Shakshuka is a one-pan meal with a savory and saucy tomato-vegetable base and eggs cooked to perfection on top. This quick and easy vegetarian dish is flavorful and well seasoned with an assortment of Middle Eastern spices including cumin, garlic, and paprika. Serve it with a sprinkle of feta and fresh parsley on top and a side of pita bread or any crusty bread for major dipping and scooping. Shakshouka makes for an amazing breakfast, brunch, lunch, or as a breakfast-for-dinner meal.

Why You'll Love Shakshuka
- You can eat it with pita bread or on its own. Do I need to say more? The best foods (like Tzatziki Sauce and Hummus dips) are eaten with warm toasty Pita Bread—and this Middle Eastern classic is no exception. But, shakshuka also tastes amazing on its own!
- It has a balance of flavors like no other. Shakshuka is its own unique dish, but it’s comparable to a blend between a vegetable stew and a thick curry. With onions, peppers, garlic, paprika, cumin, tomatoes, and feta cheese, the balanced savory flavors in this shakshuka dance around over-easy eggs.
- You can feel confident in what you eat. This shakshuka recipe consists of fresh vegetables, perfectly poached eggs, and a dash of cheese. The only processed ingredients you need are oil and tomato sauce. So, you can feel good knowing that you’re eating clean wholesome food.
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make this delicious homemade shakshuka, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):
- vegetable oil - I used avocado oil, but any oil works. You could also try grapeseed oil or coconut oil.
- onion
- red bell pepper - feel free to substitute with yellow or orange bell peppers too.
- garlic
- tomatoes + tomato sauce - I love the flavor from using fresh tomatoes, especially when they are in season. You could make this recipe even easier, by using whole, peeled, canned tomatoes instead. Simply break them up in the pan while cooking.
- eggs
- seasoning - paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- feta cheese - optional, for serving.
- parsley - optional, for serving.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a large skillet. I used my cast-iron skillet.
How to Make the Best Shakshuka
- Sauté aromatics. Heat oil in a large skillet for 2 minutes over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles. Add onion and bell pepper, and sauté until fragrant and soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add seasoning. Stir in garlic, paprika and cumin. Mix well and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add sauce and simmer. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir occasionally and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper and let the sauce simmer for 7-10 minutes.
- Add eggs. Gently crack each egg into the same skillet over the tomato sauce mixture, spaced evenly apart. Cover the lid and cook until the eggs are set to your desired doneness, about 6-8 minutes.
- Serve. Serve with feta cheese and garnish with parsley (if desired).
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- How to serve: Native to North Africa and the Middle East, shakshuka can be eaten at any time of the day. Don’t limit yourself to only eating this delicious meal for breakfast. It's a great nutritious option for lunch or for a vegetarian dinner with a side of crusty bread for dipping..
- How to store: Carefully plate any leftovers into an airtight container. Shakshuka will last for 3-4 days, but the poached eggs yolks may not taste as good after a day.
- How to reheat: You can reheat leftover shakshuka on the stovetop over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until warmed through. If it has been more than a day, I would suggest just warming up the tomato blend of the shakshuka in a pan and cook up a fresh egg or two on the side.
More Egg Recipes
- Spring Vegetable Frittata
- Spinach and Feta Quiche with Cauliflower Crust
- Egg Salad Sandwich
- Egg and Potato Breakfast Casserole
- Mediterranean Scrambled Eggs with Spinach, Tomato and Feta
- Deviled Eggs
- 15-Minute Caprese Frittata
Did you make this recipe? I would greatly appreciate a comment and rating below, letting me know what you thought of the recipe. You can also snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.
Don't forget to sign up for my email newsletter so that you don't miss any recipes. You can also follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more recipe updates.
Recipe
Shakshuka
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Shakshuka is a quick and easy, one-pan Middle Eastern classic with a savory saucy tomato-vegetable base and perfectly poached eggs on top.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 medium tomatoes, diced
- 1 (14 oz.) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 6 large eggs
- ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet for 2 minutes over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles. Add onion and bell pepper, and sauté until fragrant and soft, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, paprika, and cumin. Mix well and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir occasionally and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper and let the sauce simmer for 7-10 minutes.
- Gently crack each egg into the same skillet over the tomato sauce mixture, spaced evenly apart. Cover the lid and cook until the eggs are set to your desired doneness, about 6-8 minutes.
- Serve with feta cheese and garnish with parsley (if desired).
Notes
How to serve: Native to North Africa and the Middle East, shakshuka can be eaten at any time of the day. Don’t limit yourself to only eating this delicious meal for breakfast. It's a great nutritious option for lunch or for a vegetarian dinner with a side of crusty bread for dipping..
How to store: Carefully plate any leftovers into an airtight container. Shakshuka will last for 3-4 days, but the poached eggs yolks may not taste as good after a day.
How to reheat: You can reheat leftover shakshuka on the stovetop over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until warmed through. If it has been more than a day, I would suggest just warming up the tomato blend of the shakshuka in a pan and cook up a fresh egg or two on the side.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Sara says
My husband found this recipe and was really excited for us to make it. I whipped it together last night and we absolutely loved it - even our toddler! I used Roma tomatoes and included a few extra eggs so that we had leftovers for breakfast today. Will absolutely make this again!
Annabelle says
Made this for my family, they absolutely loved it! We used the leftover suace with pasta and it was incredible! I plan on making more in the future.