Shakshuka with tomato eggs (Printable Version)

Vibrant eggs simmered in a spiced tomato sauce with peppers and herbs, served with crusty bread.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
02 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
03 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes with juices
06 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced (optional)

→ Pantry

07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Spices

09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - ½ teaspoon ground coriander
12 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Eggs

14 - 6 large eggs

→ Garnish

15 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
16 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

→ To Serve

17 - 1 loaf crusty bread or pita, for serving

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and bell peppers, sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
02 - Incorporate minced garlic and jalapeño; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in tomato paste, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
04 - Pour in diced tomatoes with juices. Season with salt and black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens.
05 - Taste sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Create six wells in the sauce with a spoon and crack one egg into each well.
07 - Cover skillet and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until egg whites are set but yolks remain runny, or longer for firmer yolks.
08 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped herbs and crumbled feta if desired. Serve immediately with warm crusty bread or pita.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been cooking all morning, but you're really done in 40 minutes.
  • The runny yolks become this luxurious sauce that makes crusty bread absolutely necessary.
  • It's flexible enough to feed one or four, and everyone feels special eating from the same skillet.
02 -
  • The sauce must be thick enough to hold the eggs without them sinking to the bottom and getting lost in liquid—this usually takes the full 10 to 12 minutes of simmering.
  • Don't skip the tasting step before adding eggs; under-seasoned sauce will disappoint you no matter how perfect the eggs are.
  • The eggs continue cooking gently even after you remove the pan from heat, so pull it off the stove when the whites are set but the centers still have a slight jiggle.
03 -
  • If your tomato sauce seems thin after simmering, scoop out the eggs temporarily, turn the heat up slightly, and let the sauce reduce for another 2 to 3 minutes before returning them.
  • Room-temperature or cold eggs slide more gently into the hot sauce than ones straight from the fridge, reducing the chance of cracking.
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