Shakshuka with Poached Eggs

My neighbor knocked on my door one Saturday morning with a pan of shakshuka still steaming from her kitchen, and I understood immediately why she'd been raving about it all week. The eggs were nestled into this brilliant red sauce, their yolks practically glowing, and the whole thing smelled like cumin and something I couldn't quite name but desperately wanted to taste. She left the pan with me and a grin, saying only that it was easier than I'd think and that I'd understand the hype by breakfast the next day. She was right.

I made this for my partner on a Sunday when neither of us felt like leaving the house, and something shifted about how we approached breakfast after that. There's a coziness to standing at the stove watching eggs cook in that spiced tomato bath, and it somehow sparked this running joke about opening a breakfast place in our kitchen. Now it's the first thing we cook when friends sleep over, mostly because it looks impressive but also because everyone leaves the table happier than they arrived.

Ingredients

• Olive oil: Use something you actually like the taste of, not the bottom shelf stuff. It carries the whole flavor profile before the spices even arrive.
• Onion and red bell pepper: These are your sweetness and body. Don't rush this soften them properly so they dissolve into the sauce and disappear like magic.
• Garlic: Three cloves is gentle. Feel free to push it to four if you're that person, and honestly, I often am.
• Crushed tomatoes: Canned is not a shortcut here, it's actually better because the juice is already broken down and ready to build on. If you have access to fresh ripe tomatoes though, that's its own kind of beautiful.
• Spice blend (cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne): These aren't just flavoring, they're what makes this taste like itself. Toast them in your mind as you measure them out. The cumin is earthy, the paprika gives color and warmth, the coriander adds a subtle brightness, and cayenne is there if you want heat.
• Eggs: Whatever you've got is fine, but fresher eggs hold their shape better in the sauce. The yolk is what you're after here.
• Fresh parsley or cilantro: This is your final word on the dish, a little jolt of life right at the end. Don't skip it.
• Feta cheese: Optional but the salty creaminess against the eggs and sauce is genuinely hard to resist.

Instructions

Get your base going:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers slightly. You're aiming for the oil to be hot enough that when you add the onion it immediately starts to soften, not brown.

Build your aromatics:

Add the diced onion and red bell pepper, letting them cook for about five to seven minutes until they're soft and the onion becomes translucent. You're not looking for color here, just the moment when they start to give up their shape. This is the quietest part of cooking, the part where you can stand there and just listen to the sizzle.

Wake up the spices:

Stir in your minced garlic and any chili pepper you're using, cooking for just about a minute. The kitchen will suddenly smell alive and alert, and you'll know you're doing this right because the aroma will make you hungry immediately.

Build the sauce:

Pour in your crushed tomatoes and all the spices cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together until it looks like one unified thing rather than sauce with spices floating in it. Taste it at this point and adjust the salt and heat to your preference because this is your last chance before the eggs arrive.

Let it thicken:

Simmer uncovered for ten to twelve minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce darkens slightly and becomes thicker. It should still bubble gently, not aggressively. You'll notice the oil starting to bead on the surface and the whole thing becoming more concentrated and intense in flavor.

Create the wells:

Turn the heat to medium-low and use the back of your spoon to create four gentle indentations in the sauce, spreading them out evenly. These are your egg nests, and they don't need to be perfect just deliberate.

Add the eggs:

Carefully crack each egg into a well, keeping the yolk as intact as possible. I usually crack them into a small bowl first to make sure no shell sneaks in, then slide them in gently. The eggs will immediately start to cook around the edges and cook slightly from the heat below.

Cook covered:

Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low, cooking for six to eight minutes depending on how runny you like your yolks. Check at six minutes by lifting the lid carefully. The egg whites should be set and opaque while the yolks stay soft and yielding when you gently press them.

Finish and serve:

Remove from heat, scatter your fresh parsley or cilantro over the top, add crumbled feta if you like, and serve immediately straight from the pan if you're being casual about it, or transfer to a serving dish if you're trying to impress. Bread is essential for dipping into the yolk and sauce.

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I watched my eight-year-old nephew dip a piece of bread into the yolk of his egg and sauce, and his eyes went wide in that way children have when they realize food can be better than they thought. That moment right there is why I keep making this, why it's become such a regular part of my cooking rotation.

The Flavor Profile That Actually Works

There's a reason shakshuka has survived centuries and spread across continents. The spices aren't random they're a careful dance between warmth (cumin and paprika), brightness (coriander), and a whisper of heat (cayenne). The tomato provides acidity that keeps everything from feeling heavy, and then the eggs arrive like a rescue mission with their richness and creaminess. When you break that yolk into the sauce, you're creating something that's greater than the sum of its parts. It's not just breakfast anymore, it's a moment.

Bread Is Not Optional

I've tried eating shakshuka with a spoon, with crackers, with nothing but my fingers (don't ask), and none of it compares to bread. Crusty bread, warm pita, flatbread, even good sandwich bread if that's what you've got. The bread absorbs the sauce and egg yolk, creating this perfect vehicle for flavor. It transforms a plate into an experience.

Making It Your Own

This is a forgiving dish that loves improvisation. I've made it with roasted red peppers instead of fresh bell pepper for a sweeter, softer version. I've added harissa for a deeper, spicier kick. I've thrown in a handful of spinach just before the eggs go in. My friend who's vegan makes hers with crispy tofu instead of eggs and swears it's equally good. The structure is solid enough that it can handle your personal touches without falling apart.

• Smoked paprika adds a depth that regular paprika can't match if you want to upgrade the spice blend.
• A pinch of ground cinnamon sounds weird until you try it and realize it was always meant to be there.
• Fresh herbs stirred in at the very end rather than cooked with the sauce keep their brightness and flavor intact.

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This dish has a way of making you feel like you've accomplished something, even though you really haven't tried that hard. That's the best kind of recipe to know.

Frequently Asked Recipe Questions

→ What is shakshuka?

Shakshuka is a North African and Middle Eastern dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion, and garlic seasoned with cumin, paprika, and other spices. It's traditionally served for breakfast but enjoyed any time of day.

→ How do I know when the eggs are done?

The eggs are ready when the whites are fully set and opaque, but the yolks still jiggle slightly when you shake the pan. This typically takes 6-8 minutes covered. For firmer yolks, cook 2-3 minutes longer.

→ Can I make shakshuka ahead of time?

You can prepare the tomato sauce base up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate it. When ready to serve, reheat the sauce until bubbling, then add the eggs and finish cooking. The dish is best served immediately after the eggs are cooked.

→ What should I serve with shakshuka?

Crusty bread, warm pita, or flatbread are essential for soaking up the flavorful sauce. You can also serve with olives, fresh salad, or yogurt on the side. For a complete meal, add roasted potatoes or grilled vegetables.

→ Is shakshuka spicy?

The traditional version has mild to medium heat from the chili pepper and cayenne. You can easily adjust the spice level by reducing or omitting the cayenne and chili. For more heat, add harissa paste or extra cayenne to taste.