Huevos Shakshukos – Shakshuka Recipe with a Mexican Twist on ToriAvey.com
Shakshuka, like many Middle Eastern dishes, has roots in the Ottoman Empire. Originally a meat and vegetable stew known as saksuka, it evolved to an egg-centric dish in North Africa. From Tunisia and Morocco the dish spread throughout the Middle East. Jewish North African immigrants brought it to Israel, where it became very popular. My husband first taught me to make the dish, which he enjoyed throughout his childhood in Israel. For a traditional shakshuka recipe, click here.
I grew up thousands of miles away from Israel in California, where huevos rancheros is much more likely to be on the menu than shakshuka, so it seemed only natural to give this dish a Mexican twist. Huevos rancheros, or ranch-style eggs, are traditionally made from fried or poached eggs served over tortillas with a tomato-chili sauce. The history of brunch in Mexico can be traced to indigenous food customs and European colonialism. The idea to serve eggs during breakfast and brunch came from the United States; huevos rancheros were sort of like Mexico’s answer to America’s eggs Benedict. The dish was often served as a late-morning meal on Mexican farms in rural areas. Over time, huevos rancheros spread from Mexico to the United States. According to local legend Rudy Cisneros, the former owner of Cisco’s Bakery in Austin, Texas, helped to make the dish famous in the states. President Lyndon Johnson is said to have enjoyed huevos rancheros for breakfast at Cisco’s on more than one occasion.
My Mexican-style shakshuka has a nice kick to it; the heat can be adjusted to taste. Creamy avocado, shredded cheese and sour cream complete the dish. Both huevos rancheros and shakshuka are commonly served for breakfast, but I think this could just as easily be made for lunch or dinner. Served on top of warm tortillas or tortilla chips, this is one of my favorite meals for Meatless Monday.
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Huevos Shakshukos
Ingredients
- 1 jalapeño
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion peeled and minced
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 4 cups ripe diced tomatoes or 2 cans
- 14 oz prepared vegetarian refried beans 1 can
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/4 tsp chili powder
- Pinch cayenne pepper or more to taste
- Salt to taste
- 6 large eggs
- 1/3 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend (Monterey jack and cheddar cheese) or 2 oz. cotija cheese
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro optional, for topping
- 1/2 ripe avocado, sliced thin optional, for topping
- sour cream (for serving - optional)
- Warm tortillas or tortilla chips for serving
Notes
Instructions
- Roast your jalapeño. Learn how here: How to Roast Jalapeños. Peel the charred skin off the jalapeño (if your skin is sensitive protect it with gloves). Most of the spice from the jalapeño comes from the seeds. I prefer this dish spicier, so I leave the seeds in. If you are spice sensitive, take the seeds out of the jalapeño before proceeding.
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Heat a deep, large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Slowly warm olive oil in the pan. Add minced onion and sauté for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until it softens. Add garlic and continue to sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes until mixture is fragrant.
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Add tomatoes and refried beans to pan. Stir until blended. Turn heat to medium low and let the mixture heat up.
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Mince the peeled roasted jalapeño and add it to the mixture. Stir in the chili powder and tomato paste, then add cayenne and salt to taste. Allow seasoned mixture to cook at a low simmer for about 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning if desired. Careful with the cayenne, it is extremely spicy! The jalapeño adds a kick on its own, so if you're spice sensitive feel free to omit the cayenne completely.
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Crack the eggs, one at a time, directly over the tomato bean mixture, making sure to space them evenly over the sauce. The eggs will cook "over easy" style in the tomato bean sauce. Cover the pan.
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Allow mixture to simmer for 10-20 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your desired doneness. Some people prefer their shakshuka eggs more runny, while others like them hard cooked. Keep an eye on the skillet to make sure that the sauce doesn't reduce too much, which can lead to burning.
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Once the eggs have reached your desired doneness, sprinkle the top with shredded cheese or cotija cheese and replace the lid to allow the cheese time to melt. Garnish with sliced avocado and chopped cilantro, if desired. Serve with warm tortillas or tortilla chips. You may also top each serving with a dollop of sour cream.
Wen of SF says
First off let me say we love shakshuka & we love chilaquilles so… there was little to no chance we weren’t going to love this mashup! I have made this twice so far & my family gobbles it up! First time I made it with refried beans and today I tried it with whole beans-great both ways. With the whole beans I made sure to cook down the onions and tomatoes until there was very little moisture left in the pan, then I added the beans without any sauce. It turned out great.
Thanks so much for this recipe!
J. Richard Brown says
I love this recipe. I especially the mixture of traditions. It is interesting to note that Norteño cuisine (northern Mexico, Central America, and the Southwest US heavily borrows from North Africa. The 400 years of Moorish occupation of Spain left an indelible mark on some of Spain’s cuisine. Conquistadors, many tracing roots to Arabic families, brought such cuisine to the New World.
While I don’t know of any traditional shakshuka in the New World the flavor profile is distinctly present here. This dish is a close cousin to many dishes throughout the region that straddles the US-Mexico border and beyond.
From a person who lives where roasting chile is a way of life, I have a couple of suggestions. First, be sure to pierce the jalapeños before charring them. This prevents them from exploding from built up steam. In New Mexico we steam our roasted chiles in heat-safe ziplock bags. Put the roasted peppers in the bag and press out most of the air and seal. Leave for 5-10 minutes before peeling. I think reducing the space by squeezing the air out aids the steaming.
Second, the seeds are not important for flavor or heat. The capsaicin is concentrated in the veins that the seeds are attached to. If you want the maximum heat and flavor, carefully remove the seeds from the veins. Do not rinse the inside of the roasted chile/peppers with water as this will remove precious oils that also have a great deal of flavor. If, instead, you want to reduce heat you can use a sharp knife to carefully remove the veins and discard.
Thanks for a great recipe.
Monique says
I want to put SHRIMP in this!
Tamyla says
So going to make this. It’s home made, fresh, colorful and with all those spices, yummmmm.
Christa Nice says
Thanks Tori!! Your regular Shakshuka recipe is my go-to, and this is a great idea! I did make a few changes, adding some mole’ and cumin to the tomatoes and onions INSTEAD of refried beans and chili powder. I also always finish it in the oven at 350, covered, to make sure that the eggs get done without burning the sauce, it takes about 10 minutes in the oven. I served it with warmed corn tortillas, salsa, sour cream, and refried beans on the side.
Les'a says
Delicious! We loved this recipe! Will definitely make it again!!!
Ruben Valencia says
Talk about fusion! Looks delicious!
Nancy Giunta says
no words…except MMMMMMM (that’s a “word” right?)
Dyana Neal says
This looks amazing! BTW, I make your traditional shakshuka recipe quite often, but I leave the sugar out as I try to have as little of that in my diet as possible. It’s spectacular!
Jocelyn Lawry Monacelli says
Love this ! I have done something similar using a spicy Enchilada sauce ! Mazel Tov! and Ole !