Shakshuka originated in North Africa and is extremely popular in the Middle East as well. Roughly translating to “a mixture”, it’s a flavorful, one pan dish of eggs poached in a thick, saucy simmer of peppers, onions, tomatoes and spices. Enjoy this for breakfast or dinner.
Learning Objectives
Learn how to poach eggs in a sauce.
Level Ups (optional)
You can add 1 ½ cups garbanzo beans, 2 cups of spinach just after sautéing the peppers and onions, and/or a scant amount of nutmeg (about ⅛ tsp).
Substitutions (optional)
Add Harissa, a North African spicy condiment, in place of the chipotle powder.
Equipment Needed
Large sauté pan
Heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon
Chef’s knife
Cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground chipotle powder (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- Two 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
- ½ cup thinly sliced green onions
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375° degrees.
- In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium low heat. Add onion, bell pepper, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, chipotle, salt and pepper. Cook until very soft, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until the peppers and onions are soft.
- Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes simmer until tomatoes have thickened, about 10 minutes.
- With a spoon, make 4 oval spaces in the tomato mixture in which to crack the eggs. Gently crack each egg into each space. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake just until eggs are just set, about 6-9 minutes depending on how runny or hard you like the yolk.
- Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with cilantro and green onions. Serve the Shakshuka on its own or with crusty bread or pita bread.
