Breakfast
Shakshuka
Ingredients
- - 2 tbsp olive oil
- - 1 large onion, diced
- - 1 red bell pepper, diced
- - 1 green bell pepper, diced
- - 4 garlic cloves, minced
- - 1 tsp ground cumin
- - 1 tsp sweet paprika
- - 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- - 800 g (28 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
- - 1 tbsp tomato paste
- - 1 tsp sugar
- - Salt and black pepper, to taste
- - 6 large eggs
- - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- - 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
- - Crusty bread or challah, to serve
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and cook for 8-10 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic, cumin, paprika and chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
- Using the back of a spoon, make 6 small wells in the sauce. Crack an egg into each well.
- Cover the skillet and cook for 6-8 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks remain runny (or longer, to preference).
- Scatter over the parsley and coriander and serve immediately, straight from the pan, with crusty bread or challah for scooping.
Native Name: Shakshuka (Hebrew/Arabic origin)
Dietary Tags: Dairy-free, Vegetarian, Kosher (Pareve/Dairy optional)
Cultural Background: Shakshuka – eggs gently poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce – traces back to North African Jewish communities, particularly Tunisia and Libya, before becoming a beloved breakfast across Israel. Jewish immigrants carried the dish with them during the mass migrations of the 1950s, and it quickly became a fixture of the Israeli breakfast table, served straight from the pan with crusty bread for scooping.
Tips: Use a wide, shallow-sided pan so every egg has room to set evenly. Taste the tomato sauce before adding the eggs – it should be well-seasoned and slightly sweet to balance the acidity.
Variations: For a dairy version, crumble 60 g feta or labneh over the top before covering with the lid. A Yemenite-style version adds a spoon of hawaij spice blend to the onions.
Storage: The tomato sauce (without eggs) keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or frozen for 2 months.
Reheating: Reheat the sauce gently in a skillet over low heat, then crack in fresh eggs and continue as in step 4.
Nutrition: Approx. 260 kcal, 14 g protein, 16 g fat, 18 g carbohydrate per serving (1 of 4).
FAQs:
Q: Can I make shakshuka ahead of time?
A: Yes – prepare the tomato sauce up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat and add fresh eggs just before serving.
Q: Is shakshuka always vegetarian?
A: The classic version is pareve/vegetarian, but some modern variations add merguez-style kosher beef sausage to the sauce.
Q: What bread goes best with shakshuka?
A: Crusty white bread, pita, or leftover challah all work well for scooping up the sauce.