Breakfast

Shakshuka

shakshuka

When I stumbled across a recipe for Shakshuka, I didn’t know it was actually a “thing”, but bookmarked it because, it was pretty, and well…tomatoes and eggs. Once I got around to making it, I fell completely in love and it has been a staple in our house ever since. This dish is the perfect combination of tomatoes, eggs and spices, creating a delicious sauce that needs to be mopped up with bread.

Jump to recipe.

shakshuka

There are a number of variations floating around the web and I’ve been working on my own version to give to you guys. Of course, you really can’t go wrong, no matter what you choose to do.

The eggs are poached in a sauce of tomatoes, onions and spices. I’ve used fresh and canned tomatoes, and while fresh are obviously preferred, canned tomatoes work just as well during the long winter months. I’ve also added tomato paste (Pro Tip: freeze tomato paste in ice cube containers (roughly 1 tbsp per cube) and have them at hand to pop into any type of dish that calls for it!), honey and cider vinegar to help round out the flavours. For spices, I use smoked paprika, cumin and fresh thyme in mine, but regular or sweet paprika and dried thyme would be delicious as well, you’ll just have a bit of a different flavour. Traditional versions call for chili peppers, but I’ve opted for using crushed red pepper flakes as I’m more likely to have them on hand.

This dish can be finished on the stovetop (like I do in my version), or in the oven, like Renée from Sweetsugarbean does in her version.

The dish is thought to have Tunisian origin, but is also part of Libyan, Algerian, Moroccan and Egyptian cuisines. It can be served for any meal, but no matter when you choose to serve it, make sure you have some bread on hand…you don’t want to miss a drop of the sauce.

shakshuka

shakshuka
shakshuka
shakshuka
shakshuka
shakshuka
shakshuka
shakshuka
shakshuka
shakshuka
shakshuka
shakshuka

shakshuka

Shakshuka

Course: Breakfast
Servings: 4 servings
Author: The Gourmet Housewife

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2-3 large cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 2 14 ounce cans diced or whole tomatoes, or 6-8 ripe tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 bell pepper (red, yellow or orange, diced) optional
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme plus additional for garnish
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp cider vinegar
  • 1-2 cup loosely packed greens spinach, kale, swiss chard, etc., coarsely chopped
  • 1/3 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese optional
  • 4 eggs

Instructions

  • In a large cast iron or other skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic and spices, and cook until onions are translucent and spices are fragrant, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, bell pepper, thyme, honey and cider vinegar. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
  • Stir in the chopped greens and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until wilted.
  • Scatter feta or goat cheese over the dish. Using the back of a spoon, make 4 indentations/holes. Crack an egg into each hole. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Cover and cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until eggs are done to your liking. Serve warm with bread or toast.

You Might Also Like

5 Comments

  • Reply
    Rachel
    September 3, 2014 at 8:50 am

    My mom is coming tonight and I think this will be dinner. Looks so good! And I just happen to have almost everything on hand. Thanks!

  • Reply
    Tiffany
    October 28, 2016 at 3:02 pm

    My eggs are not cooking that fast. Am I doing something wrong? Still clear juice after 20 mins

    • Reply
      Jacquelyn Bauer
      December 13, 2016 at 9:52 am

      Hi Tiffany,

      Shame on me for taking so long to get back to you! There are so many different factors, it’s hard to tell exactly what may be the cause (type/make of pan, heat setting, size of eggs, etc.) A couple sure ways to finish up the eggs is either to 1) cover the skillet with a lid and let them steam themselves, or 2) pop the skillet in the oven (make sure it’s oven-safe!) for a few minutes to finish off.

      I hope that helps! Happy cooking! xo

      Jacquelyn

  • Reply
    Megan
    March 6, 2017 at 6:56 pm

    Another hit from The Gourmet Housewife! This has been on my to-try list for a year now. I’m so glad I finally made it. The eggs took me longer to cook than I expected but I’m positive it’s because I don’t have a proper fitting lid for this particular skillet. Served with homemade gluten free biscuits. So good. It’ll be a regular here for sure! Thanks for the great recipe!

    • Reply
      Megan
      March 6, 2017 at 6:58 pm

      Oh I forgot to say that I didn’t have feta on hand so I subbed Boursin herb and garlic cheese and it was really good too.

    Leave a Reply