Shakshuka: Rich, Saucy Eggs in Spiced Tomato Sauce

Shakshuka is a North African dish of eggs cooked in a richly seasoned tomato-and-pepper sauce, now enjoyed in many forms across the Middle East and beyond. This version builds flavor with slowly softened vegetables, cumin, paprika, and optional harissa, then finishes with fresh herbs and bread for scooping.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced, about 1 cup (150 g)
1 medium red bell pepper, diced, about 1 cup (150 g)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped, about 1 tablespoon (12 g)
2 tablespoons (30 g) tomato paste
2 teaspoons (4 g) sweet paprika
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground coriander
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 tablespoon (15 g) harissa, optional
1 can crushed tomatoes, 28 ounces (794 g)
½ cup (120 ml) water, plus up to ¼ cup (60 ml) more if needed
¾ teaspoon (4.5 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) ground black pepper
4 large eggs, about 7 ounces (200 g) without shells
¼ cup (15 g) chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons (8 g) chopped fresh cilantro, optional
½ cup (75 g) crumbled feta, optional

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients. Dice the onion and pepper, chop the garlic and herbs, and measure the spices before heating the pan. Set out a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet with a lid. This gives the vegetables time to soften evenly and makes it easier to add the eggs without leaving the sauce unattended.
Soften the onion and pepper. Set the skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Stir in the onion and bell pepper and cook for 8 minutes, stirring every minute or two. They should be softened and glossy, with no need to brown them deeply. If the pan looks dry or the onion begins to catch, lower the heat slightly rather than adding much more oil.
Bloom the aromatics. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, paprika, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, and harissa, if using. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic smells fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly. Keep the mixture moving so the garlic and spices do not scorch; burned garlic can make the finished sauce bitter.
Simmer the tomato sauce. Add the crushed tomatoes, ½ cup water, salt, and black pepper. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the tomato paste and spices. Bring the sauce to a gentle bubble, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken enough to hold shallow wells but remain loose and spoonable. If it becomes pasty before the time is up, stir in a little of the extra water.
Add and cook the eggs. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt or chile. Use the back of a spoon to make four wells, spaced apart, and crack one egg into each. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, checking near the end. Cook until the whites are fully set and the egg mixture reaches 160°F (71°C), the USDA FSIS safe minimum for egg dishes; check with a food thermometer in the thickest portion of the whites without touching the pan. The exact time depends on the eggs, pan, and how gently the sauce is bubbling, so use temperature and doneness rather than the clock alone.
Finish and serve. Remove the pan from the heat as soon as the eggs reach the safe temperature. Scatter over the parsley, cilantro, and feta, if using. Let the skillet stand for 1 minute so the bubbling settles, then bring it to the table while hot. Set out bread and let diners scoop sauce and eggs directly from the pan.

Tips

Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil can reduce the sauce too quickly and make it splatter, while a low, steady bubble gives the onion and spices time to flavor the tomatoes. If the sauce is bubbling vigorously around the edges, turn the burner down. A heavy skillet retains heat, so it may need only a small adjustment.
Use harissa to tune the heat. Harissa is a North African chile paste that brings both heat and a rounded, savory flavor. It is optional and some jars are much hotter than others. If it is unavailable, use an extra ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes and a pinch more paprika; the sauce will still be warmly spiced but will lack harissa’s deeper chile-paste character.
Choose the right tomatoes. Crushed canned tomatoes make a consistent sauce. If using whole peeled tomatoes, crush them by hand or with a spoon before adding; they may need a few extra minutes to break down. Avoid draining the can, since the juices are part of the sauce. If your tomatoes taste especially sharp, a longer gentle simmer usually rounds them out better than adding sugar.
Make wells and cover the pan. Wells keep the eggs in place, and a lid traps steam so the whites cook through without requiring the sauce to boil hard. If you do not have a lid, cover the skillet loosely with foil. Do not rely on the whites looking opaque alone for food safety; check the egg mixture with a thermometer as directed.

Serving Suggestions

Serve shakshuka straight from the skillet with warm pita, crusty bread, or flatbread. Bread is especially useful here: it can be torn into pieces and used to scoop up the thick tomato sauce, pepper, and egg. For a more substantial table, add a simple cucumber-and-tomato salad, sliced olives, or a bowl of hummus. Those fresh or briny sides balance the rich sauce without competing with its warm spices.

For brunch, set out extra feta, chopped herbs, and a small dish of harissa so each person can finish their portion to taste. For lunch or dinner, serve it with roasted potatoes or a grain such as couscous. Shakshuka is filling on its own, but these sides make it easy to stretch the meal for a larger gathering. If serving from one pan, provide a broad spoon and let people take an egg along with plenty of sauce.

Variations

Make it milder or hotter: Leave out the red pepper flakes and harissa for a gentler sauce, or add more flakes in small pinches. Chile pastes vary, so taste the sauce before adding extra. A little lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon at the table can brighten the finished dish, though it is not needed for the sauce to work.

Add greens: Stir 2 packed cups (about 60 g) baby spinach into the sauce just before making the wells. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until wilted, then add the eggs. Chopped chard also works; add its stems with the onion and pepper and the leaves with the tomatoes. The added vegetables release moisture, so simmer until the sauce is thick enough to hold the eggs.

Make it without eggs: For a plant-based variation, add one drained can of chickpeas, 15 ounces (425 g), to the sauce during its final 5 minutes of simmering. Mash a few chickpeas into the tomatoes to thicken the sauce, then finish with herbs and, if desired, a dairy-free feta-style topping. This is a variation rather than the egg-based preparation described above, and it is excellent with bread.

Change the cheese or herbs: Feta is a salty, tangy finish, but it is optional. Leave it off for a dairy-free dish, or use a smaller amount of another crumbly cheese. Parsley gives a clean, grassy note; cilantro adds a more pronounced freshness. Use either herb or both, depending on what you enjoy and have available.

Storage and Reheating

For the best texture, serve shakshuka as soon as the eggs are cooked. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a shallow, covered container; cooked shakshuka keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The eggs will firm further as they cool, so the reheated dish will not have the same soft texture as freshly cooked shakshuka. If you expect leftovers, you can also store extra sauce separately and cook fresh eggs in it when ready to serve.

Reheat a portion gently in a covered skillet over low heat, adding a tablespoon or two of water if the sauce has thickened. Stir the sauce around the egg rather than breaking it up unless you prefer a scrambled texture. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer. You can also microwave a portion in a covered microwave-safe dish, stirring the sauce partway through and checking the temperature before eating. Freeze the tomato sauce without eggs for up to 3 months for best quality; thaw it in the refrigerator and bring it to a simmer before adding fresh eggs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the tomato sauce ahead?

Yes. Cook the sauce through the simmering step, cool it promptly, and refrigerate it in a covered container for up to 3 to 4 days. When ready to eat, warm the sauce in a skillet until simmering, make the wells, and cook fresh eggs to 160°F (71°C). You may need to add a splash of water because chilled sauce often thickens.

Can shakshuka have runny yolks?

Runny yolks are common in restaurant-style presentations, but they do not meet the USDA FSIS safe minimum temperature for egg dishes. For this recipe, cook the eggs until the egg mixture reaches 160°F (71°C), checking with a food thermometer. The yolks will be more set than in a runny-yolk version; use pasteurized eggs if you are considering a preparation that leaves eggs less thoroughly cooked, and follow their package guidance.

Why is my shakshuka watery?

The sauce may need more uncovered simmering, or the tomatoes may have released extra liquid. Continue simmering before adding the eggs, stirring occasionally, until a spoon drawn across the pan leaves a brief trail. If the eggs are already in, avoid boiling the pan hard; spoon some thin liquid away if necessary, or cook uncovered briefly while watching that the eggs do not overcook.

What pan works best?

A 12-inch (30 cm) skillet gives four eggs enough room and leaves space to simmer the sauce. A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, stainless-steel skillet, or other stovetop-safe pan works. Use a lid to cook the eggs evenly. If your skillet is smaller, make two or three wells at a time or use a wider pan; crowding the eggs makes it harder for the whites to cook evenly.

Is shakshuka spicy?

This recipe is moderately warm rather than intensely hot, and the heat depends mostly on the harissa and red pepper flakes. For a mild version, omit both or use just a pinch of flakes. For more heat, add harissa gradually after the tomatoes go in, taste, and adjust before cracking in the eggs. Serving extra chile paste at the table lets everyone season their own portion.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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