Add some flair to your table with this Classic Shakshuka Recipe, a savory dish brimming with bold flavors and colors that will be the standout hit of your next brunch.
I’ve written many times on this blog about how much I love eggs. I poach them and put them in soups, boil them for salads, fry them for toast, and scramble them for sandwiches. I’m happy to have eggs on brown rice for dinner, and there are days that I’ve eaten five eggs by the time I go to bed. Honestly, though my doctor hasn’t said anything about it, my egg habits are a little ridiculous.
A couple of months ago, I had the delightful experience of being served an incredible egg dish I hadn’t had before: shakshuka. Popular in North Africa and the Middle East, shakshuka consists of eggs cracked directly into a thick red sauce made of tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and onions. It’s full of warm spices like cumin and paprika and garnished with cilantro and parsley. The raw eggs go straight into little wells in the sauce, then the pan is covered to cook them to any desired doneness (gooey in the middle, in my case).
Oh my god, y’all. Where has shakshuka been all my life? This stuff seems made for people like me. I could eat the whole pan. In my opinion, the best part about shakshuka is that you can scoop it up with pieces of crusty bread or warm pita, which is divine when the yolks are slightly runny. Make this recipe for your next brunch or any meal-centered event where you want to impress people!
Is This Shakshuka Healthy?
Shakshuka isn’t just drool-worthy—it’s also really good for you! This beautiful dish is packed with wholesome veggies—tomatoes, red peppers, and onions—which are full of fiber, vitamins A and C, and plenty of antioxidants. The stars of the dish, eggs, are filled with protein and healthy fats, along with important nutrients like choline. Overall, this dish is low in calories and fat per serving, it’s suitable for vegetarians, and it’s free of gluten and dairy. So, whether it’s for brunch or breakfast-for-dinner, shakshuka is a healthy option that should be on your culinary radar.
Shakshuka Variations
The word “shakshuka” comes from several dialects of Arabic, and it means “mixture” or “mixed,” depending on the dialect. It’s a great term for this dish because it’s vague enough to include all the different cultural variations of shakshuka. There are many.
Some cultures add preserved lemon, sheep’s milk cheese, yogurt, toasted spices, olives, or harissa. Others add meat to their shakshuka, such as ground lamb or even spicy meats like chorizo and Spanish serrano ham.
What most, if not all, of these variations have in common is the thick tomato sauce base and the eggs. Feel free to explore the wide world of shakshuka, and find your favorite way to make it!
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Shakshuka is definitely best right after it’s done cooking, due to the eggs on top, so make it for a crowd when possible. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 3 days. If your eggs are runny in the middle, try not to pierce the yolks of the leftover eggs. To reheat, very carefully remove the eggs on top, and warm up the sauce on the stove or in the microwave. Heat the eggs separately on the stove or in the microwave. Be careful not to overdo it when reheating the eggs—you don’t want rubbery eggs! You can also simply crack fresh eggs into your leftover sauce on the stove.
For longer storage, remove the leftover eggs and freeze the sauce in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 3 months. When you want to reheat your shakshuka, heat up the sauce, crack a fresh egg on top, and cover until it’s cooked as you like it!
Serving Suggestions
I love my shakshuka with fresh goat cheese or feta on top and some olives on the side. For a truly satisfying meal, ladle your shakshuka on a bed of warm Israeli Couscous. You can also serve it with slices of crusty bread or warm pita for dipping. This Mediterranean Cucumber Salad is a perfect complement to this dish, as is a simple side of Oven-Roasted Vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 4 tomatoes diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground paprika
- 2 cans diced tomatoes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6 eggs
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Place the red bell pepper directly over the flame of a gas range stove burner and let it blacken on all sides, checking and turning frequently. Remove from the flame with tongs and allow the pepper to cool. Use your fingers to peel off the blackened skin. Remove the stem, membranes, and seeds. Slice the pepper and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic. Sauté for 3–5 minutes until fragrant.
- Add in the diced fresh tomato, blistered red pepper, cumin, and paprika. Give the mixture a good stir and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Pour in the 2 cans of diced tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, and mix together. Set the heat to low and simmer for 10–15 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
- Make 6 holes in the sauce and crack an egg into each. Cover and allow to simmer until eggs are cooked to your liking, approximately 5 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle on the parsley and cilantro.
Tips & Notes:
- Plump, ripe tomatoes are key to a flavorful shakshuka.
- Slowly simmer the tomato mixture so the flavors have time to deepen.
- To avoid any shell mishaps, break each egg into a separate cup before sliding it into the pan.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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