Shakshuka Spicy Tomato Eggs (Print Version)

Eggs gently cooked in a zesty tomato and pepper sauce, perfect for a satisfying meal.

# What You 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 (or 5 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped)
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

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and bell peppers; cook for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and jalapeño; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add 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 freshly ground pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens.
05 - Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Create six wells in the sauce and carefully crack one egg into each.
07 - Cover the skillet and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until egg whites are set but yolks remain runny; cook longer if desired.
08 - Remove from heat and sprinkle with fresh cilantro or parsley and crumbled feta if using.
09 - Serve immediately with warm crusty bread or pita for dipping.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The whole thing comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can feed people without disappearing into the kitchen.
  • It's one of those rare dishes that tastes restaurant-quality but actually improves when you make it at home because you get to choose how runny your eggs are.
  • It works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, so you'll find yourself making it far more often than you expect.
02 -
  • The eggs will keep cooking slightly after you pull the skillet off the heat, so aim for slightly underdone when you remove the cover, or you'll end up with hard yolks.
  • Don't skip the blooming step with the spices—it's what separates this from tasting like canned soup.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks separated, it's usually because the heat was too high. Just stir it gently and lower the temperature.
03 -
  • Use a skillet with a tight-fitting lid—if your lid doesn't seal well, the eggs will take forever to cook. If you don't have a good lid, just use foil.
  • Start with medium heat for the vegetables, then drop to medium-low before adding the eggs. This prevents the bottom from burning while the eggs finish cooking.
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