Shakshuka is a cozy, pleasant dish to share with good friends.
This makes an easy weekend breakfast. Prep it to the “reheated later” point, and you could finish it on a it a workday morning in barely more time than it takes to make toast.
Ingredients
1 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and diced
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 can (14-oz.) whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
Salt and pepper
4 large eggs
8 slices of a rustic, best-quality bread
1 Tbs chopped cilantro
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper, and cook until the onion is translucent, 5 minutes. Add the spices and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes. Over lowest heat, cook until substantially thickened, 15 minutes, as you add salt and pepper to taste and adjust other seasonings. (The shakshuka can be cooled at this point, and reheated later. You may need to add a tablespoon or so of water as you reheat it.)
- Make four wells in the tomato sauce. Crack an egg into each one. Cover the pan, and simmer until the eggs are cooked, but the yolks are still soft, 5 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the bread and cut it into thick strips. Off heat, garnish the shakshuka with cilantro.
- Serve the shakshuka in the pan, scooping it up with toast strips.
Notes
- You can crush the tomatoes by squeezing them into your fist, once you’ve poured them from the can into a mixing bowl. To what extent you can, make sure they’re submerged as you squeeze them. Alternatively, you could crush them with a wooden spoon, as they cook in the pan.
- Yes, instead of hand-crushing whole tomatoes, you could buy a can of diced tomatoes. Whatever state the tomatoes are in when you buy them, they will be a good couple of steps broken down when you’re done. It’s a matter of preference. I like this dish to be chunky, which is why I start with whole tomatoes.
- Since you’ll be using the toast as your utensil, it will need to be substantial. You’ll want something with a tight crumb, and you’ll want to cut it into thick slices.
The backstory
I discovered Shakshuka on a Prime Video series “James May: Oh Cook!” and its accompanying cookbook. I was immediately curious about the name “Shakshuka,” because I recognized this dish as “Eggs in Purgatory.” On the one hand, you might want to consider them Middle Eastern and Italian versions of the same dish. On the other hand, both dishes lend themselves to all sorts of modifications, so it doesn’t surprise me that no two recipes you find for either of them are completely alike, and there are tons of overlaps.
I highly recommend the show, by the way. It’s clever, interesting, funny, and entertaining. If you decide you want to try any of the dishes, you’ll soon realize that they’ve inadvertently (or slyly, maybe) left out certain details that don’t seem to be missing in the moment, but become apparent only as you attempt to reverse-engineer the recipe. You’re going to need to rely on your own experience to fill in the gaps, or you’re going to want the book.
Social Learning
I like this kind of communal eating. You place the pan on the table, give everyone their own small plate full of toast strips, and dig in. It’s easy, though, to anticipate some anti-double-dippers freaking out about it. With a large pancake flipper – maybe 5½ inches wide – you could manage to move individual portions to shallow bowls without making them completely unappetizing. But the communal option is much, much, much more fun.
It’s not possible to reheat leftover shakshuka without overcooking the eggs. Still, you’re not going to throw it out.
Although many people consider eggs to be a morning dish – and Shakshuka makes a great breakfast – I have it on good authority that those with whom it’s popular will serve Shakshuka any time of day.
[1] May, James. 2020. “Shakshuka.” In James May: Oh Cook!, 25. London: Pavillion.
Shakshuka
Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man! Thank you, Kesor. This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything.
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Such great photos. Such a great dish. One Christmas morning I made this for my peeps, and it disappeared. So I never made fancy pancakes or kugelhopt or anything else like that again! So satisfying.
mimi rippee recently posted…Monte Cristo Crêpes
Thanks, Mimi – and what a great dish for Christmas morning!
My favourite! I could eat at least 5 eggs at one go :-))
angiesrecipes recently posted…Indian Spiced Meatballs in Curry Sauce
So could I!
Eggs cooked inside tomato wells! This dish I’m pretty certain is going to please me a lot. I shall give it a try.
I hope you do! It’s a good one!
I have heard of Shakshuka before, but haven’t made it myself yet. I do think it looks so appetizing, especially using bread as a scoop. Cilantro is a no for me, so I’ll leave that off when I do try this, though I may have to have some on the side for hubby since he loves it.
Did you know that’s genetically predictable? I did a dna kit this winter, and it told me that my genetic profile suggests that I’m OK with cilantro! And I am!
“Eggs in Purgatory.” 🙂
I still have overripe tomatoes and eggs, too, I think I´ll give a go, better than soup again.
Iris Flavia recently posted…T STands For Traurig
Go for it!
I’ve yet to try my hand at making shakshuka (I have a hard enough time saying it!), but I do enjoy this dish. I personally put this in the hearty brunch or lunch category. Add in a good piece of homemade crusty bread? I’d be in heaven. Thanks for sharing, Jeff!
David @ Spiced recently posted…Seafood Gumbo
I’m sure there’d be no end to the interesting spins you could put on this dish, David!
It is a favourite dish of my daughter and if it was for her, we would be having it everyday! 😛
Easyfoodsmith recently posted…CHOCOLATE PUDDING (Eggless)
Cool! I could definitely get on board with that. (At least for a time.)
I have wanted to make this ever since I ate it for brunch at a restaurant a couple of years ago. Obviously, I have never gotten around to following through. I loved it. I would take the overcooked, reheated eggs in this sauce anytime as leftovers. I also love James May so thanks for the rec.
Debra Eliotseats recently posted…Dandelion Jelly and Falling from Trees
Well, if you love James May, then you’re going to love the show. I certainly did. And yes of course, who would pass on overcooked eggs? Not me. I’ve enjoyed leftoever shakshuka for breakfast on several occasions.
Great recipe! And hearty too. I sometimes make this for dinner.
I would love it for dinner.
It’s easy to see why this has been so enthusiastically adopted into American brunch cuisine! The first time I saw it was in Israel (where it’s kind of native) around 15 years ago, and I have been making it ever since. Ottolenghi’s recipe appeared in his Guardian column in 2010 and has been republished in various forms. Quite a winner!
be safe… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
mae recently posted…What is a soul? Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go
Thanks, Mae. Yes, I’ve heard you can get all kinds of shashuka everywhere in Israel. I’m so glad that I came across it, because it’s really great.
That almost looks too good to eat….almost!
“Almost” is right!
Delicious! Made this tonight. DELICIOUS. Everyone loved it. Perfect meal for my vegetarian son who loves eggs! 🙂 ~Valentina
Oh, so glad to hear it!
This is an interesting name for this dish since we know it as “eggs in purgatory,” a Sicilian dish, and not because my mother-in-law has ever made it ( FYI: she has not) but because we have friends who have made this popular dish and with a variation of ingredients. You did a great job, Jeff,! thanks for the recipe!
Thank you!
Such a great dish! And yours looks terrific. There are versions of this dish all over the Mediterranean. We make a Moroccan version, that uses kefta (spiced ground meat — either beef or lamb) mini-meatballs. Gotta try your version — thanks.
John / Kitchen Riffs recently posted…The Emerald Cocktail
Mmm, that sounds good, John!
Confession time … I just use a jarred pasta sauce that I heat in a frying pan and when warm, I add my eggs, put the lid on and wait until they’re set. When you’re cooking for one, fast and easy are the words of the day. 🙂
A_Boleyn recently posted…Happy (Early) Paczki Day!
I would never rule out something like that. There are several brands of jarred sauces that I love.
We are great fans of Shakshukah. My husband is Middle Eastern and taught me how to make shakshukah over 40 years ago. It’s a delicious way to enjoy eggs.
Judee recently posted…Arugula Tomato Salad
How wonderful!
This looks just like my son’s shakshuka recipe! I wrote it up and think I even called it shakshuka in purgatory! Can’t ever go wrong with this! He came home for a visit. I think I’ll have him make it for me again! Thanks Jeff!
Abbe@This is How I Cook recently posted…Honey Crunch Matzo Brittle and All My Passover Favorites
If there’s anything better than shakshuka, it’s having someone make it for you!
I’ve been wanting to try Shakshuka! Now that I know where to find an amazing recipe, I will certainly be making it! This looks absolutely delicious Jeff. Your pictures are mouthwatering! This would definitely be a hit in our house. Can’t wait to try this!
Thanks, Shannon! I hope you enjoy it!
This is definitely one of my favourite breakfast/brunches. With covid, you might want to postpone any communal eating experiences for a bit, we’re still in lockdown so it would be impossible anyway. I like to make this dish in individual Le Creuset pits or cast iron pans, still beautiful but not as communal.
Eva Taylor recently posted…Self-Saucing Gyoza
I like the individual pan idea! I guess I should’ve added a disclaimer that this is, at the moment, something of an aspirational dish! I can’t wait for the time that I can have company staying for the weekend, necessitating a communal breakfast! As it was, I shared this particular shakshuka with just my family.
Yum, I love Shakshuka! Your version looks delicious, and your comment that this was best served “with good friends” totally made me laugh. Very true. 🙂
Thanks, Molly!
🙂
It seems like everyone these days make shashuka. I better try soon for myself. It looks so delicious with eggs on top. What a perfect breakfast!
🙂
Very nice recipe! I like it. And add your recipe to my notebook. Because your recipe is different to ours. Shakshuka is so famous dish throughout the Turkey. We mostly prepare it with fried eggplants or zucchini and served it with tomato sauce and garlic yogurt. Thank you for sharing.
Mmm, garlic yogurt would be delicious!
My college BF taught me to make shakshuka in 1978! We called it eggs poached in tomato sauce back then, but this was it. It has been a favorite ever since. We served it on sturdy toast that was rubbed with lemon juice. Thanks, Jeff, for reminding me to make it again soon! I will try your version.
I love the idea of rubbing the toast with lemon! That’d go so nicely with the tomato and spices. I had heard of eggs in paradise years ago, but it didn’t initially sound appealing. I wish I had not had that attitude, because now that I’ve had it, I love it!
ottimo piatto !
Alice recently posted…Torta di mele e amaretti
Thank you, Alice!
I love a good shakshuka, Jeff! I constantly think of making it at home and never quite get around, it’s very frustrating haha. Yours looks absolutely fabulous and I agree, it’s definitely not just perfect for breakfast!
Katerina recently posted…Easy mascarpone cheese scrolls three ways [cherry, banana and mango, no added refined sugar]
Thanks, Katerina!
oh yes a fabulous dish this. so easy and tasty. i’ve been making versions of it for years but i don’t think i called it anything:)
sherry recently posted…Maple-Candied Bacon
Thanks, Sherry!
We discovered Shakshuka many years ago during our travels down south and I’ve been making versions of it ever since. Still not sure whether it is best baked in the oven or cooked on the stove top but always tastes great. Love the seasoning in your recipe. Sometimes I have frozen the tomato sauce in batches so it is easier to make for brunch, but such a great recipe. Thanks Jeff. By the way unfortunately I can’t open the link to your latest blog post.
Pauline
Pauline recently posted…Plum Jam Crumble Biscuits
Thank, Pauline. Those are all great ideas! Shakshuka lends itself to all sorts of variations. (I mistakenly published a post and retracted it. I’ll bet that’s the problem.)
I love this dish, but have never been very successful making it home. Mine looks nothing like yours. Maybe I I don’t cook the sauce down enough because the egg white just disappear into the sauce. Beautiful dish!
mjskitchen recently posted…Red Bean Chili with Chorizo
You know, that’s interesting, because as I was learning to make this, I thought that the length of the cooking time was too long, because my sauce was cooking down much further than I thought it should. In the end, it’s very shallow in this 10-inch skillet. So, I think you’re on to something, MJ.
I really like this dish
Thank you, Iza!