Shakshuka: A Unique Middle Eastern Poached Egg Recipe

Spice up your brunch menu with this Shakshuka recipe. A Middle Eastern dish with stewed tomatoes, peppers and poached eggs.

Ally Jane Grossan   |  

Sep 10, 2024

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Mastering a great poached egg recipe is one of the greatest challenges in the kitchen.

Skip the complicated boiling method and spice up your eggs by poaching them in a spicy tomato sauce. Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern dish of stewed tomatoes and peppers with silky poached eggs. The best part about this dish is that you only need one pan. That’s right, only one large non-stick pan from sautéing to serving.

Shakshuka is perfect for a beautiful Sunday brunch but also makes for an exotic weeknight supper. Stock your pantry with the non-perishables (canned tomatoes, olive oil, onion, garlic, harissa) and all you’ll need to pick up day-of are eggs and bell peppers. Consider this recipe as a basic outline. Experiment with more peppers if you like, or swap out harissa for an Asian hot sauce like Sriracha.

Ingredients

Shakshuka

• 6 eggs
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large can of whole peeled tomatoes 28 oz.
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon harissa
• 1 yellow or white onion finely chopped
• 2 red peppers finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 cup Greek yogurt

Preparation

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for two minutes. Add the peppers, harissa, cumin and salt and cook for 8-10 minutes until the peppers soften.
2. Meanwhile, drain the canned tomatoes and roughly chop into bite-sized pieces, reserve the juice. Add to the pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook for 2 minutes, then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for another 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mixture should have the consistency of chili, but add a few tablespoons of tomato juice if it’s too dry.
3. Use a wooden spoon to make 6 impressions close to the edge of the pan in the stew that are big enough to hold an egg. Carefully crack each egg into a small glass and slide into each impression and cook for 8 minutes over medium heat or until the eggs are poached to your liking. Do not stir the pan because you want the eggs to remain whole, but turn the whole pan around every 2 minutes so the eggs cook evenly.
4. Serve the whole pan on top of a hot plate on the table with a spoonful of Greek yogurt on top of each portion.