Shakshuka

Shakshuka is a North African and Middle Eastern dish of eggs gently poached in a spiced sauce of tomatoes, red peppers, onion and garlic, finished with crumbled feta and fresh herbs. It’s made in one pan in about 35 minutes and works for breakfast, brunch or a quick dinner with bread. This version serves 4, with 1½ eggs each, and has about 255 calories, 15 g of protein and nearly 7 g of fiber per serving. The sauce is built from canned tomatoes and peppers, so it’s affordable and counts toward your 5 a day. The eggs should be cooked until the whites are fully set, and cooked longer until the yolks are firm for anyone pregnant, very young or older.

• Serves: 4
• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes
• Total time: about 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion (about 150 g), finely sliced
• 2 red peppers (about 300 g), sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
• A pinch of chili flakes, or ½ fresh chili, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cans (400 g each) chopped tomatoes
• ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper
• 6 large eggs
• 60 g (about ½ cup) feta, crumbled
• A handful of parsley or cilantro, chopped

Method

1. Soften the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan (about 28 cm) over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and sweet.
2. Add the spices. Stir in the garlic, cumin, paprika, chili and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Make the sauce. Add the canned tomatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until thickened. It should be thick enough to hold a hollow when you press a spoon into it.
4. Add the eggs. Make 6 hollows in the sauce with the back of a spoon and crack an egg into each.
5. Cook gently. Cover the pan and cook over low to medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until the whites are completely set. For firm yolks, cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
6. Finish. Scatter over the feta and herbs. Serve straight from the pan.

Tips

• Thicken the sauce well before adding the eggs, or they’ll spread and the dish will be watery.
• Use a lid so the tops of the eggs cook without overcooking the bottoms.
• Crack each egg into a cup first, then slide it into its hollow, so you can remove any shell.
• Taste the sauce before adding the eggs; feta adds salt, so season lightly.
• Use a pan with a lid that fits. A large plate or baking tray works as a cover if needed.

Swaps and variations

• Green shakshuka: use spinach, leeks, zucchini and green herbs instead of tomatoes and peppers.
• With beans: stir in a can of drained chickpeas or white beans for more fiber and protein.
• Spicy: add harissa or a chopped fresh chili.
• Dairy-free: skip the feta and top with avocado or a drizzle of tahini.
• Meaty: brown a little chorizo or lamb mince first, though this adds saturated fat and salt.
• Lower salt: choose no-added-salt canned tomatoes and use half the feta.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

One serving is a quarter of the recipe, with 1½ eggs. These figures were calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for olive oil, onion, red peppers, garlic, cumin, paprika, chili, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, whole eggs, feta, parsley and salt. Bread isn’t included.

The sugars come from the tomatoes, peppers and onion, not added sugar. Red peppers and tomatoes provide vitamin C, potassium and lycopene, which is absorbed better from cooked tomatoes with olive oil. Most of the sodium comes from the canned tomatoes and feta; no-added-salt tomatoes reduce it a lot. The NHS advises adults to have no more than 6 g of salt a day. Our guides to tomato nutrition and whether eggs are healthy explain more.

Contains: egg and milk (feta).

Egg safety

Cook eggs until the whites are fully set. Pregnant women, babies and young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are usually advised to eat eggs with firm yolks, unless they’re from a scheme that controls Salmonella, such as British Lion eggs in the UK. Cook the shakshuka for a few minutes longer, covered, until the yolks are firm.

What to serve with it

• Crusty whole grain bread or warm pita to scoop up the sauce.
• A simple salad of cucumber, tomato and herbs, like our cucumber tomato salad.
• Plain Greek yogurt on the side.
• For keto: skip the bread and serve with avocado.

Storage and reheating

Shakshuka is best eaten fresh, as reheated eggs turn rubbery. You can make the sauce up to 3 days ahead and keep it in the fridge, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Reheat the sauce until bubbling, then add fresh eggs and cook as above.

Common questions

What does shakshuka taste like?

A rich, slightly smoky tomato and pepper sauce with warm spices, soft eggs and salty feta.

Can I make shakshuka in the oven?

Yes. Make the sauce in an ovenproof pan, add the eggs, and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 8 to 12 minutes until the whites are set.

Is shakshuka healthy?

Yes. It’s high in protein and vegetables and moderate in calories. Serve it with whole grain bread and watch the salt.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA FoodData Central and will change with the brands and amounts you use. If you follow a diet for a medical reason, check the recipe with your doctor or dietitian.