Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern tomato, bell pepper and egg dish. Sometimes it is spelt shakshouka. This Middle Eastern shakshuka recipe actually originated in Northern Africa and there are many different variations on the basic theme.
The feta cheese is not a traditional ingredient, for example, but I love to add it because the creamy tang goes so well with the dish. Leave it out if you prefer though. This is a keto shakshuka since it’s low in carbs. It’s great for brunch if you want a warming dish.
How to Serve a Middle Eastern Shakshuka Recipe
It is often served for breakfast in Israel with challah or pita on the side. The dish is also good for brunch or lunch. I like it with pita bread, homemade hummus and other Middle Eastern/Israeli/Arabic dishes.
The sauce is made first and that’s easy to prepare on the stove, and then the eggs are gently cracked into the sauce. Finally the skillet goes into the oven so the shakshuka can finish cooking. It is then served hot, with some kind of bread on the side to mop up all the tasty juices.
Good for You Too!
This shakshuka recipe is a healthy dish, boasting the protein form the eggs, the lycopene and antioxidants from the tomatoes, and the vitamin-C from the bell pepper. If you want to make this more substantial add some small lamb meatballs to the sauce. You can also swap the bell pepper for eggplant or grill the peppers first for a richer flavor.
PrintMiddle Eastern Shakshuka Recipe
This healthy dish is made with tomatoes, bell pepper, garlic, aromatic spices, eggs and more. Serve it with crusty or chewy bread for breakfast or brunch. We like to add feta and cilantro to ours.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 thinly sliced red bell pepper
- 1 halved, thin-sliced yellow onion
- 3 thinly sliced garlic cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 28 oz (800g) canned chopped tomatoes in juices
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 5 oz (140g) crumbled feta cheese
- 6 large eggs
- Chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), to serve
- Hot sauce, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet over a low-medium heat.
- Add the bell pepper and onion and cook gently for 20 minutes or until tender.
- Add the garlic and cook for a minute or 2.
- Stir in the cayenne, paprika and cumin, and cook 1 more minute.
- Add the tomatoes, salt and black pepper.
- Simmer for 10 minutes then stir in the feta cheese.
- Crack the eggs into the skillet and season with more salt and black pepper.
- Put the skillet in the oven and bake for 8 minutes or until the eggs are set.
- Serve sprinkled with cilantro and offer hot sauce on the side.
