Are you ready to make the most delicious, vibrant, and deeply satisfying one-pan meal you’ve ever had? A show-stopping dish that is as perfect for a lazy weekend brunch as it is for a quick and healthy weeknight dinner? This incredible, authentic-tasting Shakshuka is that perfect recipe. Imagine perfectly cooked eggs with rich, runny yolks, gently poached in a luxurious, smoky, and spicy tomato and pepper sauce. It’s a simple, wholesome, and completely unforgettable meal.
This isn’t just a recipe; it’s a guide to one of the most beloved dishes from North Africa and the Middle East. We’ll show you the simple but crucial secrets to building a deep, complex, and flavorful sauce, and the foolproof technique for poaching your eggs to perfection every single time. Served with plenty of crusty bread for dipping, this is a fun, communal, and soul-warming dish that is destined to become a new favorite.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate One-Pan Brunch
What makes this Shakshuka recipe so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, rich flavor that is built from just a handful of simple ingredients. The heart and soul of the dish is a rustic, from-scratch spicy tomato and pepper sauce. The flavor foundation is built by slowly sautéing sweet onions and bell peppers, then blooming a fragrant blend of spices like smoked paprika and cumin. The secret weapon for a truly deep and complex flavor is harissa paste, a classic North African chili paste. The final, brilliant step is to create small wells in the simmering sauce and crack fresh eggs directly into them. The pan is then covered, allowing the eggs to gently steam-poach to perfection.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 40 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 3-5 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Vibrant Dish
This iconic dish uses a handful of fresh, high-impact ingredients to create its signature smoky and savory flavor.
- The Spicy Tomato Sauce:
- The Aromatics: A classic, aromatic foundation of yellow onion and red bell pepper is gently sautéed to build a deep, sweet, and savory flavor base.
- The Spices: A simple but powerful blend of smoked paprika (for a deep, smoky flavor), earthy ground cumin, and a pinch of cayenne pepper provides a wonderful, warm, and complex aroma.
- Harissa Paste (The “Secret Weapon”!): This is the key to an authentic, deeply flavorful shakshuka. Harissa is a hot chili pepper paste from North Africa with a wonderfully complex flavor that is smoky, earthy, and spicy. Its intensity can vary by brand, so it’s a good idea to start with a smaller amount and add more to your taste.
- The Eggs: The star of the show! Using the freshest, highest-quality eggs you can find will reward you with the richest, most delicious, and beautifully golden, runny yolks.
- The Fresh Toppings: These are essential for balancing the rich, spicy sauce.
- Feta Cheese: Salty, tangy, and creamy crumbled feta cheese is the perfect, classic counterpoint to the savory tomato sauce.
- Fresh Parsley & Avocado: A sprinkle of fresh, herbaceous parsley and a few slices of cool, creamy avocado add a final layer of freshness and richness.
Step-by-Step to the Best Shakshuka
This elegant, one-pan meal is incredibly simple to prepare.
Step 1: Build the Smoky Tomato and Pepper Sauce
Step 1: In a large, 12-inch, lidded skillet (a cast-iron or enamel-coated skillet is perfect!), heat the 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat.
Step 2: Add the 1 cup of chopped yellow onion, the 1 diced red bell pepper, the 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt, and several grinds of fresh black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
Step 3 (Bloom the Spices): Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the 3 minced garlic cloves, the 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika, the 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin, and the pinch of cayenne pepper, if you are using it. Stir and let the spices cook for about 30 seconds, until they are very fragrant.
Pro Tip: This crucial step of toasting, or “blooming,” the spices in the hot oil is the number one secret to unlocking their deep, complex, and fragrant essential oils.
Step 4: Add the 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes and the 2 tablespoons of harissa paste to the skillet.
Step 2: Simmer to Deepen the Flavors
Let the sauce simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, until it has thickened and the flavors have deepened.
After the sauce has simmered, add the 1 cup of chopped fresh spinach and stir until it has just wilted.
Part 3: Poach the Eggs to Perfection
Step 1: Use the back of a large spoon to make 3 to 5 small “wells” or indentations in your thick tomato sauce.
Step 2: Carefully crack one egg into each of the wells.
Step 3 (The Secret to Perfect Eggs!): Cover the skillet with a lid and let the eggs cook for 5 to 8 minutes.
Pro Tip: Covering the pan is the key! This traps the steam, which gently steam-poaches the tops of the eggs so that the whites become perfectly set, while the bottoms cook in the simmering sauce. The exact cooking time will depend on how you like your egg yolks:
- For very runny yolks: 5 minutes
- For jammy, slightly-set yolks: 6-7 minutes
- For mostly firm yolks: 8 minutes
Part 4: Garnish and Serve
Season the finished dish with salt and pepper to your taste. Sprinkle the top generously with the 1/3 cup of crumbled feta cheese and the 1/4 cup of fresh parsley. Arrange the sliced avocado on top and garnish with microgreens, if you are using them.
Serve the shakshuka immediately, family-style, directly from the skillet, with plenty of warm, toasted bread for dipping and scooping up the delicious sauce and runny yolks.
The Best Easy Shakshuka Recipe (Authentic & Simple!)
A classic recipe for Shakshuka, a flavorful one-pan dish of eggs gently poached in a savory tomato and pepper sauce. The rich sauce is made by sautéing onions and red bell peppers, then simmering them with crushed tomatoes, garlic, and warm spices like smoked paprika, cumin, and harissa paste for a spicy kick. Fresh spinach is wilted into the sauce before wells are created to cook the eggs to your desired doneness. The finished dish is garnished with crumbled feta cheese, fresh parsley, and sliced avocado, and is traditionally served with toasted bread for dipping.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons harissa paste
- 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
- 3 to 5 large eggs
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Microgreens, for garnish (optional)
- Toasted bread, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, lidded skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, red pepper, salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, paprika, cumin, and optional cayenne. Stir and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and harissa paste to the skillet. Let the sauce simmer for 15 minutes until it has thickened.
- Add the spinach and stir until it has wilted into the sauce.
- Use the back of a spoon to make 3 to 5 wells in the sauce. Crack an egg into each well.
- Cover the skillet and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny, or cooked to your preference.
- Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle the finished dish with crumbled feta, fresh parsley, sliced avocado, and optional microgreens. Serve immediately with toasted bread for scooping.
Notes
- This is a one-pan meal that is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a quick weeknight dinner.
- Harissa paste adds a wonderful smoky heat; you can adjust the amount to your preference. The article mentions a note about it that is not included in the provided text.
- The doneness of the egg yolks can be controlled by the cooking time in the final step.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
A rich dish like shakshuka is at its absolute best when the eggs are cooked fresh.
- Make-Ahead: The tomato and pepper sauce is the perfect make-ahead component! You can prepare the entire sauce completely, let it cool, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat, simply reheat the sauce in a skillet until it is simmering, and then proceed with poaching the fresh eggs.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy them within 2 days.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Make it a “Green Shakshuka”: For a completely different but equally delicious version, you can substitute the red tomato and pepper base with a vibrant green base. Simply sauté a large amount of hearty greens (like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard) with your onions and garlic, and then add some vegetable broth and a large handful of fresh herbs (like dill, parsley, and cilantro) before you poach your eggs.
- Add a Savory Protein: For a heartier, meat-lovers version, you can brown about 1/2 pound of crumbled, spicy merguez sausage (a classic North African lamb sausage) or a Spanish-style chorizo in the skillet before you add the onions and peppers.
- Use a Different Cheese: If you’re not a fan of feta, this delicious dish is also absolutely fantastic with some crumbled, tangy goat cheese, or even some dollops of a thick Greek yogurt or labneh swirled in at the end.
Enjoy Your Ultimate One-Pan Brunch!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of wholesome, fresh ingredients and delicious, satisfying flavors. This classic Shakshuka is a testament to the power of a simple, one-pan meal to be both incredibly fast and incredibly elegant. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new favorite for brunch, lunch, and dinner.
We hope you enjoy every last, perfect, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves an easy and impressive meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute secret to perfectly poached eggs in a shakshuka that have set whites and runny yolks?
The number one secret is to cover the pan! After you have cracked your eggs into the simmering sauce, immediately cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid. This traps the steam, which gently cooks the tops of the eggs and sets the whites, while the bottoms of the eggs cook in the hot sauce. This method ensures you get a perfectly cooked egg without having to flip it.
Q2: What is harissa, and is it very spicy?
Harissa is a hot chili pepper paste that is a staple in North African and Middle Eastern cooking. It has a wonderfully complex flavor that is not just spicy, but also smoky, earthy, and fragrant from other ingredients like garlic, olive oil, and spices. The heat level can vary significantly from brand to brand, so it is always a good idea to start with a smaller amount and add more to your taste.
Q3: Can I make the shakshuka sauce ahead of time?
Yes, this is a perfect make-ahead dish! You can prepare the entire tomato and pepper sauce and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. This makes the final meal a very quick, 10-minute process of just reheating the sauce and poaching the eggs.
Q4: What is the best pan to use for making shakshuka?
The best choice is a large (10- or 12-inch), oven-safe skillet with a tight-fitting lid. A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or a heavy-bottomed enamel-coated Dutch oven are both fantastic choices because they heat very evenly and retain their heat well, which is perfect for simmering the sauce and gently poaching the eggs.
Q5: What else can I serve with shakshuka besides bread?
While a warm, crusty bread or a soft pita is the classic and highly recommended choice for dipping, this delicious sauce is also fantastic when served over a bed of fluffy couscous, quinoa, or a creamy polenta.