Shakshuka is a popular northern-African and Middle Eastern dish of eggs cooked in a spicy tomato sauce. As with all great traditional dishes, there are many different, and hotly-contested versions of this recipe, and I love them all: with or without a garnish of feta or greek yogurt, with or without bell peppers, super-spicy or extra-mild . It is quick and easy to throw together, and is perfect for a weeknight dinner or a Sunday brunch.
Shakshuka
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes with juices, coarsely chopped
- ¾ teaspoon salt, more as needed
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
- 4 large eggs
- Chopped cilantro or parsley, for serving
- Hot sauce, for serving
- greek yogurt, for serving
2 servings
Heat oven to 350°F (180°C). Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook gently until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook for a couple minutes before stirring in the cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper. Pour in tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10-15 minutes.
Make four indentions in the sauce and gently crack eggs into the indentions. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with hot sauce and greek yogurt if desired.
