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This recipe of shakshuka has a deeply spiced tomato sauce that simmers low and slow with tender bell peppers, then perfectly poached eggs are nestled right in, coming out soft and gooey. Whether you’re feeding a hungry family or impressing brunch guests, this dish is about to become your new weekend go-to!
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
A Note From Cheryl
So, what is shakshuka exactly? I fell in love with it because it has bold flavors, can be made in one pan, and it’s incredibly shareable with your family. The dish itself exploded in popularity as brunch culture grew in the U.S.
As for its origins, Shakshuka is a North African and Middle Eastern dish of eggs gently poached in a rich, spiced tomato and pepper sauce. The name comes from Arabic, loosely meaning “all mixed up” — a nod to the saucy, tumbled-together nature of the dish.
Why This Recipe is So Good
- This is a complete meal in one single pan and takes only about 30 minutes— spiced tomato sauce, fresh vegetables, and perfectly poached eggs all cooked together means big, bold flavor and almost no cleanup.
- Warm paprika, earthy cumin, fragrant garlic, and just the right kick of heat from a fresh chile build a sauce that tastes complex and layered without a complicated ingredient list. Every single bite tastes like something you’d order at your favorite restaurant.
- This egg shakshuka recipe can be slotted in for so many events or occasions. Weekend brunch with friends, a quick weeknight dinner, or a lazy Sunday breakfast when scrambled eggs just won’t cut it. The whole family digs in straight from the pan, and that communal, shareable presentation makes it feel extra special every time!
What You Need to Know Before You Start
- Don’t rush the sauce — give it a real simmer. The recipe calls for 15 minutes, but if you have an extra 5-10 minutes, let it keep going; the flavor concentrates significantly as the moisture cooks off and the tomatoes deepen. A thicker sauce cradles the eggs much more effectively, so they don’t slide around or cook unevenly.
- When it comes to the eggs, crack each one into a small bowl before adding it to the sauce. This gives you complete control — you can catch any rogue shell fragments before they disappear into the tomatoes, and you can lower each egg gently into its well without breaking the yolk. It takes about two extra minutes and is absolutely worth it for those beautiful, intact yolks sitting in that gorgeous red sauce.
- Cover the pan while the eggs cook, because trapped steam helps the whites set from the top while the sauce cooks them from below, giving you set whites and a still-soft yolk without having to babysit. Start checking at the 5-minute mark by gently jiggling the pan; the whites should look fully opaque with the yolks still slightly soft, and they’ll continue cooking from the residual heat even after the lid comes off.
- The tomato base stores beautifully in the fridge, so you could easily make it ahead, and it tastes even better after the spices have had time to meld overnight. When you’re ready to serve, warm the sauce in the skillet, create your wells, and add fresh eggs.
Recipe Variations
Add Feta: Crumble 2-3 ounces of feta over the top right before serving. Salty, tangy, and absolutely classic — it pairs beautifully with the spiced tomato sauce.
Add a Protein: Brown ½ pound of merguez sausage or spiced ground lamb in the skillet before the vegetables. Drain most of the fat, then build the sauce right in the same pan for even more flavor layered in.
Go Smokier: Swap regular paprika for smoked paprika and stir a teaspoon of harissa paste into the sauce while it simmers. The depth and smoky heat it adds is absolutely incredible.
Make it Spicier: Keep the seeds in your chile, add an extra pinch of red pepper flakes, and stir in a second teaspoon of harissa. For serious heat lovers only.
Serve it for Dinner: Scale up the sauce slightly and pair with a big green salad and warm pita for a full, satisfying dinner that costs almost nothing to make.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to make shakshuka fast yet delicious? Easy – heat olive oil in a large skillet, then cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, and chile until soft and fragrant. Stir in paprika, cumin, and red pepper flakes, then pour in a can of whole peeled tomatoes and simmer until the sauce thickens. Create wells in the sauce, crack an egg into each one, cover, and cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still soft.
You can make the tomato sauce up to 2 days ahead and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, warm the sauce in the skillet over medium-low heat, create your wells, and add the eggs fresh — they need to be cooked to order.
Crusty bread is SO essential — you need something to scoop up that incredible sauce and runny yolk. Warm pita, sourdough, or a baguette all work beautifully. A simple green salad alongside rounds out a full brunch spread without adding much work.
Look for egg whites that are fully opaque with no wobbly or translucent spots. The yolks should feel soft and jiggly when you gently shake the pan. Pull them off the heat slightly earlier than you think — they’ll continue cooking from the residual heat in the sauce.
Yes! Use about 1½ to 2 pounds of ripe fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped. Simmer the sauce a few extra minutes to account for the extra liquid fresh tomatoes release. Canned whole peeled tomatoes are preferred because they’re more consistent and already partially broken down, which makes the sauce easier to build quickly.
This version has gentle, warm heat from the chile and a pinch of red pepper flakes — it’s flavorful, not fiery. For a milder version, remove all seeds from the chile or omit it entirely. To turn up the heat, keep the seeds in or add a second chile.
More Brunch Bake Recipes
- Easy Croissant Breakfast Casserole with Sausage & Cheese
- Sausage and Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole
- Monte Cristo French Toast Casserole
- Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole
- Paleo Breakfast Bake with Sweet Potatoes and Apples
- Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
- Tonga Toast French Toast Casserole
- Gluten Free Breakfast Casserole
- Breakfast Taco Casserole
- Eggs Benedict Casserole
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Best Shakshuka Recipe
Equipment
- 12-inch deep skillet with lid
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- chef's knife
- Cutting board
- 6 small bowls for cracking eggs individually
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- ½ red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small hot chile like a jalapeño or Fresno chile, stem and seeds removed, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 6 large eggs
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves chopped
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup chopped yellow onion and ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes or until completely tender and onion is lightly golden.
- Add 3 garlic cloves, minced, and 1 small hot chile, thinly sliced.
- Cook 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Add 1 teaspoon paprika, ¾ teaspoon cumin, and pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
- Pour in 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with juices. Crush tomatoes into large chunks using wooden spoon. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Create 6 evenly spaced wells in tomato sauce. Crack 1 large egg into each well.
- Cover skillet with lid. Cook 5-6 minutes or until egg whites are fully set and opaque but yolks are still soft and slightly jiggly.
- Remove from heat. Top with ¼ cup chopped cilantro and ¼ cup chopped parsley. Serve immediately from pan with crusty bread.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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