Shakshuka with Whipped Feta Yogurt

Name: Shakshuka with Whipped Feta Yogurt
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 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; 2 medium (about 12 oz total) (340 g) red bell peppers, cored and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste; 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin; 1 teaspoon (2½ g) smoked paprika; ½ teaspoon (1 g) red pepper flakes, or to taste; 28 oz can (794 g) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, juices included; ¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar (optional); 6 eggs (300 g) large eggs, cold from the fridge, cracked into a small bowl or ramekins; 6 oz (170 g) feta cheese, block-style, crumbled, at room temperature; ¾ cup (180 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, at room temperature; 1 tablespoon juice (about ½ lemon) (15 ml) lemon, freshly squeezed; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, roughly chopped; 4 pieces (240 g) pita or crusty bread, warmed

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Eggs poached in a smoky cumin-spiced tomato and bell pepper sauce, finished with a cool, tangy whipped feta and yogurt cream. The contrast of hot, spicy sauce and chilled, salty whip makes this a standout brunch or light dinner.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: 4 servings (6 eggs in a 12-inch skillet, 1½ eggs per person)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the shakshuka
3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) yellow onion, finely diced
2 medium (about 12 oz total) (340 g) red bell peppers, cored and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (2.5 g) smoked paprika
½ teaspoon (1 g) red pepper flakes, or to taste
28 oz can (794 g) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, juices included
¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar (optional)
6 eggs (300 g) large eggs, cold from the fridge, cracked into a small bowl or ramekins
For the whipped feta yogurt
6 oz (170 g) feta cheese, block-style, crumbled, at room temperature
¾ cup (180 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, at room temperature
1 tablespoon juice (about ½ lemon) (15 ml) lemon, freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
To finish
¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, roughly chopped
4 pieces (240 g) pita or crusty bread, warmed

Equipment (5)

12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or sauté pan with lid
Food processor or small blender (or bowl and fork)
Cutting board and knife
Wooden spoon
Large spoon for making egg wells

Steps

Before you start

Use a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet with a tight-fitting lid; a smaller pan will crowd the eggs.
Let the feta and yogurt sit out for 15 minutes so they blend smoothly.
Read the egg timing: cook covered for 6 to 8 minutes depending on how runny you like the yolks.
Have warm pita or crusty bread ready before the eggs go in, since the eggs finish quickly.

1
Whip the feta yogurt
- Combine the crumbled feta, Greek yogurt, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a food processor.
- Blend for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down the sides once, until completely smooth and fluffy with no feta grains.
- Taste; it should be tangy and salty.
- Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate while you cook.
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Ready when: Smooth, thick and spreadable like soft frosting
Tip: No food processor? Mash the feta very finely with a fork, then whisk hard with the yogurt; it will be slightly more rustic.
2
Soften onion and peppers
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Add the onion, bell peppers and ¼ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or two, for 10 to 12 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and peppers are soft and slightly collapsed, with light browned edges
Tip: Don't rush with high heat; browned bits are fine, but burnt bits make the sauce bitter.
3
Bloom garlic and spices
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes.
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Ready when: Paste darkens to brick red and the spices smell fragrant and toasty
Tip: If anything sticks to the pan, add a splash of water and scrape it up.
4
Add tomatoes and simmer
- Pour in the hand-crushed tomatoes with their juices.
- Add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and the sugar, if using.
- Bring to a bubble, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 18 minutes.
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Ready when: Sauce is thick and jammy; a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a trail that closes slowly
Tip: Season now. The sauce should taste slightly over-seasoned, because the eggs and whip are mild.
5
Make wells for eggs
- Use the back of a large spoon to make 6 evenly spaced wells in the sauce, about 2 inches (5 cm) wide.
- Gently slip one egg into each well, keeping the yolks intact.
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Ready when: Each egg rests in its own well with the yolk whole
Tip: Crack each egg into a small bowl first so you can catch shell and keep the yolk unbroken.
6
Cover and poach eggs
- Cover the skillet and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Check at 6 minutes.
- Season the egg whites lightly with a pinch of salt if desired.
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Ready when: Whites are fully opaque and set, yolks still jiggle and look glossy for runny yolks (about 6 minutes); cook to 8 minutes for jammy-firm yolks
Tip: Keep the sauce at a gentle bubble. Too high and the bottoms of the whites turn rubbery.
7
Dollop and garnish
- Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Spoon generous dollops of the whipped feta yogurt over the sauce between the eggs, then scatter with the chopped parsley.
- Optionally drizzle with a little extra olive oil and a pinch of smoked paprika.
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Ready when: Cool white dollops sit on the hot red sauce, yolks still visible
Tip: Add the whip off the heat so it stays creamy and doesn't split.
8
Serve right away
- Bring the skillet to the table with the warm pita or bread.
- Scoop eggs with sauce and whipped feta into shallow bowls and use the bread to mop up the sauce and yolk.
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Tip: Serve immediately; the yolks keep cooking in the hot pan.

Good to know

Tips

Simmer the sauce until properly thick; a watery sauce makes the eggs sink and cook unevenly.
Use block feta packed in brine rather than pre-crumbled; it whips much creamier.
For more heat, add a minced fresh chili with the garlic or serve with harissa.
If your skillet has hot spots, rotate it a quarter turn halfway through poaching.

Make ahead

"The tomato-pepper sauce (through step 4) can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. The whipped feta yogurt can be made up to 3 days ahead. Reheat the sauce in the skillet until bubbling, then add the eggs and continue from step 5."

Storage & reheating

"Best eaten fresh. Leftover sauce (without eggs) keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months; reheat gently on the stove. Cooked eggs in sauce keep refrigerated for 1 day, reheated gently over low heat (yolks will be firm). Whipped feta yogurt keeps refrigerated for 4 days; do not freeze. Not recommended at room temperature for more than 2 hours."

Substitutions

whole peeled tomatoes → 28 oz (794 g) canned crushed tomatoes. Saves hand-crushing; the sauce will be slightly smoother.
plain whole-milk Greek yogurt → labneh or full-fat sour cream. Labneh is thicker and tangier; sour cream is milder.
feta cheese → goat cheese or ricotta salata. Goat cheese gives a creamier, tangier whip; add a pinch more salt if using ricotta.
fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro → fresh cilantro or mint. Cilantro is traditional; mint adds a cooling note.