Simple Delicious Shakshuka! A North African baked Egg dish bursting with flavor – perfect for breakfast or brunch.
This easy North African style baked egg recipe, called Shakshuka is bursting with middle eastern flavors. Fast and simple to make, it comes together in 30 minutes and it’s one we use a lot at home. I love it best served with toasty bread to mop up all the flavorful juices. There are many variations of shakshuka, and I took a few liberties here with this one, adding sweet bell peppers and fresh herbs.
You can keep this VEGAN (see below) or “beef” it up a bit by adding chorizo or feta.
Any way you prepare it, the combination of the spices, along with flavorful Tomato- Pepper stew, topped with the eggs – is one you will want to make over and over.
It is also a good recipe if having company because you could easily make the stew ahead, doubling the recipe, and placing in a large baking dish–and when ready to serve, just add the eggs and warm it up it in a hot oven.
To keep it vegan, substitute the eggs with pan-seared salt and pepper tofu (see below). Finish with fresh herbs and serve with crusty bread. This can be made in one large cast iron skillet, or in individual mini skillets.
After a little research, I find that it is also really popular in Israel. For a Moroccan twist, add a couple pinches of cinnamon and some dried apricots or raisins to the stew.
Shakshuka- North African Skillet Eggs
Shakshuka -A flavorful North African baked egg dish with sautéed peppers, tomatoes and spices, topped with eggs and herbs.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 4
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients
- 3T Olive oil
- 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 3-4 garlic cloves, diced
- 3/4 tsp salt
- cracked pepper to taste
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 3 medium tomatoes diced small
- 1/3 c white wine or water
- 1 T fresh basil ribbons or chopped Italian parsley
- 4 -6 Extra large organic eggs ( or seared salt and pepper tofu…see below)
- Other optional additions:
- crumbled feta or goat cheese
- 1 C browed chorizo
- ¼ C finely diced spanish style cured Chorizo or Merguez, a North African spiced sausage
Instructions
- preheat oven to 400F
- In a large cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. ( if adding raw chorizo, brown it with the onions)
- Add the sliced peppers and garlic, and turn heat down to med-low and cook for 5 more minutes, until peppers are tender.
- If adding the cured spanish chorizo or Merguez sausage, add it now.
- Add all spices, sugar and salt.
- Cook for 2 more minutes. Add fresh tomatoes and white wine ( or water).
- Simmer on low for 15 minutes, adding more water if it gets too dry or thick. You want a stew like consistency. After tomatoes cook down, taste, it should be full flavored and adjust salt and sugar if necessary.
- Crack 4-6 eggs over the mixture, sprinkling each egg with a little salt and cracked pepper.
- Add crumble goat cheese or feta ( optional) over the top and place in the 400F oven. Bake until Egg whites are cooked ( about 7 minutes) and yolks are still soft. Remove from oven and top with fresh basil ( or cilantro or Italian parsely). Serve with toast or crusty bread.
What’s funny is my dad used to cook these in “India” when I was growing up. Almost exact recipe. The difference Offcourse were some of the spices. And what he would do is — lay 4 slices of bread in pan (instead of toasting them) and then lay the cooked peppers and onions on top and then put the eggs on top and cook them with cheese. And he would serve each of us a slice — loaded with peppers, egg and cheese. The best part was the bread — it would soak up all the flavors from the dish. Happy cooking!!
I love the idea of adding bread in the bottom of the pan…what a brilliant idea! I will have to try it and thanks for the tip!
My mother used to cook this and now I make it at home quite often. It´s almost the exact recipe, but together with the pepper, onion and garlics she added zucchini, so se made a sort of ratatouille from time to time she added chorizo and/or cheese but most of them she made without them… it was always great
Your blog is fantastic, I will follow you by mail
WHile I like your blog, this isn’t even close to the authentic Chakchouka. Never seen it with basil, wine or cheese tofu. And you roast the peppers, chop then saute in the tomatoes & onions.
You are right, it is not traditional- rather my take on it. 😉
It is similar to a Basque dish called Piperade.
This was very good. I did add the bread to the pan & they toasted to a nice crisp. Next time I will try cooked rice on the bottom of the pan till crisp. Like a Korean dish.
Beautiful food styling!
I gave Shakshuka a try, finally. Delicious!
http://www.tastytalks.com/things/shakshuka
Yes! Glad you enjoyed it!!
I tried this in a cast iron dutch oven on a camping trip. We served them up on tortilla bread, rolled up like a burrito. The eggs were just cooked through to the point they weren’t runny. It was great.
Attention Food Truck Vendors…add this to your menu!!!
What a great idea to make while camping! Love it. Thanks for sharing.
I love this recipe, it’s perfect for a cold day! I always add a teaspoon of turmeric as well.
🙂
Nice addition! Love that Cath!
So good! We had shakshuka in a restaurant and loved it, so I was looking for a recipe to recreate it at home. So glad I found yours. It was delicious and hearty– perfect if you’re looking for a filling and tasty vegetarian meal. We served it with crusty toasted bread and I couldn’t get enough of it.
★★★★★