Save this traditional Shakshuka recipe! 🍳🍅 Eggs are gently cooked in a rich tomato and pepper sauce flavored with garlic, cumin, and paprika. Serve it hot with crusty bread or warm pita for a comforting breakfast or brunch.
Traditional Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a wonderfully simple dish built around eggs gently cooked in a flavorful tomato and pepper sauce.
Popular across North Africa and the Middle East, variations differ considerably from one household and region to another. The basic idea remains wonderfully straightforward: tomatoes, peppers, onions, spices, and eggs cooked together in one skillet.
It’s especially good when served straight from the pan with plenty of bread for scooping up the sauce and runny egg yolks.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20–25 minutes
Total Time: About 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 6 ripe tomatoes, chopped, or 1 large can (about 800 g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp chili flakes, optional
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large eggs
- Fresh parsley or cilantro
- Crumbled feta, optional
- Bread for serving
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables
Finely chop the onion and bell pepper.
If you’re using fresh tomatoes, roughly chop them. Mince the garlic and keep everything nearby because the recipe comes together quickly once cooking begins.
Sauté the onion and pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook for approximately 5 minutes, until it begins to soften.
Add the bell pepper and continue cooking for another 4–5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
Build the tomato sauce
Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste.
Season with cumin, paprika, chili flakes, salt, and black pepper.
Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Let the sauce develop
Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for approximately 10–15 minutes.
Stir occasionally as the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens.
Taste and adjust the seasoning before adding the eggs.
The sauce should be thick enough to create small wells that hold the eggs.
Add the eggs
Using the back of a spoon, create four small wells in the tomato mixture.
Carefully crack one egg into each well.
Cover the skillet and reduce the heat slightly.
Cook for approximately 5–8 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs.
For runnier yolks, remove the skillet as soon as the whites have set. Leave it a little longer if you prefer firmer yolks.
Add the finishing touches
Remove the skillet from the heat.
Sprinkle generously with fresh parsley or cilantro.
If desired, add a little crumbled feta just before serving.
Serve
Serve the shakshuka immediately, preferably straight from the skillet.
Provide plenty of crusty bread, flatbread, or warm pita for dipping into the tomato sauce and egg yolks.
Tips for Great Shakshuka
Let the sauce thicken. If the tomato mixture is too watery when the eggs are added, the finished shakshuka won’t have the same rich consistency.
Cook the spices with the sauce. Giving cumin and paprika time to mingle with the tomatoes creates a deeper flavor.
Watch the eggs carefully. They can go from runny to firm surprisingly quickly.
Use good tomatoes. During tomato season, ripe fresh tomatoes are excellent. Quality canned tomatoes work beautifully throughout the rest of the year.
Traditional Variations
There isn’t just one version of shakshuka.
Some preparations are extremely simple, while others include bell peppers, harissa, chili peppers, potatoes, merguez, preserved lemon, or different herbs and spices.
Cheese is optional rather than essential. If you want a simpler version, leave out the feta and finish with fresh herbs and olive oil.
What to Serve With Shakshuka
Bread is the classic companion.
Serve it with crusty homemade bread, pita, flatbread, or another traditional bread from your region.
For a larger breakfast spread, add olives, cheese, cucumber and tomato salad, fresh fruit, and hot tea.
Storage
The tomato base can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated in an airtight container for approximately 3 days.
For the best result, reheat the sauce and cook fresh eggs directly in it shortly before serving.
Final Note
Warm tomatoes, peppers, aromatic spices, and softly cooked eggs make Traditional Shakshuka an excellent example of how uncomplicated ingredients can create an incredibly satisfying breakfast.
Put the skillet in the center of the table, bring out plenty of bread, and enjoy it while everything is still hot.