Shakshuka
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Shakshuka: As fun to say as it is to eat! Savor this North African dish of eggs poached in a smoky, spicy tomato sauce—perfect for brunch, lunch, or dinner.
Shakshuka (pronounced shak-shoo-kah) is a beloved dish throughout the Middle East and North Africa, and it holds a particularly special place in Israeli cuisine, where it stands alongside falafel and hummus as one of the country’s most-loved dishes. The name “shakshuka” means “mixture” in Arabic. Originally brought to Israel by Jewish immigrants from North Africa, this dish features poached eggs in a smoky, spicy tomato and vegetable sauce. While I stay true to the classic recipe, I enhance it with a splash of heavy cream to balance the tomatoes’ acidity and a sprinkle of crumbled feta for added flavor and richness—these little changes really make all the difference!
Shakshuka is traditionally prepared in a cast iron pan and is simple to make. Begin by simmering the sauce on the stovetop, then gently crack the eggs into little wells in the sauce. Allow the eggs to cook just briefly, then finish everything off under the broiler. It’s a fantastic breakfast-for-dinner option, though it’s wonderful at any time of day. Be sure to serve it with toasted buttered bread—it’s essential for soaking up the delicious sauce and runny yolks.
Table of Contents
“I have lived in Israel, and it is hard to find a better shakshuka than this recipe!”
What You’ll Need To Make Shakshuka
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Used as the base for sautéing onions, garlic, and bell peppers, providing flavor and richness.
- Yellow Onions and Garlic: Fundamental for flavor base; onions add sweetness and garlic adds a pungent depth to the sauce.
- Bell Pepper: Adds sweetness and contributes to the heartiness and texture of the sauce.
- Smoked Paprika, Cumin, Coriander, Red Pepper Flakes: This spice blend imparts warmth, smokiness, and a touch of heat, giving the dish its signature flavor profile.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes: The main body of the sauce, providing moisture, acidity, and rich tomato flavor.
- Chopped Greens, such as Swiss Chard, Kale, or Spinach: These add color, texture, and nutritional value, and help mellow out the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Heavy Cream: Used to balance the acidity of the tomatoes, adding a creamy richness that complements the eggs.
- Feta Cheese: Adds a tangy, salty element when sprinkled on top.
- Eggs: The centerpiece of the dish, poached directly in the sauce, providing protein and a creamy texture when the yolks are broken.
- Cilantro: Used as a garnish, adding a fresh note that brightens up the dish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by chopping the onions, peppers, and garlic. Be sure not to chop the garlic too finely or it will burn.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and bell pepper.
Cook, uncovered, for about 8 minutes, until softened.
Add the smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, 1-1/4 teaspoons of the salt, sugar, and tomatoes.
Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce is slightly thickened.
While the sauce cooks, chop the greens.
Add the chopped greens and heavy cream to the sauce, and continue cooking, uncovered, until the greens are soft and wilted, about 10 minutes more.
Turn off (or remove the pan from) the heat. Then, using a spoon, make 6 wells/indentations in the sauce.
Carefully crack an egg into each well, then spoon a bit of the sauce over the egg whites (this will contain them and also help them cook a bit faster than the yolks), being careful not to disturb the yolks. Sprinkle the eggs with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. And then sprinkle the feta around the eggs.
Set the pan on the stove over low heat and cover with a lid. Cook until the egg whites are mostly set but still translucent on top, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and broil until the eggs are cooked to your liking, 1 minute or less for runny yolks. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the cilantro over top.
Serve hot with bread.
Video Tutorial
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Shakshuka
Shakshuka: As fun to say as it is to eat! Savor this North African dish of eggs poached in a smoky, spicy tomato sauce—perfect for brunch, lunch, or dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 small yellow onions (or 1 medium), peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 bell pepper (red, orange or yellow), diced
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1½ teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, with juices
- 2 cups finely chopped greens, such as Swiss chard, kale, or spinach, tough ribs removed, gently packed
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 6 eggs
- Handful chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and bell pepper and cook, uncovered, for about 8 minutes, until softened. Do not brown; reduce the heat if necessary.
- Add the smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, 1¼ teaspoons of the salt, sugar, and tomatoes. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce is slightly thickened.
- Add the chopped greens and heavy cream to the sauce, and continue cooking, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the greens are soft and wilted, about 10 minutes more. While the greens are cooking, set an oven rack in the top position and preheat the broiler.
- Turn off (or remove the pan from) the heat. Using a spoon, make 6 wells/indentations in the sauce. Carefully crack an egg into each well, then spoon a bit of the sauce over each of the egg whites (this will contain them and also help them cook a bit faster than the yolks), being careful not to disturb the yolks. Sprinkle the eggs with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, then sprinkle the feta around the eggs. Set the pan on the stove over low heat and cover with a lid. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the egg whites are mostly set but still translucent on top (check frequently towards the end as cook time can vary). Remove the lid, transfer the pan to the oven, and broil until the eggs are cooked to your liking, 1 minute or less for runny yolks (see note below on cooking eggs further). Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the cilantro over top. Serve hot with bread.
- Note: You can cook the dish entirely on the stovetop for just a few minutes longer (without using the broiler) if you like your egg yolks cooked through. If you like your eggs runny, however, I find that the stovetop-to-broiler method is the only surefire way to cook the egg whites thoroughly without overcooking the yolks.
- Make Ahead: The tomato sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 2 months. Reheat the sauce on the stovetop and proceed with the recipe when ready to serve.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 254
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Sodium: 636 mg
- Cholesterol: 200 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This dish is amazing- it’s our new go-to holiday breakfast. Very easy to make- and hard to mess up. We used swiss chard and added more than the recipe called for and it was fantastic. Great unami flavor.
This is great – warm and hearty with earthy complex flavors. I opted for your recipe over Melissa Clark’s, the feta I think is essential. I did go with Greek yogurt though. I would say you almost need a sous chef (or eager young apprentice!) when it comes time to getting those eggs into their little beds of tomato’y goodness.
Yummo and thanks so much…
I want to make this to bring to a friend for lunch so wondering what I can do ahead of time. Would you suggest cooking it at home and just reheating there? Or getting as far as putting in the eggs and do that and finish at my friend’s house?
Hi Bonnie, I’d prepare it up to the point of adding the eggs. Once you get to your friend’s house, you can add them and finish it off. Hope you both enjoy!
So. Good! If you are hesitating about this dish because it is ‘different’….don’t. Delicious is delicious. I highly recommend serving with a nice crusty bread. It saves people from having to lick the plate. Thanks Jenn for all your amazing recipes. We haven’t found one we don’t like yet.
Hi Jen,
Thanks for another fabulous recipe. Can i substitute light cream for heavy cream ?
Kind regards/Hai
Sure, Hai, that should be fine. Enjoy!
FANTASTIC!
My 8,7,5 and 3 year old (who eats cookies…and drinks milk…and that’s about it) just ALL ate their veggies because of this recipe; and liked them. Yes!!!
Ever thought of a children’s recipe cookbook?
Pray about it!
God bless!
😊 So glad you kids (including your cookie-eating 3-year old) enjoyed this!
MY FAVOURITE GO-TO SUPPER. Absolutely love the flavours. I have been having issues with the cream separating/curdling when I add it though. What should I do about this?
Hi Lindsay, Are you using heavy cream (fat content should be between 36-40%)?
Just finished dinner – a modified version of this based on what I had in the fridge. Eggplant and carrots instead of peppers and two tablespoons of milk and a tablespoon of cream cheese for the cream. Kept the spices the same. Served over egg noodles. My daughter – not a vegetable eater – inhaled it, pausing only long enough to exclaim, “OMG, this tastes amazing!” Definitely will make it again and pass the recipe on to my vegetarian (and carnivorous!) friends. Wish I could give it more than five stars;but then again, I feel that way about every one of your recipes that I have made.
🙂 So glad you all enjoyed this!
I’m happy to see this noted, thank you 😊
Hi Jennifer:
Looks like another winner.
What cheese can I substitute for the Feta?
My wife cannot eat goat cheese.
I’m thinking Mexican Cotija to get the dry crumbly texture and saltiness.
What do you think??
Thanks
–Lou P
Hi Lou, you could definitely try Cotija cheese; you could also get away with something a little milder and gooey-er, like cheddar or Monterey Jack. Hope that helps – I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Goat Cheese!!!