Shakshuka might be the ultimate weeknight pantry meal or leisurely Sunday brunch. The North African—some sources say specifically Tunisian—egg dish (also a staple in Israel) is infinitely riffable. There are versions loaded with roasted veggies, greens, or chorizo; those with chickpeas tossed into a spicy tomato mixture; and recipes finished with crumbled feta cheese, to name a few. Of this particular rendition, one commenter proclaims, “I will never make another shakshuka. This is perfection.” We agree.
The base uses spice-infused olive oil, roasted red bell peppers from a jar, and whole canned tomatoes. Avoid canned diced tomatoes here; the product often contains ingredients meant to help the tomatoes retain their shape—not ideal. Want to use fresh tomatoes in summer? Go for it. You’ll need 28 oz.; grate them into a bowl, discard the skins, and proceed with the recipe as written. If you like a little heat, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or hot smoked paprika to the tomato mixture.
The trickiest part of any shakshuka recipe is getting the eggs cooked so the yolks are still jammy when the egg whites are set. While some recipes require an oven, we find sticking to a streamlined stovetop method easier. Starting with room-temperature eggs is key, so soak them in hot water for a few minutes if they’re cold from the fridge. If you want to add an extra egg or two, grab a medium-large skillet so there’s room for the eggs to cook without touching.
The yogurt, mint, and crispy seed/garlic/shallot garnish make this shakshuka recipe a real standout, so don’t skip them. If you’re one of those “can’t do mint with savory” people, swap in cilantro or basil. Serve with rice, pita, or sourdough to sop up all that glorious sauce.
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What you’ll need
Measuring Spoons
$10 At Bon Appétit Market
Measuring Cups
$28 At Bon Appétit Market
Cutting Board
$10 At IKEA
Medium Skillet with Lid
$99.95 At Amazon
Small Bowl
$15 At Amazon
Chef's Knife
$34.53 At Amazon
Wooden Spoon
$7 At Amazon
Small Sieve
$8.99 At Amazon
Paper Towels
$13.45 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
30 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
1
1
6
2
1
¼
1
4
½
Preparation
Step 1
Place 1 tsp. coriander seeds and 1 tsp. cumin seeds in little piles on a cutting board. Using the bottom of a medium skillet, crush seeds, pressing down firmly with even pressure. You’ll have to do this several times, repositioning skillet to break apart any whole seeds that remain. Transfer seeds to a small heatproof bowl.
Step 2
Slice 2 garlic cloves as thinly and evenly as you can; add to bowl with seeds. Finely chop remaining 4 garlic cloves.
Step 3
Cut half of 1 shallot into thin rounds and add to same bowl with seeds and garlic. Chop remaining shallots.
Step 4
Open jar of red peppers and pour off any liquid. Remove peppers and coarsely chop.
Step 5
Combine ¼ cup oil and seed/garlic/shallot mixture in skillet you used for crushing seeds. Heat over medium and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until seeds are sizzling and fragrant and garlic and shallots are crisp and golden, about 3 minutes.
Step 6
Place a strainer over same heatproof bowl and pour in contents of skillet, making sure to scrape in seeds and other solids. Do this quickly before garlic or shallots start to burn. Reserve oil.
Step 7
Spread out seed mixture across paper towels to cool. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 8
Return strained oil to skillet and heat over medium. Add remaining chopped garlic and shallot and cook, stirring often, until shallot is translucent and starting to turn brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and lots of pepper.
Step 9
Add chopped peppers to skillet and stir to incorporate. Using your hands, lift whole peeled tomatoes out of can, leaving behind tomato liquid, and crush up with your hands as you add to skillet (beware squirting tomato juices). Discard leftover liquid. Season with more salt and pepper.
Step 10
Cook shakshuka, stirring often, until thickened and no longer runs together when a spoon is dragged through, 10–12 minutes.
Step 11
Reduce heat to low. Using the back of wooden spoon, create four 2"-wide divots in tomato sauce. Working one at a time, carefully crack an egg into each divot.
Step 12
Cover skillet and cook, simmering very gently and reducing heat if necessary, until whites of eggs are set while yolks are still jammy, 7–10 minutes. Uncover skillet and remove from heat. Season tops of eggs with salt and pepper.
Step 13
Top shakshuka with dollops of yogurt, sprinkle with seed mixture, then drizzle with more olive oil. Finish by scattering mint leaves over top.
Step 14
Serve shakshuka with crusty bread alongside.
Editor’s note: This shakshuka recipe was first printed online in October 2017. Head this way for more of our best breakfast recipes →