Shakshuka with Poached Eggs (Printable)

Protein-rich breakfast with eggs poached in aromatic spiced tomato sauce. Perfect with crusty bread.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 can (28 ounces) 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

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat until shimmering.
02 - Add diced onion and bell pepper to the pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until softened and translucent.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and finely chopped chili pepper and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add crushed tomatoes, ground cumin, sweet paprika, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and deepens in color.
06 - Use the back of a spoon to make 4 indentations in the sauce, spacing them evenly throughout the pan.
07 - Crack one egg into each well, cover the pan with a lid, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until egg whites are set but yolks remain runny.
08 - Remove from heat, garnish with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro and crumbled feta cheese, and serve immediately with crusty bread or warm pita.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in under 35 minutes but tastes like you've been cooking all morning.
  • One pan means one pan to wash, which matters on days when motivation is low.
  • The runny yolk becomes your sauce, making crusty bread optional but highly recommended.
  • It works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner depending on your mood and schedule.
02 -
  • The eggs will continue cooking slightly after you remove the pan from heat, so pull them off a tiny bit before they look completely done.
  • If your sauce seems too thin when you're about to add the eggs, let it simmer a few minutes longer—watery sauce won't cook the eggs properly.
  • Room temperature eggs crack more cleanly and cook more gently than cold ones straight from the fridge.
03 -
  • Keep your eggs at room temperature—they crack cleaner and the whites set more evenly in the hot sauce.
  • If your pan doesn't have a tight-fitting lid, tent it with foil to trap the steam that cooks the eggs gently.
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