Shakshuka

Here I’ll give you some tips and tricks to making the BEST Shakshuka. Made with pantry staples and served with crumbled feta, this truly is the ultimate brunch.

Shakshuka is a Middle-Eastern dish that is not only perfect for breakfast and brunch, but also for a quick and delicious dinner. It’s perfect if you’re on a keto diet, but just as perfect for those who love their comfort food. Best of all, it truly couldn’t be easier to make. Follow me…

How to make the BEST Shakshuka

Shakshuka is essentially eggs poached in a tomato based sauce. The sauce is built up from layers of aromatics and spices, but at it’s core is a very simple sauce requiring few ingredients. There’s different variations of this dish, but for me there’s some what I like to call ‘non-negotiable’ ingredients that I feel bring out the best in a Shakshuka.

Classic Shakshuka Ingredient Essentials

• Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil – A good glug of EVOO does this dish absolute wonders. It binds the flavours together beautifully and keeps the dish nice and silky smooth.
• Onion and Red Pepper – Used to bulk out the dish. A lot of recipes stuff a tonne of different veg, but it truly doesn’t need it. Keep it simple. I like the base as more of a sauce than a skillet of veg.
• Spices – I use 4: paprika, cumin, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper.
• Tomatoes – Canned and chopped is best.
• Eggs – Of course.

Shakshuka with Runny Yolks

Admittedly when I started testing around with this recipe, I really struggled to make sure the egg whites were cooked through, the sauce was perfectly thickened AND the yolks were still runny.

A lot of recipes state to simmer the sauce until it thickens, add the eggs then put the skillet straight in the oven or pop on the lid. From doing this I found that not only does the sauce dry up easier (more so in the baking method), but the egg yolks are more likely to overcook, or at least glaze over with egg white.

By simmering with the lid off you allow the egg whites to get a head start cooking, meanwhile by the time they’re almost done, no direct heat has been subjected to the egg yolks, meaning they’re still going to be nice and runny after a short stint in the oven or with the lid on. Just a quick note on the two cooking methods:

Lid on – Finish cooking the eggs by pop a lid on your skillet and steam/poach your eggs. This method is great because it stops the sauce from reducing too much. I recommend moving the skillet around the flame a few times to make sure each egg cooks evenly.

Bake in the oven – Finish cooking the eggs in the oven. Make sure your skillet is oven safe and ensure you use a towel/oven glove to take it out as it’s gonna be hotttttt.

Serving Shakshuka

Whilst the Shakshuka is still in the skillet, crumble feta and sprinkle fresh parsley or coriander/cilantro. Personally I prefer the more subtle taste of parsley. It compliments the flavours of the Shakshuka, without over powering it. Plus, there’s bound to be someone at the table who doesn’t like coriander/cilantro 😂 The feta offers a gorgeous salty and creamy finish and pairs b-e-a-utifully the whole dish.

This recipe uses 6 eggs, which will produce 3 big portions (2 eggs each).  I usually scoop into a bowl and serve with toasted ciabatta or just chunky buttered bread.

I recommend eating this all up right away as it doesn’t reheat particularly well.

For another shakshuka-style recipe check out my Caprese Baked Eggs!

Hey, whilst you’re here why not check out my other recipes?

Easy Brunch Recipes

• Egg in a hole Breakfast Bagel
• Homemade Hash Browns
• Breakfast Burritos
• Best Scrambled Egg
• Smashed Avocado on Toast

Okay, let’s tuck into this Easy Shakshuka Recipe shall we?!

How to make Shakshuka (Full Recipe & Video)

Shakshuka with Feta

Here I'll give you some tips and tricks to making the BEST Shakshuka. Made pantry staples and served with crumbled feta, this truly is the ultimate brunch.

5 from 7 votes

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Servings (click & slide): 3

Course: Brunch

Cuisine: Middle Eastern / North African

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Calories per serving: 346kcal

Author: Chris Collins

Cost per serving: £1 / $1

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Equipment:

• 12" frying pan
• Chopping Board & Sharp Knife
• Wooden Spoon
• Frying Pan Lid (if poaching)
• Tea Towel (if baking)

Ingredients (check list):

• ▢ 28oz / 800g Chopped Tomatoes (see notes)
• ▢ 6 large Eggs
• ▢ 3 tbsp Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ▢ 3 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
• ▢ 1 medium Red Pepper, finely diced
• ▢ 1 medium White Onion, finely diced
• ▢ 1 tsp Paprika
• ▢ 1 tsp Cumin
• ▢ 1/2 tsp Salt, or to taste
• ▢ 1/2 tsp Sugar
• ▢ 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
• ▢ 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper, or to taste
• ▢ 1/4 tsp Black Pepper, or to taste
• ▢ Feta, crumbled to serve
• ▢ Fresh Parsley or Cilantro/Coriander, finely diced to serve

Instructions:

• Add 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil to a 12" skillet over medium heat. Add onion and red pepper and fry for 5mins or until soft and starting to brown. Add garlic and fry for another 1-2mins until it just begins to brown.
• Add 1 tsp cumin & paprika, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste). Stir into the pepper/onions and fry for a couple of minutes. Pour in tomatoes and stir to combine.
• Season with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste). Allow to simmer on medium for 5mins until it begins to reduce ever so slightly.
• Turn heat to low and carefully crack in your eggs. Simmer for another 10mins, or until the whites of each egg are mostly opaque (don't need them fully cooked through at this point, just slightly). Consider moving the skillet around every now and then so the eggs cook evenly.
• From there, either pop a lid on and finish by poaching the eggs until the yolks are just cooked. Or, carefully pop the skillet in the oven at 180c/355f for 5mins or until the yolks are just cooked. Be aware that the eggs will continue cooking once taken off heat in both instances.
• Season the yolks with a pinch of salt and pepper and garnish the whole dish with feta and fresh parsley or coriander/cilantro. Serve right away with toasted ciabatta or chunky buttered bread.

Quick 1 min demo!

Notes:

a) Tomatoes - I recommend using canned peeled plum tomatoes and chopping them with a knife in the can. Chopped tomatoes can sometimes be quite acidic and lack in flavour in comparison to plum tomatoes. 

b) Consistency - You want it still quite saucy before it goes in the oven/the lid goes on. If it's reduced too much the sauce will begin to burn. With the same token, if you notice it's considerably watery BEFORE the eggs go in (i.e there's a noticeable layer of water on top) then simmer for another 5 mins to reduce. 

c) Egg Seasoning - It's important to season the egg yolks at the end. Salt reacts with the yolk and encourages it to firm up. We don't want this as it will decrease the chance of a runny yolk.

d) Calories - based on sharing between 3 people without feta/coriander or sides.

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Nutrition:

Nutrition Facts

Shakshuka with Feta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 346 Calories from Fat 218

% Daily Value*

Fat 24.18g37%

Saturated Fat 5.153g26%

Trans Fat 0.044g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3.77g

Monounsaturated Fat 13.744g

Cholesterol 372mg124%

Sodium 562mg23%

Potassium 839mg24%

Carbohydrates 18.65g6%

Fiber 7.1g28%

Sugar 11.27g13%

Protein 15.97g32%

Vitamin A 3604IU72%

Vitamin C 87.8mg106%

Calcium 171mg17%

Iron 4.39mg24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.

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Looking for more?You'll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook 'Comfy'

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