Shakshuka is one of the first recipes I ever shared on my site and has been one of the most popular for years. A simple dish with tomato and eggs, it’s a savory, one-skillet, vegetarian, and gluten-free dish that’s ready to eat in just over 30 minutes and works for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or “brinner.”
Looking for more easy egg recipes? Try my salmon benedict and matzo brei, too!
What is Shakshuka?
If you’ve never tried shakshuka, I’m thrilled to introduce the concept and a bit of its history to you! Originally a North African dish, it features soft-cooked eggs or poached eggs nestled in a spicy tomato sauce, similar to Italian eggs in purgatory, but with peppers and a slightly spicier taste. Today, this tomato and eggs recipe has grown in popularity and is common throughout the Middle East, and is especially beloved in Israel.
During my visit to the old port city of Jaffa, I stopped by the iconic Dr. Shakshuka, where I ordered their famous version with mushrooms, served bubbling in a skillet with fluffy bread to soak up the sauce. The flavors were unforgettable, inspiring me to create my own shakshuka recipe that was simple, satisfying, and easy to customize with ingredients like green chilies, smoked paprika, or even a spinach-tomato base.
With a five-star rating and hundreds of reviews, it encompasses everything I love about the traditional dish – and it’s easy to make at home!
Ingredients and Notes
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details!
- Oil – I like to use olive oil to sauté the veggies, but any oil you have on hand, such as avocado oil, will work. You could even use butter, if desired, although I far prefer the flavor of olive oil here.
- Veggies – White or yellow onion and garlic form the base of the sauce, adding a sweet, pungent taste. Then, I add bell peppers, ripe diced tomatoes, and tomato puree to create a savory, thick sauce. You can also use a 28-ounce can of canned tomatoes, but I prefer the flavor of fresh tomatoes.
- Seasonings – Mild chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper infuse the sauce with the warm, savory flavors shakshuka is known for having. Then, I add sugar to balance some of the acidity of the tomatoes – but that part is completely optional, if you’re watching your sugar intake.
- Eggs – The star of the show! I use six large eggs for this recipe, which is plenty to feed my whole family.
How to Make Shakshuka
- Sauté. Heat oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion until it begins to soften. Then, add the garlic cloves, and sauté until the mixture is fragrant. This only takes about a minute! Next, add the diced bell pepper, and continue to sauté to soften.
- Simmer. Next, stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste, and add the spices and sugar. Stir to combine, and simmer until the mixture begins to reduce. At this point, I like to give it a quick taste test and adjust as needed.
- Add the eggs. Crack the eggs directly over the tomato mixture, spacing them out evenly over the sauce, trying not to let the whites touch. I usually place five eggs around the center of the pan and one in the middle.
- Cook. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer until the eggs cook, the whites set, and the sauce reduces further. Note that the exact cooking times will vary depending on how you like your eggs. Make sure the sauce doesn’t reduce too much, or it will burn!
Tori’s Tips for an Authentic Shakshuka Recipe
- Adjust the flavor. Add more sugar for a sweeter sauce or more cayenne or harissa paste for a spicier Middle Eastern egg dish. Start slowly and be careful with the cayenne and harissa. They are extremely spicy!
- Cook the dish of eggs to your liking. Some people prefer their shakshuka with more runny yolks. If this is your preference, let the sauce reduce for a few minutes before cracking the eggs on top. Then, cover the pan and cook the eggs to taste, making sure the egg whites are set before serving. Otherwise, crack the eggs and cook them to your desired doneness.
- Use a large skillet with a lid. It’s crucial to cover the dish to cook the eggs evenly without burning the sauce.
Topping Ideas and Serving Suggestions
I like to serve my shakshuka topped with fresh herbs such as parsley or cilantro. I often spoon a bit of the sauce on top of the eggs as I eat. Sometimes I add a sprinkle of feta cheese for a salty taste, as well as a side of sourdough pita bread for dipping.
To switch things up, I sometimes add extra ingredients like jalapeños, green chilies, parsley, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, or extra veggies to the sauce. I’ve even tested a spinach and tomato base that turned out great! Use your imagination and incorporate any items you have on hand. This tomato and eggs dish is always a crowd pleaser!
Video by Entice Films
Shakshuka
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 onion, peeled and diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 4 cups ripe diced tomatoes, or 2 cans (14 oz. each) diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon mild chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste (careful, it's spicy!)
- Pinch of sugar (optional, to taste - omit for low carb)
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley or cilantro (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat a deep, large skillet or sauté pan on medium. Slowly warm olive oil in the pan. Add chopped onion, sauté for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add garlic and continue to sauté till mixture is fragrant.
- Add the diced bell pepper, sauté for 5-7 minutes over medium until softened.
- Add tomatoes and tomato paste to pan, stir until blended. Add spices and sugar, stir, and allow mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until it starts to reduce. At this point, you can taste the mixture and spice it according to your preferences. Add salt and pepper to taste, more sugar for a sweeter sauce, or more cayenne pepper for a spicier shakshuka (be careful with the cayenne... it is extremely spicy!).
- Crack the eggs, one at a time, directly over the tomato mixture, making sure to space them evenly over the sauce. I usually place 5 eggs around the outer edge and 1 in the center. The eggs will cook "over easy" style on top of the tomato sauce.
- Cover the pan with a lid. Allow mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked and the sauce has slightly reduced. Keep an eye on the skillet to make sure that the sauce doesn't reduce too much, which can lead to burning.Some people prefer their shakshuka with more runny yolks. If this is your preference, let the sauce reduce for a few minutes before cracking the eggs on top-- then, cover the pan and cook the eggs to taste, making sure the egg whites are set before serving. Garnish with the chopped parsley or cilantro, if desired. A sprinkle of feta cheese on top is also nice!
NOTES
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!
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FAQs
As written, this recipe has a medium spice level. Personally, I don’t consider it overly spicy. However, it can easily be adjusted to suit your preferences. If you’re considering adding more heat, start with just a little bit of chili powder or a touch of cayenne, and add more as you cook, tasting as you go.
How do I prevent runny egg whites?
Some people cook shakshuka uncovered, but I find that using a lid is the easiest way to ensure the whites cook and set properly. If they’re a little runny, continue to simmer until they set.
I don’t recommend making this recipe ahead of time, because the eggs don’t reheat well. However, you can prepare the tomato sauce and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Then, to serve, thaw, reheat it in a skillet on the stove, and proceed with the recipe as usual.
More Egg-Based Breakfast Recipes
I make an italian version of this dish, they call it Uova in Purgatorio, eggs in purgatory.
My shakshuka is happily simmering on the stove! Because I am a chile-head who loves spicy, I used half a bell pepper and half a Mexican poblano pepper. I can’t wait to eat it when it’s done cooking! And I am especially looking forward to leftovers tomorrow after a long day of teaching high school as well as practicing with my spell bowl team. Thanks for this recipe! Greetings from central Indiana,USA!
Enjoy Cathy! Happy teaching/spelling 🙂
That’s the recipe i have been looking for, thank you!! Although, the options for this are endless, any type of hot pepper, greens..spices. I plan on cooking this for my family,what a wonderful option for meatless Mondays in my home!
Sauce was good. The recipe didn’t say when to add paprika, chili powder and cumin.
Also, my eggs were super-duper over done even though I cooked them for 10 minutes. Seems like they probably only needed 5-7.
Sauce was really good though. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Adam, the recipe states: “Add spices and sugar, stir well, and allow mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes till it starts to reduce.” Spices would include the paprika, chili powder and cumin. As I state in the recipe, eggs can be done to taste– everybody prefers their eggs cooked differently. On our stove in my skillet, 10 minutes produces eggs that are just cooked through. Some prefer them less cooked and more runny, so cook them according to your personal preference.
made this for lunch today and it was a big hit with my whole family. i added in mushrooms and spinach and a little curry and left out the sugar. I think it was plenty sweet without it.
Hi Scott– the sugar is not for sweetness (there really isn’t enough there to sweeten), its purpose is to cut the acid in the tomatoes. Glad you enjoyed it!
Tried it, loved it! First recipe that was simples for me to follow and that in the end didnt disappoint!! Thank you!
The recipe is great. I make it regularly and my wife and I love it. Thanks for sharing it.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe, and also for the absolutely beautiful photographs, such a nostalgic reminder of holidays in Israel.
This looks great. Do you have the nutrition value for this recipe. Thks.
Lily, I don’t currently offer calorie breakdowns on my recipes. The nutrition calculators available online are not always reliable, and nutrition stats of various ingredients can vary from brand to brand (sodium content, calories, etc.). There are calorie calculators online you can use where you can plug in the specific brands you use. Just Google “calorie calculator” and you should get many results.
Is there any way i can get the eggs to be more cooked? i don’t really love raw/runny eggs… Thanks 🙂
Hi Bib, they should cook quite well if you give them time. Covering the pan will cook them in about 10-15 minutes. If they are not done to your liking, you could always stick them under the broiler for a minute or two, but you don’t really need to.
These are basically Afghan styled eggs, they’re almost exactly the same, except this looks like a lunch/dinenr and the Afghan version is eaten during breakfast?
Shakshuka for breakfast is an easy and great way to lose weight. With the help of a giant shakshuka breakfast with loads of veggies – zucchini, celery, brussel sprouts, string beans, whatever is in season – and only one egg, I have lost 40 pounds since April 2013.
Enjoy Shakshuka, the perfect meal.
Congrats Irving, that is quite an accomplishment!
Having developed allergies to the following a while back, what could I use in place of the tomatoes (all forms), onions, garlic and black pepper?
One idea that springs to mind is a non-dairy Pesto-like sauce with Basil, Parsley, Coriander, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a bit of salt along with fennel though am otherwise short of ideas.
Hi Nate, try using a bed of sauteed spinach and perhaps cheese if you’re not allergic. I’ve tried this before with good results.
So excited to find another halal(!) recipe that looks SO flavorful and delicious. Reminds me of a mexican dish with a slightly different flavor profile. Having lived in the MENA area and South Texas, I am up for new ways to do things. Thanks for this beautiful recipe. Can’t wait to try it.
Enjoy Michelle!
I can not wait to use this recipe. Sounds yummy.
Just wanted to thank you for this recipe and the easy to follow directions! I made this tonight and it was really, really good. I was a little too heavy-handed with the cayenne pepper but it was bearable, and I needed to drink some more water anyway haha.
Thanks again! I will definitely be making this regularly now and look forward to experimenting with different veggies!
Glad you liked it Dani!
I am so glad I found this post. Loved it! 🙂
Was curious the size of your skillet. I don’t think mine is as big as yours?
Hi Tracy, my cast iron (the one pictured here) is 10 inches. Best to make shakshuka in a skillet or saute pan from 10-12 inches.
Awesome dish! Do you know how many calories does it have per serving?? thanks so much
Rafaela, I don’t currently offer calorie breakdowns on my recipes. The nutrition calculators available online are not always reliable, and nutrition stats of various ingredients can vary from brand to brand (sodium content, calories, etc.). There are calorie calculators online you can use where you can plug in the specific brands you use. Just Google “calorie calculator” and you should get many results.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I embrace other cultures and this recipe sounds truly awesome. I can’t wait to try it.