Shakshuka - Poached eggs in tomato sauce
I am sometimes really surprised when one of my friends tells me that she/he doesn't know shakshuka yet. My first question after this outing is: When are you coming over for breakfast?
In the meantime, shakshuka has made its way into Central European hearts - but apparently not yet into all of them. That's reason enough for me to awaken the missionary in me and bring this wonderful dish from the Levant to the people. I'm a "feeder" anyway... so it all fits me quite well.
When you order shakshuka, you are served a hot pan instead of a plated plate. A hot sauce of tomatoes and peppers with garlic, chilli and a few spices steams in it. And in this sauce a few eggs have been cooked. Usually there is no cutlery with it, which brings us to the next question I always hear.
Flat pita bread is always served with shakshuka. You simply tear off a piece of pita bread and dip it into the sauce. You can also take some of the poached egg and enjoy it all together. So you don't really need any cutlery for shakshuka 😉 You can eat it all together.
You can add aubergine or courgettes to shakshuka. Feta or garlic sausage also go wonderfully. But every family in the Middle East and North Africa has its own recipe. Everyone makes their shakshuka differently. However, this basic variation is particularly widespread and popular.
I associate shakshuka with a totally homely feeling - a feeling of security. Especially when it gets cooler outside, I love cooking shakshuka. I feel like I'm bringing back a little bit of summer with every piece of bread I eat the savoury sauce with - and somehow it's also always a childhood memory.
Shakshuka is a delicious main dish
The poached eggs turn shakshuka into a delicious main course. By the way: in our house, shakshuka with poached eggs is actually a (late) breakfast or an (early) dinner 😉
The sauce is quick to make and you only need one pan for it. So there's not so much to wash up afterwards. You then add the ingredients bit by bit. Shakshuka makes itself. Finally, make some space in the pan for the eggs and put the lid on - a few minutes later you have a delicious dish that will not only please your stomach, but also your mood.
Ingredients
- 4 Eggs
- 4 TBSP Olive oil
- 1 Onion
- 1 Red bell bell pepper
- 1 medium hot chili
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 1 TSP Cinnamon
- 1 pinch Sugar
- 2 1/2 TSP Salt
- 1 TSP paprika powder noble sweet
- 20 ml Water
- 1 small can diced tomatoes
- 1 small handful Fresh coriander or parsley
- 1 Pinch Za'atar Optional
Preparation
- Finely chop the onion and fry with olive oil and a pinch of sugar in a pan over medium heat for approx. 5 minutes until translucent.
- Finely chop the peppers, chilli (seeded) and garlic and add to the onions in the pan.
- Mix in the salt, cinnamon and paprika powder and fry for approx. 8 minutes over medium heat. (You can also use some harissa instead of the chilli).
- Add the diced tomatoes and a little water to the pan and continue to simmer over a medium heat for 10 minutes.
- To poach the eggs in the sauce, use a spoon to push 4 small areas into the thick sauce and crack an egg into each. If you wish, you can salt the eggs a little.
- Put a lid on the pan and wait 6 minutes. (Depending on how firm you like the yolk, you can vary the time).
- Chop the coriander/parsley and sprinkle on the finished dish.
- Optional: sprinkle the eggs with a pinch of za'atar.
Deine Shakshuka ist fertig – serviere sie mit frischem Fladenbrot. Das Rezept bekommst du >hier<! Probiere auch mal die Auberginen Shakshuka, die Fladenbrot Shakshuka oder die Ratatuille Shakshuka.
Boah, I finally have to make this at home! I love sakshuka!
Hey Karin! Here we go 😉
I'm already very curious to see how it tastes to you 🙂
Best regards
Rafik
This sounds so delicious when I read it that I would love to cook it right away. But I wouldn't have eggs or garlic here now. Everything else ^^
Maybe tomorrow with a rustic baguette...
Hello Salvia,
luckily you can get eggs and garlic very quickly 😉 .
the rustic baguette to go with it is a great idea 🙂
Kind regards
Rafik
Great article, I like it a lot. I shared this on FB and got some likes for it.
Keep it up!
Hey,
Thank you so much for the compliment. I hope you enjoyed it.
Many greetings
Rafik
Hello Rafik.
I've often heard of shakshuka, but never eaten it. When I was looking for labneh, I came across your page. And today I made the shakshuka (for dinner). I had everything except za'atar. We'll make it with that next time. It tasted very good. I just have to reduce the spiciness for my husband. But a great recipe. I will try out many recipes here and make them more often.
Thank you so much for sharing your family's recipes with us.
Greetings from the Bergisches Land,
Heike
Hello Heike,
Thank you very much for your great feedback. I am very happy that you liked it 🙂 .
I wish you lots of fun with the other recipes and of course a good Appeti 😉 .
Kind regards
Rafik
Great recipe!
I added a little of the classically used cumin - a dream.
Instead of fresh peppers, I had pickled, roasted ones which didn't detract from the taste!
I will definitely be cooking this more often!
Your shakshuka was one of the first recipes I got to know and love from you about 2 years ago. Since then, I've been making it often. It is a wonderfully quick and absolutely delicious good-mood food!
A belated thank you for this, dear Rafik. 🙂 Greetings.
Best regards
Eva
Hello Eva 🙂
Thank you very much for your lovely feedback. I am very happy that you like it so much.
Best regards
Rafik
Dear Rafik,
Today I finally managed to cook this great dish (after it had been on my cooking list for what felt like ages) - and what can I say, I am absolutely thrilled! Everything worked out wonderfully and tasted excellent 🙂 Greetings from your ex-kitchen.
Best regards from your ex-colleague 😉
Hey Alina,
It's about time 😀
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. And now please also try the rest 😉
Best regards
Rafik
A wonderful dish for breakfast and brunch at the weekend! Shakshuka always goes down well with my guests and I cook it regularly - little effort, little cost, great result!
Hey Laura,
that's absolutely right. By the way, shakshuka is also great as a low carb dinner 😉
Kind regards
Rafik
Quick and ingeniously simple recipe that can be modified in many ways and for which you actually always have the ingredients in the house. I also like to use just Raz el Hanout from Nashira as a spice.
Hello Claudia,
thank you very much for your feedback 🙂
Kind regards
Rafik
My wife discovered this recipe. And made it shortly afterwards :-). Coriander, cinnamon, garlic and paprika. Who would have thought of that? Shakshuka will be back soon!
We really appreciate your blog - also the little stories and the perfect photos with that special look. Thank you so much for your effort!!!
Hi Michi,
Well, that makes me very happy! Thank you very much for your great feedback 🙂
Kind regards
Rafik