Shakshuka
A spiced tomato sauce simmered until jammy, with eggs cracked into wells and poached until the whites are set but yolks stay runny. It's breakfast, lunch, or dinner — bright, warm, and designed for tearing bread into.
Instructions
- 1
Heat olive oil in a wide, shallow pan (cast iron or skillet works great) over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- 2
Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant — you'll smell it hit the oil and know it's right.
- 3
Stir in cumin, paprika, and cayenne. Toast the spices for 30 seconds in the oil so they bloom and release their flavor.
- 4
Pour in canned tomatoes (break them up with a spoon as they go in) and add the roasted red peppers. Season with salt and black pepper. If using fresh tomatoes, add a pinch of sugar to balance acidity. Simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and deepens in color.
- 5
Using the back of a spoon, create 6 shallow wells in the sauce. Crack an egg into each well — do this gently so the yolk stays intact.
- 6
Cover the pan with a lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Poach for 5–7 minutes until the egg whites are just set but the yolks still jiggle when you nudge the pan. The whites should be opaque; the yolks soft.
- 7
Scatter fresh cilantro and parsley over the top. Serve directly from the pan with warm bread for dipping.
Nutrition per serving
Chef's Notes
- Roasted red peppers aren't traditional everywhere, but they add sweetness and body — use jarred ones if fresh aren't around, or skip them entirely for a leaner sauce.
- Don't skip the spice blooming step. Cumin and paprika taste flat if they just swim in liquid — toasting them in oil for 30 seconds makes them sing.
- If your eggs are poaching unevenly, turn the heat down further or tilt the pan slightly so the sauce pools deeper on one side.
- A cast iron pan keeps heat steady and looks great at the table when you serve straight from it.
About This Dish
Shakshuka comes from North Africa and the Levant, with roots in Tunisia and Egypt. The name means "mixture" or "all mixed together" — eggs, tomato, and spice simmered in one pan. It spread across the region and into Israeli and Palestinian kitchens, becoming iconic street food and home cooking alike. Every family has a version; this is the backbone that everything builds from.