Easy Shakshuka (Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce)

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This easy shakshuka recipe is a flavorful one-pan dish from North Africa and the Middle East made with eggs poached in a spiced tomato sauce. This simple skillet meal is bold, hearty, and perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner.

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What is shakshuka?

Shakshuka is a skillet dish made with eggs gently poached in a spiced tomato sauce. It originated in North Africa and is widely enjoyed throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean region. If you enjoy regional flavors, browse my easy Mediterranean recipes.

The sauce is typically made with tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and warm spices like cumin and paprika. The eggs cook directly in the simmering sauce, leaving the yolks slightly runny and perfect for scooping up with crusty bread.

Shakshuka is a simple one-pan meal that works for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.

Why You'll Love This Shakshuka Recipe

• Simple pantry ingredients – Tomatoes, peppers, and warm spices create a rich, savory sauce that pairs perfectly with eggs.
• One-pan meal – Everything cooks in one skillet, which makes this shakshuka recipe quick to prepare and easy to clean up.
• Great any time of day – Shakshuka works for breakfast, brunch, or a light dinner. Just add crusty bread for scooping.
• Easy to customize – Add feta, sausage, olives, or greens to make it your own.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Olive Oil – Used to sauté the vegetables and build flavor at the start of the sauce.
• Onion – Adds subtle sweetness, depth, and volume to the dish.
• Red Bell Pepper – Brings mild sweetness and a little body to the sauce.
• Garlic – Provides aromatic flavor that balances the tomatoes and spices.
• Smoked Paprika – Gives the sauce its signature smoky warmth.
• Harissa Chili Powder – Adds gentle heat and a touch of North African flavor.
• Ground Cumin – Brings an earthy, savory note that complements the tomato base.
• Whole Peeled Tomatoes – The foundation of the sauce, providing natural sweetness and acidity.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper – Balance and enhance all the flavors in the dish.
• Eggs – Poached directly in the sauce, creating rich, creamy yolks.
• Fresh Parsley or Cilantro – Sprinkled on top for color and fresh herbal flavor.
• Lemon Wedges – A squeeze of lemon brightens the rich tomato sauce before serving.

How to Make Shakshuka

Sauté the Vegetables – Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onions and bell peppers and cook until soft.

Toast the Spices – Stir in the minced garlic, paprika, chili powder, and ground cumin. Cook for another minute until fragrant.

Make the Tomato Sauce – Add the drained whole peeled tomatoes, breaking them apart with a spoon. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring in the reserved tomato juice until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add the Eggs – Make small wells in the sauce and carefully crack the eggs into them.

Cover – Cover and simmer until the eggs are cooked to your preference, about 5-12 minutes.

Garnish & Serve – Sprinkle with fresh parsley or cilantro and serve warm with lemon wedges.

What To Serve With Shakshuka

Shakshuka is best enjoyed with something to scoop up the rich tomato sauce. Serve it with French bread, crostini, pita bread, or garlic naan. My no-knead focaccia would pair perfectly with it, too.

For extra creaminess, add a side of labneh, Greek yogurt, or hummus. You can also sprinkle crumbled feta cheese or olives over the top for more flavor.

If you want to make the meal heartier, serve shakshuka with baked smashed potatoes or crispy hash browns on the side.

Recipe Tips and Variations

• Skillet options — Any skillet works for this stovetop recipe. Stainless steel or nonstick are great choices, and I’m using an enamel-coated cast iron skillet in the photos.
• Canned tomatoes — You can substitute whole peeled tomatoes with crushed tomatoes for convenience. Do not drain them; the juices help create the sauce.
• Add a spicy kick — Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne to the sauce for a little heat.
• Cracking eggs — Crack each egg into a small bowl before adding it to the skillet. This prevents shells from getting into the sauce and helps keep the yolks intact.
• Cook time — The 5–12 minute range allows for stovetop differences and lets you control how runny or firm you want the egg yolks.
• Feta cheese — For extra creaminess and tangy flavor, crumble feta over the shakshuka just before serving. It pairs beautifully with the rich tomato sauce and eggs.

More Breakfast and Brunch Recipes

• Crustless Quiche Recipe
• Ham and Cheese Quiche
• Asparagus Bacon Egg Casserole
• Easy Dutch Baby Pancake
• Easy Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

📖 Recipe

Easy Shakshuka Recipe

Shakshuka is a flavorful one-pan dish from North Africa and the Middle East made with eggs poached in a spiced tomato sauce. This simple skillet meal is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner.

Prep TimePrep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook TimeCook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total timeTotal Time: 35 minutes mins

Yield 4 1-cup servings

Author Traci

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin it for later 📌

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Video

Note about scaling

When scaling, the light gray ingredient notes after the comma don’t change. Adjust as needed.

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• ▢ ½ large Onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• ▢ 1 medium Red Bell Pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
• ▢ 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Chili Powder
• ▢ 1 (28-ounce can) Whole Peeled Tomatoes, drain and reserve the juice
• ▢ Sea Salt, to taste
• ▢ Black Pepper, to taste
• ▢ 4 Eggs, room temperature
• ▢ Toppings: Fresh Parsley or Cilantro and Lemon Wedges

Instructions

• Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add OLIVE OIL and heat until shimmering.
• Add ONIONS and BELL PEPPERS. Sauté until softened, about 4–5 minutes.
• Add GARLIC, CUMIN, SMOKED PAPRIKA, and CHILI POWDER. Cook for a few minutes to bloom the spices, stirring constantly.
• Add the drained TOMATOES to the skillet. Use a spoon to break the tomatoes into smaller pieces.
• Increase the heat and bring the sauce to a gentle boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding the reserved tomato juice a little at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
• Season with SALT and BLACK PEPPER to taste.
• Use the back of a spoon to create small wells in the sauce. Carefully crack an EGG into each well.
• Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the egg whites are set and the yolks are cooked to your liking.
• Garnish with FRESH PARSLEY or FRESH CILANTRO and serve warm.

Did you make this? We'd love your feedback!!Please rate and review it here or below ⤵️

Recipe Notes

Skillet options — Any skillet works for this stovetop recipe. Stainless steel or nonstick are great choices, and I’m using an enamel-coated cast iron skillet in the photos.

Canned tomatoes — You can substitute whole peeled tomatoes with crushed tomatoes for convenience. Do not drain them; the juices help create the sauce.

Add a spicy kick — Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne to the sauce for a little heat.

Cracking eggs — Crack each egg into a small bowl before adding it to the skillet. This prevents shells from getting into the sauce and helps keep the yolks intact.

Cook time — The 5–12 minute range allows for stovetop differences and lets you control how runny or firm you want the egg yolks.

Feta cheese — For extra creaminess and tangy flavor, crumble feta over the shakshuka just before serving. It pairs beautifully with the rich tomato sauce and eggs.

Equipment

• chef's knife
• cutting board
• 12 inch skillet or 3.5 quart saucepan
• large spoon

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 114kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1494IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.

Course Breakfast, Dinner Recipes

Cuisine Mediterranean

Diet Vegetarian

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