Shakshuka With Fresh Tomatoes And Green Peppers
Indulge in shakshuka, a North African-inspired dish that nestles softly cooked eggs in a filling sauce of tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, and warm spices.
Shakshuka! Pronounced SHAK-SHOO-KAH, has made a presence in the breakfast scene. The sauce is the memorable part of this dish, but the sauce’s combination with softly cooked eggs is what makes it appealing.
This dish has many variations, but I thought I’d keep it classic with flavors that set the base for most shakshuka recipes. I grew up making a similar dish and I loved adding the bell pepper and spices for a change-up.
This post is about how to make shakshuka with fresh tomatoes.
Shakshuka With Fresh Tomatoes and Green Peppers
What do I need to make shakshuka?
To make this recipe, you will need:
- Tomatoes: This sets the base for the sauce.
- Onion: Adds aromatic flavor to the sauce.
- Bell Peppers: Helps set the base for the sauce.
- Garlic: Adds aromatic flavor to the sauce.
- Tomato Paste: Thickens and deepens the notes of the sauce.
- Eggs: The protein of the dish. Is usually cooked to have a runny or soft consistency.
- Olive Oil: Used to saute the onion, etc.
- Spices: Sets the quintessential shakshuka flavor to the dish, along with the ingredients.
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Paprika
- Chili Pepper: This adds a little heat to the dish. You can omit it if you prefer no spiciness in terms of heat.
- Salt and Pepper
How do I make shakshuka?
To start, chop the onion, tomatoes, and bell peppers.
Set a large pan on medium heat and add the oil and saute the onion and bell peppers until soft (about 5-7 minutes). Add the garlic and spices and stir for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir until incorporated.
Pro tip: If using a cast iron pan, cast iron pans retain heat better than other pans, so use the next lower heat setting when cooking. For example, if I am sauteing onions on medium heat in a standard pan, I would use a medium-low setting for a cast iron pan.
Allow the tomatoes to cook down and soften, this will take about 10-15 minutes. The sauce will thicken at the same time. Once the sauce has cooked down and come together, use the back of a large spoon or serving spoon to create 6 indents in the sauce. Crack an egg in each of the indents and lightly sprinkle each egg with salt and pepper.
Put the lid on and cook until the whites set or harden. Watch this carefully as it goes quickly. As soon as you see the whites set, take the pan off the heat and take the lid off as to not overcook the egg. Traditionally, the egg yolk should be soft and slightly runny. If you prefer a well-done egg yolk, continue cooking until it’s fully set.
Serve it warm, immediately.
Serve it with pita bread or crusty bread.
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can make the sauce ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to three days. When you are ready to use it, heat the sauce in a pan with a couple tablespoons of water. Then, continue with the steps to add the eggs.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you may also enjoy these other Middle-Eastern inspired dishes:
- Orzo Pasta Salad With Feta and Roasted Vegetables
- Middle Eastern Cucumber Salad
- Middle Eastern Rice Pilaf With Lentils, Currants, And Dates
- Savory Beef and Peppers Dutch Oven Stew Recipe
- Chicken Shish Kebab Recipe
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🖤 Thank you for visiting and happy cooking! 🙂
This post was about how to make a filling shakshuka with fresh tomatoes.
Shakshuka With Fresh Tomatoes and Green Peppers
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 small green peppers diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 5 medium tomatoes diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chili pepper optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 large eggs
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste, for eggs
Instructions
- Set a large pan on medium heat and add the oil and saute the onion and bell peppers until soft (about 5-7 minutes).
- Add the garlic and spices and stir for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir until incorporated.
- Allow the tomato to cook down and soften. The sauce will thicken at the same time.
- Once the sauce has cooked down and come together, use the back of a large spoon or serving spoon to create 6 indents in the sauce. Crack an egg in each of the indents and lightly sprinkle each egg with salt and pepper.
- Put the lid on and cook until the whites set or harden. Watch this carefully as it goes quickly. As soon as you see the whites set, take the pan off the heat and take the lid off as to not overcook the egg. Traditionally, the egg yolk should be soft and slightly runny. If you prefer a well-done egg yolk, continue cooking until it's fully set.
- Serve it warm, immediately, with pita bread or crusty bread.