Maria’s Cookbook leans heavily Portuguese, but it is a Mediterranean kitchen at heart, and few dishes make that case better than shakshuka. Its roots run through North Africa and the Middle East, and it belongs on any table that loves eggs, tomatoes, and a skillet that goes straight from stove to table.
Shakshuka is eggs cracked directly into a simmering sauce of tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, and warm spices like cumin and paprika, then covered just long enough for the whites to set while the yolks stay soft. The whole thing cooks in one pan, gets scooped up with bread, and somehow works equally well at 8am or 8pm.
It is the easy weekend answer to the more involved Tuna and Spinach Quiche or Easter Quiche (both recipes on the site): less assembly, same instinct toward eggs and a good sauce.
Serve it with torn pita for dipping straight into the yolks, which is the correct way to eat it.
Shakshuka (Eggs Poached in Spiced Tomato Sauce) Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 6 large eggs
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
- Warm pita or crusty bread, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook 6 to 8 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, and cayenne, and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and sugar, season with salt and pepper, and simmer uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, until thickened.
- Using a spoon, make 6 small wells in the sauce. Crack an egg into each well.
- Cover the skillet and cook 5 to 8 minutes over low heat, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still soft (or longer if you prefer firm yolks).
- Scatter with feta, if using, and fresh herbs. Serve straight from the skillet with warm pita or bread for scooping.
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