Shakshuka with tomato eggs

The first time I made shakshuka, I was standing in a cramped kitchen in Brooklyn on a Saturday morning, and my roommate kept asking what smelled so good. I'd picked up a can of tomatoes almost by accident at the market, and decided to throw together whatever vegetables I had left in the crisper drawer. What emerged from that skillet—those perfect golden-yolked eggs nestled in this vibrant, spiced sauce—felt like I'd accidentally stumbled onto something magical. Now it's the dish I reach for when I want to feel both nourished and a little bit proud of myself, without the fuss.

I made this for my neighbor last spring when she mentioned she'd been eating cereal for dinner all week. Watching her dip that bread into the warm tomato sauce, yolk streaming down into it—she got quiet in that way people do when food suddenly matters more than conversation. She's asked me to make it every month since then.

Ingredients

• Yellow onion and bell peppers (1 medium onion, 1 red and 1 green pepper): These create the base flavor and give the sauce natural sweetness and body as they soften down into the tomatoes.
• Garlic and jalapeño (3 cloves, 1 jalapeño optional): Garlic blooms quickly and fills the kitchen with that unmistakable aroma; the jalapeño adds heat, but you control how much.
• Canned tomatoes (28 oz) or fresh: Canned tomatoes give you consistency and depth year-round, though fresh ones in summer make this feel like a completely different dish.
• Olive oil (2 tbsp): Good olive oil matters here because it's not buried under other flavors—it carries the warmth through the sauce.
• Tomato paste (2 tbsp): This concentrates the tomato flavor and thickens the sauce naturally without needing cornstarch or flour.
• Spices (cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, cayenne): Cumin and paprika are the anchors; coriander adds a subtle earthiness, and cayenne is your quiet heat.
• Eggs (6 large): Use the freshest eggs you can find—they hold their shape better when poached into the sauce.
• Fresh cilantro or parsley and feta (for garnish): These aren't optional if you want the dish to sing; the brightness cuts through the richness of the yolk.
• Crusty bread or pita: This is equipment as much as ingredient—you need it to finish the job properly.

Instructions

Build Your Base:

Heat olive oil in your large skillet over medium heat and add the diced onion and bell peppers. Let them cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they lose their raw edges and turn translucent and soft.

Add the Aromatics:

Stir in your minced garlic and jalapeño, if using, and cook for just 1 minute until the kitchen fills with that sharp, garlicky fragrance. This brief moment prevents the garlic from burning while letting it release its flavor.

Create the Spice Foundation:

Add tomato paste, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, and cayenne, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. The spices will deepen in color and smell almost nutty, which means they're opening up properly.

Develop the Sauce:

Pour in your tomatoes with all their liquid and season generously with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce thickens and the raw tomato flavor mellows into something more cohesive.

Taste and Adjust:

Before you add the eggs, taste the sauce and adjust seasonings—this is your last chance to get it exactly right. Remember that the egg yolks will add richness, so the sauce should feel slightly bright and well-seasoned.

Nestle the Eggs:

Using the back of a spoon, make six shallow wells in the sauce, spacing them evenly. Crack one egg into each well, and be gentle so the yolk doesn't break.

Cook Until Set:

Cover the skillet and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the egg whites have turned opaque and set, but the yolks still jiggle when you shake the pan. If you prefer firmer yolks, just give it another minute or two.

Finish and Serve:

Remove from heat and scatter cilantro or parsley over everything, plus crumbled feta if you're using it. Bring the whole skillet to the table with warm bread on the side, and let people serve themselves.

Save

There's a particular kind of quiet in a kitchen when everyone's too busy eating to talk. That's the shakshuka moment for me—when the plate is wiped clean, the bread is gone, and you realize you've just spent an hour together over something that took forty minutes to make.

Variations Worth Trying

I've made this dish at least fifty times now, and I keep finding new ways to adjust it depending on what I have or what mood I'm in. Sometimes I roast the peppers first to add a charred sweetness, or I stir in a handful of fresh spinach just before the eggs go in. A friend of mine adds a splash of red wine to the sauce for a deeper, winier flavor that's completely different but equally satisfying. The beauty of shakshuka is that it's more of a technique than a prescription—once you understand how the sauce comes together and how to poach eggs in it, you can play endlessly.

How to Serve and Store

Shakshuka is best eaten immediately while the yolks are still warm and runny, but if you must make it ahead, you can prepare the sauce completely, let it cool, and reheat it gently before adding and cooking the eggs. It doesn't reheat beautifully once the eggs are in, so plan accordingly. Leftover sauce alone keeps in an airtight container for about three days and works wonderfully as a base for other dishes—I've spooned it over rice, stirred it into grain bowls, or used it as a sauce for roasted vegetables. The versatility is part of why this recipe never gets old in my kitchen.

Pairing and Serving Ideas

Beyond the crusty bread that's essential for dipping, shakshuka transforms depending on what you serve beside it. A cold, bright salad of mixed greens with lemon vinaigrette cuts through the richness beautifully, or a dollop of cooling Greek yogurt melts into the warm sauce and adds unexpected creaminess. For a fuller breakfast, I sometimes add thinly sliced chorizo or spicy sausage to the sauce just before the eggs—it deepens everything and makes the whole thing feel more substantial. On quieter mornings, just the bread and the skillet are enough.

• A squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the cilantro brightens the whole dish at the last moment.
• Hot sauce or a spicy condiment on the side lets everyone customize their heat level without affecting the base sauce.
• Serve it in the skillet itself and let people eat straight from it for a more casual, communal feel.

Save

This is the kind of recipe that teaches you something new each time you make it—not because it's complicated, but because it's simple enough to pay attention to. I hope it becomes one of those dishes you return to, the one people ask you to make again and again.

Recipe FAQs

→ What is the best way to poach the eggs in the sauce?

Make wells in the sauce and gently crack eggs into them. Cover the skillet and cook on low heat until the egg whites are set and yolks are still runny, about 6–8 minutes.

→ How can I adjust the spice level?

Control heat by adjusting jalapeño and cayenne amounts, or omit cayenne for a milder profile.

→ Can I prepare this dish ahead of time?

Prepare the tomato sauce in advance, then add eggs just before serving to maintain the perfect texture.

→ What bread pairs well with this dish?

Crusty bread like baguette or pita are ideal for dipping into the rich tomato and egg mixture.

→ Are there vegetarian or vegan variations?

Omit optional feta for vegetarian preferences. For a vegan twist, replace eggs with tofu cubes and use vegan cheese or skip cheese entirely.