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Main · Middle Eastern

Shakshuka

Eggs poached in a smoky tomato bath. Brunch, dinner, anything in between.

35 min 20 min hands-on Serves 4 Middle Eastern Kid friendly

Shakshuka is eggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce, a North African and Middle Eastern dish eaten any time of day. The sauce is simmered until thick, then eggs are nestled in and cooked until just set. It is a one-pan meal best mopped up with crusty bread.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 pinch chilli flakes (optional)
  • 800 g chopped tomatoes, 2 tins
  • 6 eggs, or 8 for a hungrier dinner
  • 100 g feta, crumbled (optional)
  • 1 small bunch parsley, chopped
  • salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste
  • 1 loaf crusty bread, shop-bought, such as sourdough or a baguette; to bake your own, the Focaccia in our library works well

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan with a lid (about 28cm) over a medium heat. Add the onion, pepper and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until soft and the onion is just starting to turn golden at the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.
  2. Stir in the garlic, paprika, cumin and chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Keep it moving so the garlic does not brown, which would make the sauce bitter.
  3. Pour in the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and simmer uncovered over a medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring now and then. It is ready when a spoon drawn through it leaves a trail that stays open for a second. A thin sauce lets the eggs spread and float.
  4. Make six wells in the sauce with the back of a spoon. Crack each egg into a cup first, then slide it into a well, which catches any shell and keeps the yolk whole. Season the eggs with a little salt and pepper.
  5. Cover the pan (no lid? a large baking tray works) and cook on a low heat for 5 to 8 minutes, until the whites are set and opaque but the yolks still wobble. Spoon sauce over slow whites. For anyone pregnant or small children, give it 2 to 3 minutes more, until the yolks are firm.
  6. Take the pan off the heat, scatter over the feta and parsley and bring it straight to the table in the pan, with crusty bread for dipping into the yolks and sauce.

Tips

  • Reduce the tomato sauce until thick before adding the eggs so it is not watery.
  • Stir a spoonful of harissa or extra smoked paprika into the tomato base if you want more heat and depth.
  • Crumble in feta and scatter fresh herbs at the end for brightness and contrast.

Common questions

Can I make shakshuka ahead?

Make the tomato base ahead and refrigerate it, then reheat and add the eggs fresh just before serving for the best texture.

How do I keep the yolks runny?

Cover the pan once the eggs are in and cook gently, checking often. Remove from the heat as soon as the whites are set.