Shakshuka Recipe
This Shakshuka Recipe is the breakfast and dinner hybrid that has taken the world by storm. A deeply colored, richly spiced tomato sauce bubbling away in a single pan with eggs poached directly inside it. Furthermore, it is one of the most visually stunning and most satisfying one pan meals you can make. Moreover, the cleanup is minimal and the flavor is absolutely extraordinary.
Additionally, shakshuka is one of the most searched summer dinner ideas and quick cooking recipes on Pinterest right now. For more vibrant breakfast and dinner recipes, also explore our Eggs Benedict Recipe, our loaded Breakfast Burrito Recipe and our full Breakfast collection.
Why Shakshuka Is the Perfect Summer Dinner
Shakshuka is one of the greatest summer dinner ideas because it uses peak season tomatoes and peppers at their absolute best. Furthermore, a ripe summer tomato makes this dish sing in a way that no out of season tomato ever can. Consequently, this recipe is at its most extraordinary during the summer months when fresh tomatoes are sweet, juicy and deeply flavorful.
A True Quick Cooking Recipe
The entire shakshuka is ready in just 30 minutes from start to plate. Moreover, it uses one pan and simple pantry ingredients. Additionally, it works perfectly as a summer dinner, a weekend brunch or a quick weeknight meal. Consequently, this is the ultimate quick cooking recipe for any occasion.
The Spice Blend in This Shakshuka Recipe
The spice blend is what gives shakshuka its bold, deeply aromatic character. Furthermore, the combination of cumin, smoked paprika, coriander and cayenne creates a sauce that is warm, smoky and deeply complex without being overwhelmingly spicy.
Key Spices
- Cumin — The backbone of the spice blend. Moreover, toasted cumin adds an earthy, nutty warmth that anchors all the other flavors.
- Smoked paprika — Adds a deep smokiness and a beautiful deep red color to the sauce. Furthermore, it gives the dish its signature warmth.
- Ground coriander — Adds a citrusy, floral brightness. Additionally, it lifts and balances the heavier, earthier spices beautifully.
- Cayenne — A small pinch adds background heat. Consequently, it makes the dish feel more alive and dynamic without making it aggressively spicy.
The Tomato Sauce Base for This Shakshuka Recipe
The tomato sauce is the heart of this Shakshuka Recipe. Furthermore, a combination of fresh ripe tomatoes and canned crushed tomatoes produces the richest and most complex base. The fresh tomatoes add brightness and the canned tomatoes add depth and body.
The Peppers
Red and yellow bell peppers are sauteed with the onion and garlic before the tomatoes are added. Moreover, the peppers add a natural sweetness that balances the acidity of the tomatoes perfectly. Additionally, they add beautiful pops of color to the finished dish that make it look even more vibrant and appetizing.
How to Make This Shakshuka Recipe
The method is simple and deeply satisfying. First, build the spiced tomato sauce in one pan. Then create wells in the sauce and crack the eggs directly in. Finally, cover and cook until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. The full method is in the recipe card below.
Perfect Summer Picnic and Dinner Pairings
This Shakshuka Recipe is a complete and deeply satisfying meal. However, these accompaniments make it even more spectacular as a summer meal:
Best Pairings
- Warm crusty sourdough or pita bread for scooping up the rich sauce and runny egg yolks
- Our golden Garlic Bread Bites as a more indulgent bread option alongside
- A simple cucumber and mint salad on the side for a cooling and refreshing contrast
- Crumbled feta cheese scattered generously over the top just before serving for a salty, creamy finish
- Fresh coriander, a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon over the top to brighten all the flavors
Easy Variations for This Shakshuka Recipe
Spicy Merguez Shakshuka — Add crumbled spiced merguez sausage to the tomato base. Moreover, the bold North African spices in the merguez deepen the flavor of the sauce dramatically.
White Bean Shakshuka — Add a can of drained white beans to the sauce. Furthermore, the beans add protein, substance and a wonderfully creamy texture that makes this a more filling complete meal.
Shakshuka with Halloumi — Add sliced halloumi directly to the sauce alongside the eggs. Additionally, the halloumi crisps slightly at the edges and adds a salty, squeaky richness that is deeply satisfying.
Sweet Potato Shakshuka — Add roasted sweet potato cubes to the sauce. Consequently, the natural sweetness of the sweet potato against the spiced tomato base creates a warming and deeply comforting version.
Make This Shakshuka Recipe Tonight
In conclusion, this Shakshuka Recipe is the most vibrant, satisfying and effortless quick cooking recipe you can make in just 30 minutes. Therefore, whether it is a summer dinner, a weekend brunch or a quick picnic food idea, this recipe always delivers extraordinary flavor. Browse more of our wonderful Breakfast recipes and share your results in the comments below!
Shakshuka Recipe
Eggs poached in a rich bold spiced tomato and pepper sauce. A stunning one pan meal ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect for breakfast, brunch or summer dinner.
Ingredients
- The Sauce Base
- 3 tbspOlive oil
- 1 largeOnion, finely diced
- 1Red bell pepper, diced
- 1Yellow bell pepper, diced
- 4 clovesGarlic, finely minced
- 1 tbspTomato paste
- 400 gCanned crushed tomatoes
- 3 largeRipe fresh tomatoes, roughly choppedUse the ripest summer tomatoes available for the best flavor
- The Spices
- 2 tspGround cumin
- 1 tspSmoked paprika
- 1 tspGround coriander
- 1/2 tspCayenne pepper
- 1 tspSalt
- 1 tspSugar (balances the acidity of the tomatoes)
- The Eggs and Finish
- 6 largeEggsUse room temperature eggs for more even cooking in the sauce
- 100 gFeta cheese, crumbled (optional but highly recommended)
- As desiredFresh coriander or flat leaf parsley, chopped
- As desiredExtra olive oil and fresh lemon juice to finish
Equipment
Method for This Shakshuka Recipe
- 1 Saute the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and golden. Add the diced red and yellow peppers and cook for a further 4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and all the spices. Cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Furthermore, cooking the spices in the oil and vegetables at this stage blooms them and releases their essential oils for a much deeper flavor in the finished sauce.
- 2 Build the tomato sauce: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes until it darkens slightly. Add the fresh chopped tomatoes and canned crushed tomatoes. Stir well. Add the sugar and season with salt. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes until the sauce is thick, rich and deeply flavored. Moreover, a thick sauce is essential as a runny sauce will produce undercooked egg whites before the yolks are set to the right consistency.
- 3 Create wells and add eggs: Using the back of a large spoon, create 6 shallow wells in the surface of the tomato sauce. Crack one egg carefully into each well. Furthermore, cracking each egg into a small cup first before sliding it into the well prevents broken yolks and shell fragments from landing in the sauce. Consequently, every egg is perfectly whole and beautifully presented.
- 4 Cover and poach: Place a tight fitting lid on the pan. Cook over medium low heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Check at 5 minutes. The egg whites should be fully set and opaque but the yolks should still be soft and slightly wobbly when the pan is gently shaken. Furthermore, every 30 seconds makes a significant difference at this stage so check frequently to avoid overcooking the yolks.
- 5 Finish and serve: Remove from heat immediately when the eggs are done to your liking. Scatter crumbled feta generously over the top. Add a handful of fresh coriander or parsley. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Serve straight from the pan at the table with warm crusty bread alongside. Shakshuka is always best served immediately while the yolks are still perfectly runny.
Nutrition (Per Serving - based on 4 portions with feta)
* Nutritional values are estimates per serving. Omitting the feta reduces calories by approximately 35 kcal and sodium by approximately 140mg per serving.
Notes
- Use the ripest summer tomatoes available. Ripe fresh tomatoes make this shakshuka extraordinary. Furthermore, peak season summer tomatoes are sweet, deeply flavored and juicy. Consequently, using them in this recipe produces a dramatically more vibrant and complex sauce than out of season tomatoes.
- Make the sauce ahead and add eggs when ready. The tomato sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Furthermore, reheating the sauce and adding fresh eggs to order is an excellent strategy for serving shakshuka to a large group at brunch. Consequently, the sauce development time actually deepens the flavors overnight.
- Check the eggs every 30 seconds from 5 minutes onwards. The difference between a perfectly runny yolk and an overcooked chalky one is very small. Moreover, ovens and stove tops vary significantly in heat output. Consequently, vigilant checking from 5 minutes is the single most important skill in this recipe.
- This recipe serves 4 with one and a half eggs per person. To serve 6, increase the sauce quantities by 50 percent and use 8 to 9 eggs. Furthermore, use a larger pan to accommodate the additional sauce and eggs without overcrowding.
- Leftovers keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator but the egg yolks will be fully set when reheated. Furthermore, leftover shakshuka sauce without the eggs freezes perfectly for up to 3 months. Consequently, making a double batch of sauce and freezing half is an excellent meal prep strategy.
Tips for the Perfect Shakshuka Recipe Every Time
- Always use a lid when poaching the eggs. The trapped steam from the hot tomato sauce cooks the top of the egg whites without the need to flip them. Furthermore, without a lid the tops of the whites remain raw and runny while the bottoms overcook. Consequently, a tight fitting lid is essential for perfectly cooked shakshuka eggs every time.
- Make the sauce thick before adding the eggs. A runny, watery sauce produces undercooked egg whites. Furthermore, a thick sauce holds the eggs in place, surrounds the whites completely and cooks them evenly on all sides. Consequently, always reduce the sauce until it is noticeably thick before creating the wells for the eggs.
- Serve straight from the pan at the table. Shakshuka is a dish meant to be shared from a communal pan at the table. Furthermore, transferring it to individual plates causes the eggs to continue cooking from the residual heat and the yolks to set fully before they are eaten. Consequently, serving from the pan preserves the runny yolks and the rustic, convivial spirit of the dish.
- Add feta cheese before serving not before cooking. Feta added to the pan before the eggs set becomes too salty and loses its distinct texture. Moreover, feta crumbled cold over the finished hot dish retains its creamy texture and produces beautiful little pockets of cool salty creaminess against the hot spiced sauce.
- Use fresh tomatoes alongside canned for the best flavor. Fresh summer tomatoes add a brightness and acidity that canned tomatoes alone cannot provide. Furthermore, the combination of fresh and canned produces a sauce that is both vibrant and deep. Consequently, using both types always produces a better result than either alone.