Turn a few eggs into the perfect meal with this simple shakshuka recipe! Eggs poached in a perfectly-spiced vegetarian stew of tomatoes and green peppers. Perfect for breakfast, lunch, or even dinner (just add a salad and your favorite bread to complete the meal!)
Shakshuka!
Say it with me, “shahk-SHOO-kah!”
Shakshuka is top of the list of my favorite egg dishes. It originally came from North Africa (Tunisia), and has quickly become a popular Middle Eastern dish, particularly in Israel and the Holy Land region.
What is Shakshuka?
I believe shakshuka gained wild popularity because it’s a simple dish that stars every-day ingredients. While there are many variations of shakshuka, a traditional shakshuka recipe is basically eggs poached in a spiced tomato and green pepper stew with onions and garlic.
How to Make Shakshuka
Shakshuka requires very little equipment to make; a well-seasoned cast iron skillet is all you need.
It starts with sauteing some onions, garlic and bell peppers with spices. Fresh chopped tomatoes (the more ripe, the better) or canned diced tomatoes are added. The tomato mixture cooks until it is reduced to a thicker stew.
Finally, large eggs are cracked and added directly over the tomato stew, then cooked over low heat.
One important trick; it helps to make small “wells” into the tomato stew for the eggs. Make sure the “wells” or indentations are spaced out. Then nestle an egg into each indentation.
What to serve with Shakshuka?
Today’s shakshuka recipe skews towards the more traditional version, with the addition of fresh herbs like parsley and mint.
There are many more variations where the vegetables are changed up; or additional ingredients like feta cheese or spiced meat are added.
Yet this simple shakshuka recipe is one of my favorites. It is traditionally served as breakfast with warm pita bread or challah. But I often serve it for dinner with a couple more side for a light vegetarian meal.
A few of my favorite sides to serve next to this shakshuka recipe are: Mediterranean chickpea salad; kidney bean salad; and roasted red pepper hummus.
Watch the video for How to Make Shakshuka:
More Recipes to Try:
Mediterranean Breakfast Egg Muffins
Ultimate Mediterranean Breakfast Board
Mediterranean Fish Fillet, Shakshuka Style
Mediterranean Bean Soup with Tomato Pesto
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Shakshuka Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Easy shakshuka recipe. Eggs braised in a perfectly spiced sauce of fresh tomatoes and peppers.
Ingredients
- Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 green peppers, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled, chopped
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper
- 6 Vine-ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce ( about 118 ml)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves (about 0.2 ounces or 5 grams)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (about 0.2 ounces or 5 grams)
Instructions
- Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large cast iron skillet. Add the onions, green peppers, garlic, spices, pinch salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar. Simmer until the tomato mixture begins to reduce, about 10-12 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
- Using a wooden spoon, make 6 indentations, or “wells,” in the tomato mixture (make sure the indentations are spaced out). Gently crack an egg into each indention.
- Reduce the heat, cover the skillet, and cook on low until the egg whites are set.
- Uncover and add the fresh parsley and mint. You can add more black pepper or crushed red pepper, if you like. Serve with warm pita, challah bread, or your choice of crusty bread.
Notes
- Recommended for this recipe: Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed Koroneiki olives) SAVE! Try our Greek EVOO Bundle!
- Recommended for this recipe: from our all-natural and organic spice collections, ground coriander, paprika, and cumin. SAVE! Try our Ultimate Mediterranean Spice Bundle or create your own 6-pack or 3-pack of spices!
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: Shakshuka, shakshuka recipe, middle eastern shakshuka, egg shakshuka
best shakshuka recipe i tried.
★★★★★
Wonderful! So glad to hear it.
Awww! Thanks so much!
Loved this. Made it twice and am making it again this weekend! Finally a Sunday Morning breakfast that isn’t a frittata!
The second time I made it, I used 1.5 Tbsp of Ras Elhanout instead of the listed spices and oh my, was it good.
I also came up with a neat idea on cooking the eggs kind of by accident. I had set the cover of my cast iron pan on a burner and I thought, “Hmmm, could I preheat the cover and maybe cook the eggs from the top too?” Well, it worked fantastic! I just have to remember to use a pot holder!! 😉
★★★★★
Thank you so much for sharing, Mark! Always appreciate the feedback.
Wow! Thanks for sharing your fun twists on this recipe, Mark! Glad you enjoyed it!!
Hi Suzy! Oh my goodness… literally just finished devouring your Shakshuka recipe and it was absolutely, amazingly delicious. Thank you!
I do have a question about using cast iron with tomato based sauces. I love my cast iron skillet,(which is well seasoned) but fear that either the tomato based dish would have a metallic taste to it, or that it would strip away the pan’s seasoning and I’d have to start all over again re-seasoning. I ended up using a regular non-stick pan for this recipe.
Does the cast iron work because the sauce is not simmered for hours? Am I being paranoid?
Again, thank you for the recipe and I look forward to trying others on your site.
Happy New Year! Marilyn
Hi Marilyn, thank you so much for your kind comment. I am so glad you enjoyed this Shakshuka recipe. It’s a family favorite! As far using a cast iron skillet with a tomato-based recipe, I personally use mine all the time because my recipes, like this one, are quick. Now if the sauce were to simmer for many hours, I would use something else. But I haven’t had any trouble with my cast iron and I use it all the time. Personal preference.
Wow! Thank you for your prompt, informative reply. I thought that the cooking time might make a difference, but appreciate the affirmation. Just as an aside, I interchange my cast iron with a carbon steel skillet that I’ve fallen in love with. It has the same effect, but is is a little easier to maneuver around the stove. “America’s Test Kitchen” did a review of carbon steel pans which you can find on youtube if you are interested. Thanks again, Suzy.
★★★★★
My pleasure, Marilyn! Thanks for sharing.
Ohhhh Shakshuka is proper Moroccan dish especially among poor people cos it’s simple and doesn’t cost a lot and delicious as well …but still all kind of Moroccan backgrounders make it sometimes when there is no time to make difficult dishes lol ..and it’s quick to make ..
Agreed!Shakshuka is just amazing no matter what the occasion or need! And so easy.
Very delicious, but my only comment is that this dish is not Israeli – it is Palestinian from centuries ago, and when Israel was created in 1948, they appropriated and stole not only land, but culture and food like this one from the indigenous people on the land. Please consider writing Palestinian as the Middle East, which is the true origin of the dish: https://middle-east-online.com/en/israel’s-appropriation-palestinian-food
Thank you for your understanding.
★★★★
Hey Colette, thanks so much for sharing. Although, as mentioned in the post, Shakshuka likely originated in North Africa (Tunisia) and traveled from there to parts of the Middle East. There are so many variations of it! All wonderful!
Delicious recipe easy to make recipe!
★★★★★
So glad to hear it, Cheryl!
This is a fabulous recipe and so easy to make. Thank you
So glad you enjoyed it!
I thought Shakshuka looked interesting but not for me as I am single. Then I ordered it in a swank hotel in Budpest and loved it. It was basically the sauce plus the egg. So I am thinking, “Can’t I make the recipe without the eggs’ and just save it in the fridge and just make it for one?” So do you see any reason why not?
Hey Ann! You can absolutely make the sauce part of the recipe and save in the fridge as you described. Then warm up a portion and add an egg to it as you need to. You can also fry the eggs separately, if that works better for you.
Tomatoe sauce? What’s that? Ketchup?!! Can’t be
Tomato sauce refers to plain tomato sauce made from tomatoes. Not ketchup
Here to tell you I just used ketchup, but then added no sugar: really tasty, if less authentic. Loved it and will make again for sure.
★★★★★
I’m glad you enjoyed it! It’s fun to play with recipes to find what works for you and suit your own taste.
Nicely elaborated recipe. I will definitely try this at home.
★★★★★
Enjoy, Kate!
Made this recipe for my Tunisian husband (who also happens to be a chef). He LOVED it. I added a bit of Harissa and he said it was delicious and authentic.
Thank you for the lovely recipe!
★★★★★
That’s awesome, Kim! Thanks so much for giving it a try
Fantastic
★★★★★
So glad to hear it, David!
This was delicious! We were looking for a way to use an abundance of tomatoes from our garden and this fit the bill perfectly. We had it for dinner tonight and are looking forward to having it for breakfast tomorrow morning.
★★★★★
Casey, I am so glad you tried this shakshuka! And so glad it covered a couple meals for you!
made it for my dad, and the kids even liked it! I did let the eggs set to medium, but it was great! Do you have a heart healthy chicken dish that is similar? My dad doesn’t really like chicken, but will eat it if it has enough “flare”
★★★★★
Thanks for sharing, Tiffany! I’m so glad this worked out for you all. There are so many chicken recipes on the blog, if you look under meat and poultry. Here is the link: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/category/meat-and-poultry/
love it, I let the eggs became hard, don’t like runny yolks, very good.Thanks.
★★★★★
Marcy, so glad you enjoyed it! And glad you adapted it to your liking!
Delicious quick easy meal …
★★★★★
Thanks, Carol! So glad
LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe- will be making your dish for the office (As requested) for the third time since last summer 😉
★★★★★
Awww so glad to hear it!