It’s hard to believe I have lived almost 35 years and it was only last month, on a whim, that I made shakshuka for the first time.
Obviously, I immediately texted by cooking partner in crime and foodie soulmate and told her of this delicious dish I made. Want to know something? Erin had never made shakshuka. Can you believe it? I know, neither could I. Two breakfast loving food bloggers had never made this Middle Eastern dish of eggs poached in tomato sauce. This is front page news people.
There was an immediate flurry of texts with all the emojis, an e-mail of the recipe, and in the next couple weeks, we were both shakshuka virgins no more. So here you have it, a double tested and if I do so say so myself, pretty perfect version of shakshuka based off of the food blog queen that is Deb Perlman, aka Smitten Kitchen.
Deb (we met once for about 5 minutes, so I feel like I can call her that) loads it up with chilies, paprika, garlic, and cumin. Erin and I both found we liked a little more of a toned down version, but feel free to adjust the spices to your liking.
We also found a bit of a range for cooking times and found the eggs cooked a little unevenly. Something that actually works out quite well when you’re feeding a family of various ages and egg preferences – hard cooked eggs are perfect for the toddlers who tend to confuse food for finger paints. Me? I like that nice oozy soft cooked yolk. So actually, this is one case where the recipe’s imperfections work to your advantage.
This dish is perfect for serving with some warm pita or a loaf of crusty and warm bread. I also like to go full out with the Middle East theme and serve it with a side of hummus and drizzle the whole lot with tahini.
It also reheats well for lunch the next day, as our husbands can attest to. You know you have a winner when it’s both kid AND husband approved.
So if you’re a shakshuka virgin like we were or looking to spice up your usual fried eggs, give this version a try.
Dara
Shakshuka
Serves | 4-6 |
Dietary | Vegetarian |
Meal type | Breakfast |
Website | Adapted from Smitten Kitchen |
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 jalepeno pepper (stemmed, seeded, and chopped)
- 1 small onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves of garlic (crushed and then sliced)
- 1 Tsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes (undrained)
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
- 1 Tbsp flat leaf parsley (chopped)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- crusty bread or warm pita (for serving)
Note
While we've listed cumin in the ingredients list, you could leave it out and the shakshuka would still be delicious. We found the eggs cook a little unevenly, which we actually enjoyed as it's perfect to suit everyone's preference.
Directions
1. | Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and add jalapeños and onion and cook until soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika and cook another 2 minutes, or until garlic is soft. |
2. | Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add tomatoes along with their liquid to the skillet along with 1/2 cup water and reduce heat to medium. Simmer until tomato mixture is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. |
3. | Crack eggs and evenly distribute over the surface of the sauce. Cover skillet and cook until the yolks are cooked to your liking, about 5-7 minutes. Remove lid and baste whites with the sauce, trying not to break the yolks. |
4. | Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with crusty bread or warm pita for dipping. |
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