If you’re not familiar with this dish, the word shakshuka translates to “a mixture” or “shaken” in Tunisian dialect and is pronounced shuhk·shyoo·kuh. Shakshuka (also spelled shakshouka) is a simple but popular North African and Middle Eastern dish enjoyed for breakfast but can also double for lunch and dinner.
It’s a healthy, hearty, and nourishing one-pan meal that can be enjoyed on its own or with a side of bread or salad. Nothing beats how effortlessly this shakshuka recipe comes together with kitchen staples. Your family will be reaching for seconds and mop up every last drop with the bread. Need another egg-packed brunch dish that your family will love? Try my homemade quiche recipe or my frittata recipe!
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Red bell pepper — while you can substitute red bell pepper for yellow bell pepper, orange bell pepper, or even green bell pepper, keep in mind that red bell pepper is the sweetest one.
Spices — for a flavorful shakshuka, you’ll need paprika, cumin, and chili powder.
Canned whole peeled tomatoes — I prefer whole peeled tomatoes over diced tomatoes as the sauce in the can is thicker. The whole tomatoes also easily break once you press down with a wooden spoon. Fresh tomatoes will require a longer cook time, and you’ll also have to peel them.
Eggs — large eggs are ideal for this shakshuka recipe. If you have small eggs, consider adding more to the pan.
How to Make Shakshuka
1. Add oil into a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, and once hot, add the onion and bell pepper. Cook for about 12 to 15 minutes before adding the garlic.
2. Then, add the paprika, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cook, constantly stirring for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the canned whole peeled tomatoes and use a wooden spoon to break them up into small chunks. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and then simmer until mixture has been slightly reduced about 20 minutes.
4. Stir in parsley.
5. Create a well in the pan, slightly larger than an egg, using the back of a large spoon. Then, add one egg to the well. Repeat with the remaining 5 eggs.
6. Cover the pan and cook until the egg whites set, but the yolks are still runny, about 12 to 15 minutes. Garnish the shakshuka with parsley and serve immediately with crusty bread.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- If you are concerned about getting eggshells into your pan, you can crack your eggs into a small bowl first and then pour the egg from the bowl into the well.
- A large sauté pan will work just as well if you don’t have a cast-iron skillet.
- While I love serving this with crusty bread, my garlic bread recipe is also a delicious option!
- Other vegetables such as mushrooms, spinach, kale, and brussels sprouts make great additions to this shakshuka. Just make sure to cook them with the onion and bell pepper, so all the moisture is cooked out.
- If you’re a fan of cheese, a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, or goat cheese goes well with this shakshuka recipe.
- For a prettier dish, try straining the egg in a fine-mesh sieve before adding it to the pan to keep your whites from looking messy on top of the tomatoes. Doing so allows any runny whites to pass through the sieve, leaving only the firmer egg whites behind.
- If you find shakshuka too acidic for you, try lightening it up by simmering it with honey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did this dish originate from?
Some food historians believe shakshuka originated in Ottoman North Africa after the region was introduced to tomatoes in the mid-16th century. Food historians also debate that shakshuka has Middle Eastern origins as well. However, thanks to globalization, many different countries have adapted this recipe and made it their own. For example, there’s huevos rancheros in Mexico, eggs in purgatory in Italy, and Huevos Flamenca in Spain; these dishes are very similar to shakshuka.
Is this spicy?
Shakshuka is not very spicy. The recipe calls for chili powder, a blend of spices and dried herbs, not chile powder, which is dried chile peppers grounded into a powder. Paprika comes in sweet, spicy, and smoked, so you can pick which you prefer, but regular paprika tends to be mild. Cumin has a warm, hearty flavor that goes well with spicy foods, but cumin itself is not spicy. If you want this dish to be spicy, feel free to add some cayenne powder, use spicy paprika, or add crushed red chili flakes.
How do I store leftovers?
If you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container, careful not to break the yolk. While this shakshuka takes best fresh off the stove, it lasts up to 3 days in the fridge. The egg yolks will probably no longer be runny as you reheat the leftovers, but they’ll still be tasty.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Shakshuka recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Shakshuka
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 large red bell pepper diced
- 4 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes (28-ounce)
- ¼ cup cilantro or parsley plus more for garnish
- 6 large eggs
Instructions
- In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender and lightly browned, about 12 to 15 minutes.
- Add the garlic, paprika, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, using a wooden spoon to break up into small chunks. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture is slightly reduced, about 20 minutes. Stir in parsley.
- Using the back of a large spoon, create a well slightly larger than an egg. Place one egg in the well. Repeat the process with the remaining 5 eggs. Cover and cook until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny, about 12 to 15 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately with crusty bread.
Video
Notes
- If you are concerned about getting eggshells into your pan, you can crack your eggs into a small bowl first and then bowl the egg from the bowl into the well.
- A large sauté pan will work just as well if you don’t have a cast-iron skillet.
- While I love serving this with crusty bread, garlic bread is also a delicious option!
- Other vegetables such as mushrooms, spinach, kale, and brussels sprouts make a great addition to the shakshuka. Just make sure to cook them with the onion and bell pepper, so all the moisture is cooked out.
- If you’re a fan of cheese, a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, or goat cheese goes well with this shakshuka recipe.
- For a prettier dish, try straining the egg in a fine-mesh sieve before adding it to the pan to keep your whites from looking messy on top of the tomatoes. Doing so allows any runny whites to pass through the sieve, leaving only the firmer egg whites behind.
- If you find shakshuka too acidic for you, try lightening it up by simmering it with honey.
