This shakshuka recipe is satisfying and delicious for any meal of the day! An easy one-pan dish, it features eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce.
Shakshuka is one of my favorite breakfasts…and lunches…and dinners. Though this Middle Eastern and North African dish is traditionally eaten for breakfast, it’s so easy, filling, and flavorful that it’s a great option for any meal of the day.
Below, I’m sharing my go-to shakshuka recipe, which features gently poached eggs cooked in a fragrant bell pepper and tomato sauce. It’s flecked with spinach and spiced with paprika, cumin, cayenne, and harissa. If you like simple meals that go BIG on flavor, you’ll love this.
What is shakshuka?
Shakshuka is North African in origin (the name shakshuka comes from the Tunisian word for “shaken up”), but it’s widely enjoyed throughout North Africa and the Middle East, in countries such as Israel. Traditionally, the dish consists of eggs poached in a spiced bell pepper and tomato sauce, though many variations exist today. Some replace the tomato base with fresh green vegetables for a green shakshuka; others swap in butternut squash or sweet potato, etc.
In this shakshuka recipe, I add spinach and harissa, a North African chili paste, to the sauce for a fresh, extra-spicy twist. Keep reading to learn how to make it!
How to Make Shakshuka
This shakshuka recipe is easy to make! It only requires a handful of pantry ingredients, and you could even skip the spinach if you don’t have any on hand. This recipe still tastes great without it.
Here’s how it goes:
- First, sauté onion and red bell pepper in a large skillet until they soften.
- Add garlic, cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper and cook until they’re fragrant.
- Stir in canned crushed tomatoes and harissa and simmer until the tomato mixture thickens. Stir in spinach, if you like.
- Finally, crack eggs into the sauce, cover, and cook until they’re just set, 5 to 8 minutes.
Season to taste, and top with any fixings you like. Serve with pita bread!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Mild vs. Spicy
Store-bought harissa can vary widely in spice level.
- If you’re sensitive to spice, look for one that’s labeled mild, such as mild Mina Harissa.
- If you want to make a really spicy tomato sauce, choose a spicy harissa, like spicy Mina Harissa or Trader Joe’s. You could even add red pepper flakes for extra heat!
Serving Suggestions
Let’s talk toppings! They’re a fun way to introduce a wider variety of textures and flavors into this shakshuka recipe. Serve your shakshuka with…
- Chopped fresh herbs, like parsley or cilantro. Microgreens work too!
- Crumbled feta cheese, for salty, tangy flavor
- Sliced avocado, for creamy texture
You’ll also want bread for scooping up the tasty sauce. You can’t go wrong with pita bread, but slices of crusty bread are delicious as well.
Shakshuka Recipe Tips
- Get the sauce nice and thick. You need a thick tomato sauce to support the eggs in this recipe, so don’t cut the simmering time short! I let mine cook for a full 15 minutes before I crack in the eggs.
- Make sure you have a large lidded skillet. You’ll need to be able to cover the pan in this recipe—it’s essential for poaching the eggs evenly and gently.
- Use however many eggs are appropriate for your pan. I list a range for the number of eggs in this recipe, and how many you use is really up to you. There should be a little space between each egg in the pan—they shouldn’t be crowded. In my 12-inch skillet, I can fit up to 5. But if I’m just making this recipe for Jack and me, I stick with 3 eggs. If we have any leftover sauce, I make a personal-sized shakshuka the next day!
- Adjust the timing depending on how you like your eggs. How long you cook your eggs will depend on how you like them. I love mine when the egg whites have just set and the yolks are perfectly runny, so I take them off the heat after 5 minutes. If you like firmer yolks, you can cook them for up to 8 minutes. Keep in mind that they’ll continue to cook in the hot sauce even after you take them off the stove.
More Egg Recipes to Try
If you love this shakshuka recipe, try one of these delicious egg recipes next:
- How to Make a Frittata (5 ways!)
- Spinach Quiche
- How to Make an Omelette
- Sweet Potato Hash
- Breakfast Sandwich
- Baked Eggs
- Breakfast Egg Muffins
- Or any of these 25 Best Egg Recipes!
Best Shakshuka
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Pinch of cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons harissa paste*, see note
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- 3 to 5 eggs
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1 avocado, diced
- Microgreens for garnish, optional
- Toasted bread, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a 12-inch lidded stainless steel or enamel-coated cast-iron skillet. Add the onion, red pepper, salt, and several grinds of fresh pepper and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, paprika, cumin, and cayenne, if using. Stir and let cook for about 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes and harissa paste. Simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce is thickened.
- Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Use the back of a spoon to make 3 to 5 wells in the sauce. Crack in the eggs. Cover and cook until the eggs are set, 5 to 8 minutes. The timing will depend on how runny you like your egg yolks.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with the feta, parsley, avocado, and microgreens, if using. Serve with toasted bread for scooping.
Notes
I have harissa powder…can I use that instead of paste…if so…how ?
I’d try adding 1-2 teaspoons in place of the harissa paste, depending how potent/spicy the powder is. Hope that helps!
This looks delish however, I’ve always heard that you shouldn’t cook acidic food in cast iron. What are your thoughts on this?
Hi Lauren, I think the pan just has to be well seasoned (the new-ish cast iron pans come pre-seasoned). I didn’t have a problem with mine – there was no metallic taste whatsoever. Although you could really use any pan you like for this recipe.
I tried to convince my husband to this but he only said that he will not eat anything with that funny name. What a shame… more for me 😀
Ha, well maybe you can just tell him it’s eggs with tomato sauce 🙂
I found your blog via bloglovin. Love you blog and the photos are so awesome.
welcome!
I make this dish at least once a week.
saw another harissa recipe for the first time recently and then this one, beautiful, looks even better, now I’ll have to make sure to get some harissa, thank you for this!
Yes!!! From the moment Shakshuka entered our repertoire it has been the answer to just about every easy dinner and almost-empty pantry dinner. Its such a comforting dish. Your version looks fabulous with all those greens added in – and of course, the avocado on top;) YUM!
Thanks Maria!
looks wonderful…however you note to skip the feta if vegan…what about the eggs if you’re vegan?
Oh oops, sorry I meant to write “dairy free”…
When I was young and lived in Israel we would stop at an amazing restaurant called Dr. Shakshuka for an early breakfast, late dinner, after dancing the night away. I recommend you make it for breakfast one day.
Thank you for sharing this recipe, and thanks to your mom for clipping the recipe. -Johanne
All kinds of items is fulfill with vitamin and these are essential for health. “Shakshuka with Spinach and Harissa” this item will seem to see yummy. I will cook it today because I like this recipe.
This looks so fantastic! What type of skillet would your recommend buying for something like this? I am preparing my wedding registry and would love to know your thoughts on a good skillet. Can’t wait to make this for my fiance!
xoxo
Samantha
http://www.thenewyorkblonde.com
Hi Samantha, the cast iron skillets in the photo are Lodge. I also like Staub’s skillets because unlike regular cast iron, they can be washed and don’t need to be seasoned. Hope that helps!
I’m so hungry right now 🙂
Hello from south of France!!!!
Here below I put a link just to share with you all about the origin of this simple but so delicious dish….
My grand mom used to cook it so often! And so do I of course, but yours seems just interesting and quite elegant!!
Thank you for this good idea!
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakchouka
I make these all the time. They are delicious!
Woke up to this post on Instagram- just when I was trying to decide what was for dinner tonight! So delicious- came together very easily- did use frozen cauliflower rice –
We all loved it ! Now I need to check out this
Cookbook
I think you did a great job in making it look cute 🙂 Have you ever thought of doing any sort of posts on food photography / styling tips? I’m a photography and I’ve seldom come across food photos as beautiful as yours.
Thank you Mackenzie! I have thought about it, maybe one day 🙂
Love the potholders too! Where are they from?
The towel and the square potholder were from Anthropologie at least 2 years ago. I don’t see them in stock anymore – so sorry!
I was so happy to find this recipe this morning, realizing that I had farm-fresh eggs and all of the ingredients on hand. First time making shakshuka and it was deliciousI I made half of the recipe for lunch and look forward to enjoying the remaining sauce with fresh eggs and spinach tomorrow! BTW, your photography is visually stunning and captures the ‘essence’ of each of your recipes (IMHO). Love your cookbook too!
Hi Kathy – I’m so glad you enjoyed it and I’m so excited that you had all of the ingredients on hand. Love when that happens 🙂
May I ask where did you get the cute little copper cups/bowls?
The Shakshuka looks delicious!
Hi Heidi – they’re from Anthropologie!
Thank you for responding so fast, I guess they are not available anymore! I love copper! I make all my jam in French copper jam pans.
Oh bummer! You might want to check a store – I got them somewhat recently. I’m surprised to see that they’re gone so quick!
The dish looks amazing. I’m looking forward to try this recipe.