Shakshuka with Quinoa
Eggs poach gently in a spiced tomato and bell pepper sauce that's studded with fluffy quinoa, turning classic shakshuka into a filling, protein-rich one-skillet breakfast.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Wait
- 2 min
- Total
- 52 min
- Makes
- 4 servings (1 skillet, 8 eggs)
Steps
Before you start
- Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water for 30 seconds to remove its bitter natural coating.
- Use a 12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet with a lid; a smaller pan will crowd the eggs.
- Crack each egg into a small cup first so you can slide it into the sauce without breaking the yolk.
- Leftover cooked quinoa works well: use 2 cups (370 g) and skip the quinoa-cooking step.
Cook the quinoa
- Combine the rinsed quinoa, 1 cup (240 ml) water and the pinch of fine salt in a small saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover and cook 15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
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Ready when: Water is fully absorbed and each grain shows a small white spiral tail
Tip: Start this while you chop so everything is ready together.
Soften onion and pepper
- Heat the olive oil in the 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Add the diced onion and bell peppers with the kosher salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 8 to 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and the peppers are soft and slightly collapsed, with a few browned edges
Tip: Lower the heat if the onion browns before the peppers soften.
Bloom the spices
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, paprika and optional cayenne.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes.
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Ready when: The paste darkens to brick red and the mixture smells fragrant and toasty
Tip: Don't let the garlic turn brown or it will taste bitter; add a splash of water if the pan looks dry.
Simmer the sauce
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and their juices, add the black pepper and scrape up any browned bits.
- Bring to a bubble, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Sauce is thick enough that a spoon dragged through the center leaves a trail that stays open for 2 seconds
Tip: Taste and add a pinch more salt now; the eggs can't be seasoned in the sauce later.
Stir in quinoa
- Fold the fluffed quinoa into the sauce.
- If it looks stiff, stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons water.
- Simmer 2 minutes, then taste and adjust the salt.
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Ready when: The mixture is thick but spoonable, like a loose stew
Tip: Keep it slightly saucy; the quinoa keeps absorbing liquid as it sits.
Make wells and add eggs
- With the back of a large spoon, press 8 evenly spaced wells into the mixture.
- Slide 1 egg into each well, working from the outside in.
- Season the eggs lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper.
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Ready when: Each egg sits in its own well with yolk intact
Tip: If a yolk breaks, keep going; it will still cook fine.
Poach the eggs
- Cover the skillet and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Check at 5 minutes.
- For runny yolks, remove at the first sign the whites are set; for jammy to firm yolks, cook the full 8 minutes or longer.
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Ready when: Whites are completely opaque and no longer jiggly, while yolks are glossy and still wobble slightly when the pan is nudged
Tip: Keep the heat gentle; high heat scorches the bottom and makes the whites rubbery.
Finish and serve
- Take the skillet off the heat and let it rest 2 minutes, uncovered, so the yolks set slightly.
- Scatter the feta and parsley over the top and bring the skillet to the table.
- Spoon 2 eggs with plenty of sauce and quinoa onto each plate.
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Ready when: Yolks are thick and jammy rather than fully liquid
Tip: Serve with warm pita or crusty bread for scooping.
Good to know
Tips
- Make the sauce noticeably thick before adding eggs; thin sauce floods the wells and the whites spread and overcook.
- Cold eggs take longer to set than room-temperature ones, so check at 5 minutes and add a minute at a time.
- A tight-fitting lid traps steam, which sets the egg tops without flipping; use a baking sheet if you don't have a lid.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice or a spoonful of harissa at the table for brightness or heat.
Make ahead
Make the tomato-pepper sauce and quinoa up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate separately. Reheat the sauce in the skillet over medium-low heat, stir in the quinoa, then add the eggs and cook as directed.
Storage & reheating
Cooked eggs don't keep well, but leftover sauce with quinoa and eggs can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days; reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water until steaming (yolks will be firm). Sauce with quinoa (no eggs) keeps 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen; thaw overnight in the fridge. Do not leave at room temperature more than 2 hours.
Substitutions
- red bell peppers → jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped (about 1 cup / 170 g). Add with the tomatoes and skip the long pepper sauté; sweeter and softer.
- whole peeled tomatoes → 1 lb 14 oz (794 g) canned crushed tomatoes. Gives a smoother sauce; no hand-crushing needed.
- feta cheese → crumbled goat cheese or dollops of plain Greek yogurt. Yogurt adds cooling tang; omit for dairy-free.
- white quinoa → cooked pearl couscous or brown rice (2 cups / about 330 g cooked). Stir in at the same point; use a little less if it gets too thick.