Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics and Base
- 15 ml olive oil
- 100 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 120 g red bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic, minced
Spices and Seasoning
- 3 g ground cumin
- 3 g smoked paprika
- 1 g cayenne pepper
- 4 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Tomato Sauce and Eggs
- 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 4 large eggs
Garnish
- 5 g fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 337 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbohydrates
- 29 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 15 g
- Sodium
- 1340 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 372 mg
- Potassium
- 1094 mg
- Calcium
- 176 mg
- Iron
- 6.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 77 mg
- Phosphorus
- 314 mg
- Zinc
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 357 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 106 mg
- Vitamin D
- 2.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 52 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.12 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.57 mg
- Niacin
- 1.1 mg
- Folate
- 90 mcg
- Water
- 182 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and red bell pepper, and cook until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent.
Stir in the minced garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the spices are highly fragrant.
Pour the crushed tomatoes into the skillet. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to gently bubble and thicken, creating a rich sauce.
Using the back of your spoon or spatula, create 4 small wells in the simmering tomato sauce. Carefully crack one egg into each well.
Cover the skillet with a lid. Poach the eggs until the egg whites are just opaque and the yolks have slightly filmed over but remain runny. For fully cooked yolks or for vulnerable populations, cook until the yolks are firm and reach an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
Remove the skillet from the heat immediately, as the eggs will continue to cook slightly from residual heat. Scatter the chopped parsley over the top and serve warm.
Chef's Notes
- Always use a wide, shallow pan rather than a deep pot. This maximizes surface area for evaporation and gives the eggs plenty of room to cook evenly.
- If your canned tomatoes are whole rather than crushed, crush them by hand in a bowl before adding them to the pan for a rustically textured sauce.
- Do not walk away once the eggs are covered. The difference between a beautifully runny yolk and a chalky, overcooked yolk is often just 60 to 90 seconds.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Sauce keeps beautifully, but eggs will overcook upon reheating. Best to store leftover sauce separately and poach fresh eggs when serving.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze the tomato sauce only, do not freeze cooked eggs.
Troubleshooting
Tomato sauce is too watery and spills into the egg wells
Cause: Sauce was not simmered long enough to reduce its moisture
Fix: Remove the eggs, simmer the sauce rapidly for 3-5 minutes to evaporate moisture, then recreate the wells and add fresh eggs
Prevention: Ensure the sauce simmers until it is thick enough to hold an indentation
Egg yolks are hard and overcooked
Cause: Lid was left on the skillet too long or the heat was too high
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Check the eggs 2 minutes earlier than the suggested time and use low heat
Sauce tastes excessively acidic or tart
Cause: The brand of canned tomatoes used is naturally high in acid
Fix: Stir a small pinch of sugar or a pat of butter into the sauce around the eggs
Prevention: Taste your tomatoes before adding the eggs and balance with a pinch of sugar if needed
Cultural Context
Shakshuka loosely translates to a mixture in Maghrebi Arabic. Originating in North Africa, it has become a staple dish across the Middle East, beloved for its simplicity, affordability, and incredibly robust flavor profile.
