If there is a perfect brunch dish, this might be it, friends. Shakshuka is eggs poached in a skillet of spiced tomato sauce, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic, onion, and bell pepper cooked down until thick, then eggs cracked directly into wells in the sauce. Cover the pan and cook until the whites set but the yolks are still runny.
Crumble feta over the top while it’s still hot so it softens slightly. Eat it directly from the skillet with crusty bread for tearing and dipping. The bread is non-negotiable, it’s how you get every bit of sauce and yolk off the pan.
Build the Tomato Sauce
Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and bell pepper and cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they soften and start to pick up a little color. Add the garlic and all the spices (cumin, paprika, coriander, and cayenne) and cook for 1 minute until the spices bloom and become fragrant. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir everything together and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes. The liquid should reduce slightly and the sauce should thicken to the point where it coats the back of a spoon. 
Poach the Eggs in the Sauce
Use the back of a spoon to create 6 wells in the tomato sauce, spacing them evenly around the skillet. Crack an egg into each well, taking care not to break the yolks. Season each egg with a small pinch of salt. Cover the skillet with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, checking occasionally. The eggs are done when the whites are fully set but the yolks are still runny. A lid is essential here because the steam is what cooks the tops of the eggs. Without it, the whites will stay raw on top while the bottoms overcook.
Garnish and Serve
Once the eggs are cooked, remove the skillet from the heat. Scatter crumbled feta and fresh cilantro or parsley over the top. Serve immediately, straight from the skillet, with warm pita or crusty bread on the side. The bread is not optional. You need something to soak up the sauce and runny yolks. Scoop generously, making sure each serving gets at least one egg and plenty of sauce.
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Skillet Shakshuka with Feta
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
Description
Shakshuka is a North African and Middle Eastern skillet of eggs poached in a spiced tomato sauce — it is the dinner (or breakfast, or lunch) that requires almost nothing and delivers everything. Cumin, paprika, and a hint of heat in the sauce, with runny-yolked eggs nestled into the bubbling tomatoes. You eat it straight from the skillet with good bread.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
- Crusty bread or pita for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion and bell pepper 6 minutes until softened. Add garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander, and cayenne. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Make 6 wells in the sauce with the back of a spoon. Crack an egg into each well. Season the eggs with a pinch of salt.
- Cover the skillet and cook 5 to 7 minutes until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny.
- Scatter feta and cilantro over the top. Serve immediately in the skillet with bread for dipping.
Notes
- The runny yolk is the whole point — it mixes with the tomato sauce as you eat, creating a natural, rich sauce. Do not overcook the eggs.
- A lid is essential for cooking the egg whites through while keeping the yolks runny. The steam does the work.
- This sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated. Reheat the sauce, then poach the eggs fresh when ready to serve.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 780
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 18
- Cholesterol: 375
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I use instead of feta cheese in this Skillet Shakshuka recipe?
If you don’t have feta cheese, you can substitute it with goat cheese or ricotta for a similar creamy texture.
How can I tell when the eggs are done poaching in the sauce?
The eggs are ready when the whites are fully set and opaque, but the yolks should still be runny, which typically takes 5 to 7 minutes on medium-low heat.
Can I add more vegetables to the tomato sauce for extra flavor?
Yes, you can add vegetables like spinach, zucchini, or mushrooms; just make sure to sauté them with the onion and bell pepper until they soften before adding the spices and tomatoes.
Made it sunday morning. Hit the spot.
Glad to hear that Dawn!
Glad to hear that!!
Sauce was great but honestly I wish there was more of it. Next time I’ll double the tomato base. We ran out of sauce before we ran out of bread and that felt wrong lol.
Hey Laura, yeah that’s the danger of good shakshukas, that you run out of sauce!
Feta makes this.
I agree!
I always overcook the eggs in shakshuka. Any tips for keeping yolks runny? Mine set up completely even though I watched them.