Shakshuka Tomato Poached Eggs (Printable)

Eggs poached in aromatic tomato sauce with Middle Eastern spices.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
06 - 1 small chili pepper, finely chopped

→ Spices

07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
10 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
11 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Eggs

12 - 4 large eggs

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
14 - 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat.
02 - Add diced onion and bell pepper; cook for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in garlic and chili pepper; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add crushed tomatoes, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine thoroughly.
05 - Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
06 - Make 4 wells in the sauce using the back of a spoon. Crack an egg into each well.
07 - Cover the pan and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until eggs are just set but yolks remain runny.
08 - Remove from heat. Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro and crumbled feta. Serve immediately with crusty bread or warm pita.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels fancy enough for brunch guests but comes together in under 40 minutes, so you're not stuck cooking while everyone waits.
  • The runny yolk is basically a built-in sauce that makes even simple toast taste restaurant-worthy.
  • You can prep everything the night before and finish it fresh in the morning, which is pure genius on hectic days.
02 -
  • Don't skip the simmering step for the sauce even though it feels like it's taking forever, because that's when all the flavors marry together and the sauce thickens enough to cradle the eggs properly.
  • Each egg cooks differently based on pan temperature and how much sauce is under it, so start checking at the 6-minute mark rather than waiting the full 8 and ending up with hard yolks.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs crack cleaner and the whites spread more gently into the sauce instead of clustering, so pull them out of the fridge while you're building the sauce.
  • If you're cooking for people with different egg preferences, crack the eggs in stages: get the first two or three in the pan, cover for a few minutes, then add the rest so they finish at different times.
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