This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
Shakshuka is a very simple, healthy, and delicious meal. It is made with poached eggs in tomato and paprika sauce, spiced mainly with garlic, cumin, and pepper. This fantastic dish is usually served for breakfast and brunch, but can also be served for lunch or dinner.
Its name is pronounced “Shak-SHOO-kah”, it comes from Arabic and it means “all mixed up” or “shaken”.
Its origin is not clear, but it is believed that this dish originated in the Maghreb region, North-West Africa. Apparently, there was an Ottoman dish called “Şakşuka” that consisted of cooked vegetables and minced meat. The Jews living in the Ottoman Maghreb region, which is now Tunisia, had a vegetarian variation of the dish, which was spicy and included eggs.
Nowadays it is a very popular dish in many parts of North Africa and the Middle East.
It is possible to find some variations of Shakshuka, which include other vegetables and even feta cheese, but today, I bring the classic recipe.
I hope you enjoy it”
Shakshuka Recipe Ingredients
A little bit about the ingredients I used for this recipe. The exact measurements are described in the recipe form below.
Eggs: In my opinion, this is the main ingredient of the recipe. They will be gently poached in the sauce and the yolks are usually a bit runny, but you can cook them for as long as you want. I used 5 big eggs for this recipe.
Vegetables: For this recipe, I used canned tomatoes because they are already soft and peeled, but you can use fresh ones, of course, onion (1 big yellow onion), garlic (4-5 garlic cloves), and 1 big red bell pepper.
Spices: I used a combination of paprika, cumin seeds, pepper, and chili flakes.
Fresh herbs: To garnish and add another layer of flavor, you can add some fresh coriander or parsley on top of your dish, just before serving. I used parsley.
How to make Shakshuka:
This couldn’t be simpler. The preparation of this dish is incredibly fast and easy. Basically, we have to chop the vegetables, blend them with the spices, and poach the eggs. The whole process will vary according to how hard you like your egg yolks to be, but should not take more than 30 minutes.
First, peel and chop the onion and garlic cloves. Cut the bell pepper into small pieces, removing the seeds. Add it all to a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil and cook until the onion becomes translucent.
Then add the canned tomatoes to the pan and with the spatula, cut the tomatoes into smaller pieces. If you choose to use fresh tomatoes, cut the tomatoes before adding them to the pan. Use between 3-4 small to medium size tomatoes. If you prefer, you can also peel them before cutting and adding to the pan.
After that, you can add the spices and salt and stir until everything is well blended. With the help of a spoon, make small wells in the sauce and break the eggs in these small wells. Use a lid to cover the pan to make the process faster. Cook until the egg yolks are done to your preference.
Once the dish is ready, you can garnish it with some chopped fresh parsley or coriander right before serving.
You can eat it with some bread, such as pita, and some classic hummus or another hummus variation.
I hope you enjoy it!
Shakshuka
Simple, healthy and delicious! This fantastic dish is usually served for breakfast and brunch, but can also be served for lunch or dinner.
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 big yellow onion (chopped)
- 1 big red bell pepper (seeded and chopped)
- 4-5 garlic cloves (chopped)
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 5 large eggs
- salt and chili flakes (to taste)
- Peel and chop the onion and garlic cloves. Cut the bell pepper into small pieces, removing the seeds. Add it all in a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil and cook under medium heat, until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add the canned tomatoes to the pan and with the spatula, cut the tomatoes in smaller pieces. If you choose to use fresh tomatoes, cut the tomatoes before adding them to the pan. Use between 3-4 small to medium size tomatoes. If you prefer, you can also peel them before cutting and adding to the pan.
- Add the spices and salt and stir until everything is well blended. With the help of a spoon, make small wells in the sauce and break the eggs in these small wells. Use a lid to cover the pan to make the process faster. Cook until the egg yolks are done to your preference.
- Once the dish is ready, you can garnish it with some chopped fresh parsley or coriander right before serving.
You might want to check these other recipes:
- How to make Delicious Caponata
- How to make Homemade Olive Tapenade
- Butter Bean Zucchini and Eggplant Dip – Simple and Delicious
