Shakshuka with Red Lentils and Cumin

Name: Shakshuka with Red Lentils and Cumin
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: ¾ cup (150 g) red lentils, rinsed, rinsed; 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 (150 g) yellow onion, medium, diced (about ¾ cup); 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1½ tsp (3 g) ground cumin; 1 can (800 g) canned crushed tomatoes (28-oz / 800 g can); 1½ cup (360 ml) vegetable or chicken broth, warm; ½ tsp (1 g) smoked paprika; kosher salt, to taste; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 8 large eggs; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, chopped, roughly chopped (optional); ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, roughly chopped (optional); ½ fresh lemon, cut into wedges (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A warming Middle Eastern dish of spiced red lentils and tomatoes with eggs baked until the whites set and yolks remain jammy. Cumin-scented and finished with fresh herbs, this one-pan meal is hearty enough for dinner and simple enough for breakfast.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: 4 servings (1 cup sauce + 2 eggs per serving)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
Use a 10–12-inch (25–30 cm) oven-safe skillet or baking dish
Have all ingredients prepped and within arm's reach
Eggs should be at room temperature for even cooking

1
Sauté aromatics and spices
- Heat olive oil in a 10–12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat.
- Add diced onion and sauté for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to turn golden at the edges.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more, until fragrant.
- Stir in ground cumin and smoked paprika, cooking for another 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
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Ready when: Onions are soft and golden; spices smell toasty
Tip: Blooming the cumin and paprika in oil releases their essential oils and deepens the flavor.
2
Build the lentil sauce
- Pour in the canned crushed tomatoes with their juice, followed by the warm vegetable broth.
- Add the rinsed red lentils and stir well to combine.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
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Ready when: Mixture comes to a gentle bubble across the surface
Tip: Simmer gently rather than boiling hard to prevent the lentils from breaking apart.
3
Simmer lentils until tender
- Let the mixture simmer, uncovered, for 15–18 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- The red lentils will begin to break down and thicken the sauce, and most of the liquid will be absorbed.
- The sauce should be thick but still slightly saucy, not dry.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
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Ready when: Lentils are completely soft and breaking apart; sauce coats a spoon
Tip: If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of warm water; if too thin, simmer a bit longer.
4
Preheat oven and create wellsOven 375°F / 190°C
- While the lentils simmer, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Once the lentil mixture is ready and cooked down, use the back of a spoon to create 8 shallow wells evenly distributed across the surface of the sauce.
- These wells will hold the eggs and keep them from sliding around.
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Ready when: Oven is preheated; 8 shallow indentations are visible in the sauce
Tip: Don't press too hard or you'll expose the bottom of the pan; just gentle depressions are enough.
5
Crack eggs into wells
- Crack one egg into each well.
- Try to keep the yolks intact and centered in each indentation.
- The eggs can be as close to each other as needed, but they should not be touching.
- Work carefully and gently.
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Ready when: All 8 eggs are nestled in the wells with yolks unbroken
Tip: If you crack a yolk, it's still delicious—just tilt the pan slightly to move the white around the yolk for even cooking.
6
Bake until whites setOven 375°F / 190°C
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven.
- Bake, uncovered, for 10–12 minutes.
- The egg whites should be set and opaque, while the yolks remain soft and jammy in the center.
- For firmer yolks, bake up to 13–14 minutes.
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Ready when: Egg whites are set and no longer glossy; yolks jiggle slightly when you gently shake the pan
Tip: Oven temperatures vary—check at 10 minutes. The whites should be completely opaque and firm to a gentle touch.
7
Rest and garnish
- Remove the skillet from the oven and let it rest on a trivet or heat-safe surface for 2–3 minutes.
- Scatter the chopped cilantro and parsley over the top.
- Serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over each bowl.
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Ready when: Skillet is still hot; herbs are scattered
Tip: Add herbs just before serving so they stay bright and don't wilt into the warm sauce.

Good to know

Tips

For a spicier shakshuka, add ¼–½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the oil before adding onions.
Serve shakshuka with crusty bread or warm pita for scooping up the sauce and soaking up the jammy yolks.
If your skillet is not oven-safe, transfer the finished lentil sauce to a baking dish, create the wells, add eggs, and bake.
Save the yolk-breaking moment for the table—cracking into a jammy yolk and letting it run into the sauce is part of the experience.

Make ahead

You can prepare the lentil sauce (through step 3) up to 1 day ahead. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently over medium heat on the stovetop until simmering, then proceed with creating wells and cracking in the eggs.

Storage & reheating

Store leftover shakshuka (without eggs) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat with a splash of water if needed. The sauce freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Do not freeze the baked eggs; if eggs are left, they are best consumed within 1 day.

Substitutions

red lentils, rinsed → Brown or green lentils. Use the same amount but increase cooking time to 20–25 minutes, as they take longer to soften and won't break down as much.
fresh cilantro, chopped → Fresh mint. Use the same amount; mint adds a cool, herbaceous note instead of cilantro's grassy flavor.
canned crushed tomatoes (28-oz / 800 g can) → Fresh diced tomatoes (about 3 medium tomatoes, cored and diced). You may need to add an extra ¼ cup broth to account for less liquid, and simmer 2–3 minutes longer.
vegetable or chicken broth, warm → Vegetable or chicken stock, or water. Water works but will taste less savory; use chicken stock for more depth.