Learn how to make authentic shakshuka! Gently poached eggs baked in a tomato-red pepper stew, topped with feta and fresh herbs, it’s a delicious meal any time of the day.
This is my Egyptian father’s recipe for shakshuka, and to this day, it is my favorite breakfast recipe ever! Shakshuka is a North African baked egg dish where eggs are gently poached in a savory tomato red pepper stew infused with lovely warming spices of the Middle East.
I loved watching my father cook. I think it was the one thing he did where he felt completely relaxed and at peace, and when he was at peace, the whole house was at peace. I wish I could bottle that feeling.
What Is Shakshuka?
Shakshuka has many variations in North Africa, including Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt. Israel also has its own version, influenced by Tunisian Jews. While the recipes vary with different spices and herbs, they all consist of a tomato-based stew topped with gently poached eggs.
Ingredients In Shakshuka
- Extra large organic eggs: The eggs are baked in the stew for a comforting, fragrant flavor.
- Red onion and garlic cloves: To enhance the aromatic, savory taste.
- Red and yellow bell peppers: Boost the veggies in this dish and add subtle sweetness and texture.
- Tomatoes: Dice fresh tomatoes or use a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes. Add the juices, as these make up the bulk of the tomato sauce.
- Cumin, smoked paprika, and Aleppo chili flakes: Rich and warm spices make this dish so cozy! Aleppo is optional, but creates a lovely spicy tomato sauce. Red pepper flakes would work too!
- Sugar: For subtle sweetness to balance the acidity of the tomatoes (optional).
- Fresh herbs: Fresh basil ribbons, chopped cilantro, or Italian parsley.
- Optional: crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese.
How to Make Authentic Shakshuka
Preheat oven to 375F.
1. Make the stew. Using a large cast iron pan, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes, then add sliced pepper and garlic, reducing heat to medium-low heat and sautéing 5-7 minutes.
2. Add spices. Add all of the spices and kosher salt, along with the sugar. Stir and cook 2 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and water. Add the diced tomatoes and their juices, along with the water (or wine).
4. Simmer. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes. The consistency should be saucy like a stew. Once the tomatoes cook down, taste and adjust for salt, spices, and sugar.
5. Add the eggs. Using the back of a spoon, make a well in the tomato mixture for each egg. Crack the eggs into each well and sprinkle each with a little salt and black pepper, and Aleppo chili flakes if using.
6. Bake. Bake until the egg whites become opaque and are cooked, about 8-10 minutes. The yolks should still be soft, or to your desired doneness. You can also cook this on the stove.
7. Serve. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh herbs and goat cheese. Serve with warm, crusty bread.
How to Cook Shakshuka for a Crowd
As a caterer, I found this Shakshuka recipe perfect for breakfast events because I could easily make the flavorful stew in big batches a few days ahead and store it in the fridge. In our catering business, we used hotel pans and warmed the stew in our ovens, and once hot, added the raw eggs to top of hot stew letting them gently poach in the oven.
Shakshuka can be made in one large, dutch oven, a cast-iron skillet, or even in individual mini skillets!
Variations
- Cheese: Add goat cheese or crumbled feta cheese for a creamy, tasty addition!
- Meat: Add finely diced Spanish-style cured chorizo or Merguez sausage, a North African spiced sausage.
- Beans: White beans could be added to make this a heartier vegetarian dish.
Chef’s Tips
- Use an oven-proof skillet. A cast iron works great here! Or use a Dutch oven or individual mini cast iron skillets.
- Taste and adjust as you go. Taste for salt, sugar, and spices, adjusting to your preferences.
- Add cheese before or after baking. It all depends on what you prefer. Bake the cheese or let it be fresh as a garnish.
Storing Shakshuka
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop until warmed through.
What to serve with Shakshuka?
This Shakshuka recipe makes a hearty breakfast, brunch, or dinner recipe all on its own. It is best served with warm, crusty bread like our Sourdough. Pita bread would be nice too. You could also serve this with a simple side salad, like Spring Greens.
FAQs
Shakshuka is an African dish that originates from Tunisia, but is a popular recipe throughout North Africa and the Middle East.
Traditionally, this sauce is made from onions, garlic, and tomatoes, but we threw bell peppers in for a little extra flavor and texture!
Bread! It is perfect for gathering up all of the delicious sauce.
Let me know how you like this version of North African Shakshuka in the comments below!
Happy weekend!
More Breakfast Ideas to Love!
Watch how to make Shakshuka
Shakshuka Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 4
- Category: Breakfast, brunch, vegetarian
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Learn how to make authentic shakshuka! Gently poached eggs baked in a tomato-red pepper stew, topped with feta and fresh herbs, it’s a delicious meal any time of the day.
Ingredients
- 3T Olive oil
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced or diced
- 1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced or diced
- 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 3/4 tsp salt, more to taste
- cracked pepper to taste
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp aleppo chili flakes (optional)
- 3 medium tomatoes diced small with juices ( or one 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with juices)
- 1/3 cup water or white wine
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil ribbons, chopped cilantro or Italian parsley
- 4 –6 Extra large organic eggs
Other optional additions:
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup goat cheese or crumbled feta
- 1/4 C finely diced Spanish-style cured Chorizo or 1 cup Merguez Sausage, a North African spiced sausage
Instructions
- preheat oven to 375F
- In a large cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced peppers and garlic, and turn heat down to med-low and cook for 5-7 more minutes, until peppers are tender.
- Add all spices, sugar and salt.
- Cook for 2 more minutes. Add fresh tomatoes and water (or wine).
- Simmer on low for 10-15 minutes, uncovered, adding more water if it gets too dry or thick. You want a saucy, stew-like consistency. After tomatoes cook down, taste, it should be full-flavored, so adjust salt, spices, and sugar if necessary.
- With the back of a spoon, make a well for each egg in the stew. Crack the eggs into each well, sprinkling each egg with a little salt and cracked pepper and Aleppo chili flakes.
- Place in the 375F oven.
- Bake until egg whites are become opaque and are cooked ( about 8-10 minutes) and yolks are still soft ( or to your desired doneness.)
- Remove from oven and top with fresh basil (or cilantro or Italian Parsley) and goat cheese.
- Serve with crusty bread.
Notes
If adding cured (cooked) Spanish style chorizo, add to the simmering stew. If adding Merquez Sausage, brown it with the onions and peppers.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 eggs each ( without feta or meat)
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 10.5 g
- Sodium: 553.9 mg
- Fat: 14.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 17.7 g
- Fiber: 4.6 g
- Protein: 12.1 g
- Cholesterol: 279 mg
This was very good. Added a can of beans and it was just right for dinner for 3 hungry adults. Served with warmed pitas bread.
This is was sooooo delicious! Will definitely make again!
Awesome, glad this worked for you! 🙌
nope this came out horrible. I think you need to adjust your recipe and add more pictures for comparison.
Sorry to hear that. Can you be more specific about what when wrong here?
Shaksuka was absolutely delicious.
I had no problems with the instructions and have made several dishes from this amazing recipe site
Thank you for sharing it has changed my kitchen life.
Just made Shaksuka for dinner and it was absolutely delicious.
I had no problems with the instructions and have made several dishes from this amazing recipe site.
Thank you for sharing it has changed my kitchen life.
You are sweet. Thanks Fabian!
I’m having a bit of trouble with all the instructions of your recipes. This one after I add 1/3 cup of wine and cover it, it becomes too soupy…I usually follow recipes to the exact instructions and I feel like I have to keep altering the recipe a bit.
I’m so sorry, it should have said cook “uncovered”, instead of covered. I get the confusion. 😉
This was really delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much and great to hear! 🙌
My husband and I loved this very flavorful, colorful, and delicious meal!
Thanks Christina!
Lovely dish. Fed 2 greedy folk as a main course. I also added a chopped courgette 5 minutes before putting in the oven.
Thanks Ian!
Just made this for dinner tonight. It was so good! I added the chorizo because I had some in the fridge. The goat cheese was key. Super yummy recipe!
I have three college age boys home due to the Covid-19, and decided to make something different other than the regular Italian, Mexican and American dishes. This was a complete hit. The bread is a must and someone told me to serve it with hummus…. a great suggestion. Very very good. I used chorizo sausage and omitted the aleppo chilis as I couldn’t find them. Goat cheese is great too but let people add it themselves as it’s an acquired taste for certain. Thank you!
Thanks Ann!
I made half the recipe with 3 eggs. It was DELICIOUS, super easy. I had all the ingredients and spices, but didn’t have the goat cheese, so we used Cheddar and it was so GOOD! My husband ate it with tortilla chips. I ate with fresh baked french bread.hmmmmm….!
So happy you liked this!
Came out perfectly
Def would eat again
Something new and delicious
We doubled the recipe and 3 people were full as could be
Thank you for this recipe
First time on your site. Tried this recipe and loved it! Fantastic!
So happy you liked it!
We loved this recipe! I used a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes because my fresh tomatoes were on their way out. The reicpe still turned out great! Yum!
Oh! I’m so glad you gave this a go! I love this one too!
My go-to brunch recipe for when we have company. Thanks for a delicious recipe!
We love this recipe- best we’ve found yet!
Excellent. I’ve been making your recipe for years. Before the NY times copied your recipe.
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.
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!
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.
Beautiful food styling!
I gave Shakshuka a try, finally. Delicious!
http://www.tastytalks.com/things/shakshuka
Yes! Glad you enjoyed it!!
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. 😉
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 greatYour blog is fantastic, I will follow you by mail
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!