There's a specific kind of Saturday morning where I don't want a sweet breakfast, don't want a full lunch, and definitely don't want to make two separate things. Shakshuka is the answer to all three problems.
It's one pan of soft, smoky red pepper and tomato stew with eggs poached right in the sauce, and it takes 25 minutes from cold pan to eating. Traditionally it's North African / Israeli, but every Mediterranean country has a version.
Eat it straight from the skillet with warm bread. It's a dish that makes you slow down whether you want to or not.
Why home cooks love this recipe
- Vegetarian, filling, and works for breakfast, brunch or a light dinner.
- The sauce keeps in the fridge — just reheat and crack fresh eggs in.
- No fancy equipment, no oven, one skillet.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 2 red bell peppers, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 4–6 eggs
- 100g feta, crumbled
- Fresh parsley, warm pita or crusty bread
Method
- Heat olive oil in a wide skillet. Cook onion and peppers on medium for 8 minutes until softened and lightly charred.
- Add garlic, cumin, paprika, chilli flakes and tomato paste. Stir 1 minute.
- Pour in tomatoes, season well, simmer 8 minutes until saucy and slightly thickened.
- Make wells in the sauce with the back of a spoon. Crack an egg into each. Season the whites.
- Cover and cook on low for 5–7 minutes until whites are just set and yolks are still runny.
- Scatter feta and parsley. Serve immediately with warm pita for scooping.
Chef's tip
Cover the pan while the eggs cook — the trapped steam sets the tops of the whites so you don't need to flip anything. The yolks stay perfectly jammy.
If you make this recipe, we'd love to see it — tag @saveur or drop a photo in our reader gallery. Happy cooking.