Easy Shakshuka Recipe

This Shakshuka Recipe is a classic North African Dish of gently poached eggs simmered in onions, peppers, garlic, and crushed tomatoes with classic smoky spices like paprika and cumin. The dish is then topped with chopped fresh parsley and crumbled feta cheese. The end result is a fragrant taste explosion that is delicious anytime of the day.

How to make Shakshuka

Start by heating a little bit of olive oil in a large pan. Then add the onions and cook until lightly browned on the edges and starting to soften. Then add the red bell peppers and jalapeno. Cook until the vegetables are soft. Now reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Cook for a minute stirring constantly. Then stir in the crushed tomatoes and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Then make small wells in the sauce and drop the eggs into the hot mixture spacing them as evenly apart as possible. Cover and let the eggs simmer on low until the whites are set. Uncover and sprinkle with fresh parsley and crumbled feta. Serve with crusty bread or toasted pitas.

Shakshuka recipe notes and helpful tips

• If you are heat sensitive you don’t have to add the jalapeno. However it does add delicious dimension to the recipe, blends well with the other flavors, and if picked properly does not add much heat. Please see below for choosing the best jalapenos.
• Use good quality crushed tomatoes like Cento. Choose high-end smoked paprika and Feta Cheese as well.
• Cover the dish and simmer the eggs on low. It can take a few minutes for them to set. Spooning the tomato mixture over the egg whitles helps them set. 
• As an alternative to simmering the eggs cook everything in an ovenproof skillet. After adding the eggs carefully transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for about 10 minutes or until the eggs are set. Be very careful and use oven mitts when removing the skillet from the oven as everything is hot including the handle to the skillet.
• I prefer to make this recipe in a non cast-iron skillet. As acidic tomato dishes that simmer for a while can pick up metallic flavors from the cast iron.
• Serve this yummy dish with toasted crusty French baguettes or toasted pita bread.
• With traditional shakshuka the dish is served when the eggs have runny yolks. However if this is not your preference than cook them all the way through.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.  Reheat in the microwave at a reduced power. 

How to choose mild jalapenos

With just a little patience and understanding you too can pick jalapenos that are flavorful, mild. and not so darn hot.  Look for the younger peppers that are smooth and green all over with no striations or blemishes.  The young green jalapeno peppers are less stressed and more mild. Stay away from the peppers with white lines, flecks and the red ones as these peppers are older and hotter. Take your time picking jalapenos.

To further reduce the heat, once cut in half use gloves to scoop out the veins and seeds. There is quite a lot of heat in those veins and seeds.  If you like your jalapeno poppers hot leave the seeds and veins in or leave a portion of them in.

Do you eat Shakshuka by itself?

I love to serve this Shakshuka Recipe with toasted crusty bread like French baguettes or wrapped in toasted pita bread. We often serve it for breakfast but it is equally delicious and easy for dinner. It is a hearty meal in itself but sometimes we serve it for brunch along with Tomato Salad, Garlic Hummus, and Chickpea Salad. Additional toppings include avocado, chopped cilantro, chopped mint, or Kalamata Olives. For a change of pace serve with grits or roasted potatoes.

More egg recipes you will love!

Easy Shakshuka Recipe

Enjoy this tasty and easy Shakshuka Recipe of eggs poached in a slightly spicy smoky flavorful tomato sauce with onions, garlic, and sweet red bell pepper all topped with fresh parsley and Feta Cheese.  To complete the meal serve with toasted pita or crusty bread. 

5 from 11 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: North African

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 131kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
• 1 small jalapeno seeded veins removed, minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1-2 pinches cayenne pepper
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 6 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ cup Feta cheese
• kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• Crusty bread or toasted pita bread optional

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until lightly browned on the edges and starting to soften; about 5 minutes. Add the red bell peppers and jalapeno. Cook until the peppers and the onions are soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute; stirring constantly.
• Stir in the crushed tomatoes and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes. 
• Make small wells in the sauce using a spoon and drop the eggs into the hot mixture spacing them as evenly apart as possible. Cover and let the eggs simmer on low until the whites are set. Uncover and sprinkle with fresh parsley and crumbled feta.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty bread or toasted pitas. 

Notes

• If you are heat sensitive you don't have to add the jalapeno. However it does add delicious dimension to the recipe, blends well with the other flavors, and if picked properly does not add much heat. Please see below for choosing the best jalapenos.
• Use good quality crushed tomatoes like Cento. Choose high-end smoked paprika and Feta Cheese as well.
• Cover the dish and simmer the eggs on low. It can take a few minutes for them to set.
• As an alternative to simmering the eggs cook everything in an ovenproof skillet. After adding the eggs carefully transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for about 10 minutes or until the eggs are set. Be very careful and use oven mitts when removing the skillet from the oven as everything is hot including the handle to the skillet.
• I prefer to make this recipe in a non cast-iron skillet. As acidic tomato dishes that simmer for a while can pick up metallic flavors from the cast iron.
• Serve this yummy dish with toasted crusty French baguettes or toasted pita bread.
• With traditional shakshuka the dish is served when the eggs have runny yolks. However if this is not your preference than cook them all the way through. 

Nutrition

Calories: 131kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 169mg | Sodium: 138mg | Potassium: 187mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1671IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 2mg

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