Shakshuka with Feta

Name: Shakshuka with Feta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) yellow onion, finely diced (¼-inch pieces); 2 medium (about 12 oz total) (340 g) red bell peppers, seeded and cut into ¼-inch dice; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin; 2 teaspoons (5 g) sweet paprika; ½ teaspoon (1 g) red pepper flakes (optional); 1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste; 28 ounce can (794 g) whole peeled tomatoes with their juice, crushed by hand into small pieces; ¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt; 1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 6 large (300 g) large eggs, cold, from the fridge; 4 ounces (115 g) feta cheese, crumbled into large pieces; ¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped; 8 ounces (225 g) crusty bread or pita, warmed, for serving

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Eggs gently poached in a cumin- and paprika-spiced sauce of tomatoes and sweet red peppers, finished with salty feta and fresh herbs. One skillet, about 40 minutes, and ideal with crusty bread for scooping.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 45 min
Makes: 4 servings (1–2 eggs each; 6 eggs total in a 12-inch skillet)

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Ingredients

4 servings

3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) yellow onion, finely diced (¼-inch pieces)
2 medium (about 12 oz total) (340 g) red bell peppers, seeded and cut into ¼-inch dice
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin
2 teaspoons (5 g) sweet paprika
½ teaspoon (1 g) red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste
28 ounce can (794 g) whole peeled tomatoes with their juice, crushed by hand into small pieces
¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt
1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
6 large (300 g) large eggs, cold, from the fridge
4 ounces (115 g) feta cheese, crumbled into large pieces
¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
8 ounces (225 g) crusty bread or pita, warmed, for serving

Equipment (5)

12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or sauté pan with lid
Wooden spoon
Chef's knife and cutting board
Measuring spoons
Small bowl or ramekin for cracking eggs (optional)

Steps

Before you start

Use a 12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid; a smaller pan will crowd the eggs.
Chop all vegetables before you turn on the heat; the sauce comes together quickly once the onion is softened.
Crumble the feta and chop the herbs ahead so you can serve as soon as the eggs are set.
Warm the bread just before the eggs finish so it is ready for scooping.

1
Soften onion and peppers
- Heat the olive oil in the 12-inch skillet over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the diced onion and bell peppers with the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 8–10 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and peppers are tender when pressed with the spoon, with only light browning at the edges.
Tip: Don't rush with high heat; browned bits turn bitter in the sauce.
2
Bloom garlic and spices
- Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes (if using), and tomato paste.
- Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes so the paste coats the vegetables and darkens slightly.
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Ready when: The mixture smells fragrant and the paste turns brick red; garlic should not brown.
Tip: If the pan looks dry or the spices stick, add a splash of water.
3
Add tomatoes and simmer
- Pour in the tomatoes and all their juice, crushing any large pieces with the spoon.
- Add the sugar and several grinds of black pepper.
- Bring to a bubble, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Sauce is thick enough that a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a trail that fills in slowly, and it is no longer watery.
Tip: Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed; the sauce should taste a little over-seasoned since eggs are mild.
4
Make egg wells
- With the back of a spoon, make 6 evenly spaced wells in the sauce, about 2 inches (5 cm) wide.
- Crack each egg into a small bowl first, then slide it gently into a well.
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Ready when: Each egg sits in its own well with the yolk intact.
Tip: Cracking into a bowl first lets you remove shell and keeps yolks from breaking.
5
Cover and poach eggs
- Sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt over the eggs.
- Cover the skillet and cook over medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes.
- Check at 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Whites are opaque and fully set, yolks still wobble and look glossy for a runny center. For firm yolks, cook 2–3 minutes longer.
Tip: Eggs keep cooking from the hot sauce once off the heat, so pull the pan when yolks still look slightly underdone.
6
Finish and serve
- Remove from the heat.
- Scatter the feta and parsley over the top.
- Bring the skillet to the table and spoon eggs with plenty of sauce into shallow bowls.
- Serve right away with warm bread.
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Ready when: Feta softens slightly at the edges from the residual heat.
Tip: Feta is salty, so taste the sauce before adding extra salt at the table.

Good to know

Tips

Keep the heat at a gentle simmer once eggs go in; a hard boil toughens whites and breaks yolks.
A thick sauce is key: if it is watery, the eggs will sink and cook unevenly.
For even cooking, bring eggs to room temperature for 15 minutes if you have time.
Serve in the pan and scoop with bread for the full experience.

Make ahead

"Make the sauce through step 3 up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat in the skillet until bubbling, then continue with the eggs."

Storage & reheating

"Best eaten immediately. Leftover sauce keeps 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container; leftovers with cooked eggs keep 1 day refrigerated and the yolks will be firm when reheated gently in a skillet or microwave. Sauce without eggs freezes up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove."

Substitutions

feta cheese → goat cheese or halloumi crumbles. Goat cheese is creamier and tangier; use the same weight.
whole peeled tomatoes with their juice → 1¾ lb (800 g) ripe fresh tomatoes, chopped. Simmer 5–10 minutes longer to cook down.
fresh flat-leaf parsley → fresh cilantro. Use the same amount for a more traditional herbal flavor.
red pepper flakes → 1 diced fresh jalapeño or a spoonful of harissa. Add with the peppers in step 1 or with the tomato paste in step 2.