshuka
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 red pepper finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 6 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more for the eggs
- black pepper to taste
- 1 cup canned chickpeas garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 5 eggs
- Feta cheese crumbles optional garnish
- Fresh cilantro or parsley sprigs optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Using an oven safe pan, saute the onion and peppers in the butter until the vegetables are softened, about 4-5 minutes.2 tablespoons salted butter, 1 medium onion, 1 red pepper
- Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute or until fragrant.2 cloves garlic
- Stir in the chicken broth, tomatoes, paprika, cumin.1½ cups chicken broth, 1 cup crushed tomatoes, 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Continue to cook over medium heat for a few minutes to reduce the broth.
- Mix in the tomato paste, chickpeas, salt and pepper and heat for an additional 2-3 minutes.6 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 teaspoon salt plus more for the eggs, 1 cup canned chickpeas, black pepper
- Take the pan off the heat. Make 5 wells in the sauce, then crack the eggs (whole) into the wells. Add salt and pepper to the eggs, if desired.5 eggs
- Put the pan in the oven and bake for about 8-12 minutes, until the eggs are of desired doneness.
- Sprinkle feta crumbles and cilantro or parsley sprigs on top, optional, and serve hot.Feta cheese crumbles, Fresh cilantro or parsley sprigs
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Leftover Shakshuka will keep in the refrigerator for 2–3 days if stored in an airtight container.
- To Freeze: This dish should not be frozen.
- Keep an eye on the eggs at about the 8 minute mark. You can quickly lose the yokiness once it starts to finish cooking.
- I recommend that the egg yolk be soft and the egg whites solid, but cook to your desired doneness.
- Shakshuka is best served immediately. It’s not a great candidate for leftovers, since soft eggs will continue to cook if you reheat them.
