Classic Shakshuka

Name: Classic Shakshuka
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) large yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 2 medium (about 12 oz total) (340 g) red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin; 2 tsp (5 g) sweet paprika; ½ tsp (1 g) red pepper flakes or cayenne, adjust to taste; 28 oz can (794 g) canned whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, with juices; 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar; 1 tsp (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 6 large (300 g) large eggs, cold from fridge is fine; each cracked into a small cup; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, roughly chopped; 2 oz (57 g) feta cheese, crumbled (optional); 4 pieces (about 2 oz each) (230 g) pita, crusty bread, or challah, warmed, for serving

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Eggs gently poached in a spiced, smoky tomato and bell pepper sauce, all in one skillet. Serve with warm bread for scooping up the runny yolks and rich sauce.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 50 min
Makes: 4 servings (6 eggs in a 12-inch skillet)

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Ingredients

4 servings

3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) large yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
2 medium (about 12 oz total) (340 g) red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin
2 tsp (5 g) sweet paprika
½ tsp (1 g) red pepper flakes or cayenne, adjust to taste
28 oz can (794 g) canned whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, with juices
1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
6 large (300 g) large eggs, cold from fridge is fine; each cracked into a small cup
¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, roughly chopped
2 oz (57 g) feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
4 pieces (about 2 oz each) (230 g) pita, crusty bread, or challah, warmed, for serving

Equipment (5)

12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or sauté pan with lid
Wooden spoon
Cutting board and chef's knife
Small cups or ramekins for cracking eggs
Large spoon for making wells

Steps

Before you start

Use a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet with a tight-fitting lid; a smaller pan will crowd the eggs.
Dice the onion and pepper before you turn on the heat so the sauce base doesn't scorch.
Crack each egg into a small cup first so you can slide it in gently and catch any shell.
Have bread warm and ready to serve; shakshuka is best eaten straight from the pan.

1
Soften onion and peppers
- Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium heat for 1 minute until it shimmers.
- Add the diced onion and bell peppers and ½ tsp of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft, and the peppers are tender and slightly collapsed with light golden edges.
Tip: Don't brown them hard; the sauce should taste sweet, not bitter.
2
Bloom the spices
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, paprika and red pepper flakes.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1½ to 2 minutes.
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Ready when: The paste darkens to brick red, the oil turns red, and the mixture smells fragrant and toasty.
Tip: If anything sticks or darkens too fast, add a splash of water and lower the heat.
3
Add tomatoes and simmer
- Crush the tomatoes by hand into the pan and pour in all their juices.
- Add the sugar, the remaining ½ tsp salt and the black pepper.
- Bring to a bubble, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 18 minutes.
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Ready when: Sauce is thick and jammy; dragging a spoon across the bottom leaves a trail that fills in slowly. It should be about 4 cups.
Tip: Taste and adjust salt now. Eggs will dilute the seasoning, so the sauce should taste slightly bold.
4
Make wells for eggs
- With the back of a large spoon, press 6 evenly spaced wells into the sauce, about 2 inches (5 cm) wide: one in the center and five around it.
- If the sauce looks dry, stir in 2 to 3 tbsp water first.
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Ready when: Each well holds its shape and doesn't fill back in right away.
5
Add the eggs
- Gently slip one cracked egg into each well, keeping the yolks intact.
- Sprinkle the whites lightly with a pinch of salt.
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Ready when: Eggs sit nestled in the sauce with whites just beginning to turn opaque at the edges.
Tip: Crack eggs into cups first so a broken yolk or shell never lands in the pan.
6
Cover and poach
- Cover the skillet with a tight lid and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Check at 5 minutes and cook longer if you like firmer yolks.
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Ready when: Whites are completely opaque and set, with yolks glossy and jiggly for runny (5 to 6 min), or no longer wobbly for medium-firm yolks (8 min). Whites should reach 160°F (71°C) at the thickest point for fully set eggs.
Tip: Keep the heat low; high heat makes the whites rubbery and scorches the sauce bottom.
7
Garnish and serve
- Remove from the heat.
- Scatter the parsley and feta (if using) over the top.
- Bring the skillet to the table on a trivet and spoon eggs with plenty of sauce into shallow bowls.
- Serve immediately with warm bread.
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Ready when: Yolks are still glossy and the sauce is bubbling gently.
Tip: Eggs keep cooking in the hot pan, so serve right away.

Good to know

Tips

Thick sauce is the key: if it's watery, the eggs sink and cook unevenly, so simmer until jammy before adding them.
Use a lid that fits snugly so steam sets the tops of the whites without overcooking the yolks.
For a spinach version, stir in 5 oz (140 g) baby spinach after the sauce thickens and let it wilt before making the wells.
Cook in a wide pan, not a deep pot, so the eggs have room and cook at the same pace.

Make ahead

Make the tomato sauce (through step 3) up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat in the skillet over medium-low heat until bubbling, then add the eggs and continue from step 4.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten fresh. Leftover sauce (without eggs) keeps 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container or 3 months in the freezer; thaw overnight and reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat. Leftover cooked eggs in sauce keep 2 days refrigerated; reheat gently, covered, over low heat, though yolks will be firm. Do not leave at room temperature more than 2 hours.

Substitutions

canned whole peeled tomatoes → 1 can (28 oz/794 g) crushed tomatoes. Saves hand-crushing; sauce may need 2 to 3 minutes less simmering.
red bell peppers → 1 red and 1 green bell pepper. Green adds a more savory, slightly bitter note.
feta cheese → Goat cheese or labneh dollops. Add after cooking for a creamy tang.
red pepper flakes or cayenne → 1 to 2 tbsp harissa paste. Add with the tomato paste and reduce salt slightly.