Eggs poached in tomato sauce or Shakshouka is earthy and makes a hearty dish any time of day. Great with thick-sliced toast or homemade hash browns.
My family has been making Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce, or Shakshouka, for as long as I can remember. We just called it eggs in tomato sauce. But according to a cookbook about Jerusalem cuisine, the name is derived from the Hebrew verb leshakshek, “to shake”, also meaning “a mixture”. And what a mixture this is! Usually, I just poach the eggs in seasoned tomato sauce simmered with sautéed garlic, but for this rendition I bumped up the sauce for a bit more heat and texture, adhering closely to the traditional Shakshouka recipe.
Chunky diced tomatoes and vegetables makes this dish hearty and robust. And the cumin, chili powder and paprika make it earthy and smoky.
The eggs are typically cooked over-easy, but go crazy and make them to your personal preference! Cook them to your liking and if a few guests at the table want them over-medium or hard, just add them sooner than the rest.
What a great meal for any time of the day. This is also good served with toast or homemade hash brown potatoes to soak up the sauce.
Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce - Shakshouka
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 2- 14 oz. cans or boxed, diced tomatoes, undrained or 4 cups ripe diced tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Pinch of cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
- Pinch of sugar, to taste, optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 5-6 eggs
- ½ Tablespoon fresh chopped parsley, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Cast iron works well.
- Add ½ chopped onion, sauté for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and continue to sauté till mixture is fragrant.
- Add 1 chopped bell pepper, sauté for 5-7 minutes over medium until softened.
- Add 28 ounces tomatoes and 2 Tablespoons tomato paste to pan, stir till blended.
- Add 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon paprika. Add pinch of cayenne and pinch of sugar if desired and allow mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until sauce starts to reduce and thicken.
- Taste to see if you want to add more sugar or cayenne pepper for your taste.
- Crack 5-6 eggs, one at a time, directly over the tomato mixture, making sure to space them evenly over the sauce. I usually place 4-5 eggs around the outer edge and 1 in the center. The eggs will cook "over easy" style on top of the tomato sauce.
- Cover the pan. Allow mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked and the sauce has slightly reduced. Keep an eye on the skillet to make sure that the sauce doesn't reduce too much, which can lead to burning.
- Some people prefer their eggs more runny. If this is your preference, let the sauce reduce for a few minutes before cracking the eggs on top-- then, cover the pan and cook the eggs to taste.
- Garnish with ½ Tablespoon chopped parsley, if desired.
Recipe adapted from Good Dinner Mom’s kitchen and Shiksa in the Kitchen.
VERY GOOD! We loved this dish! Served it with sourdough toast to soak up the yummy sauce and added a little feta on top.
I’ve already made this twice in one week! It is really good! My husband is low carb and it is very much a challenge to vary his meals. It is awesome when I find a recipe like this that I always have the ingredients for and takes no time to make. I serve it in a bowl so I can dip my toast in it. Thanks for sharing a wonderful, time-saving meal Sally!
LOVE the recipe! I often make this for brunch and serve it over basmati rice. Kids love it too and its so easy to make.
My all time favorite! My husband (whom doesn’t like ketchup on scrambled eggs) loved this dish! he went back for seconds.
Thanks Sally for Sharing!
This is my go-to breakfast after a workout. Thanks for posting
Love this for breakfast! You can add mushrooms and or spinach to bump up the nutrition. Add some grated cheese on top. YUM!
My mouth is watering….
It’s Friday night and the work week was a long, tiring one. Even though there was not much energy left to make a time consuming meal, I wanted to make a nutritious one. This wonderful recipe was not only nutritious, but it was also delicious! I made it exactly as printed but added some fresh spinach and mushrooms in the frig that needed used. I’m definitely “feeling the love” through this shared recipe you gracioiusly posted. Thank you!
Sheila! We have all had days and/or weeks like that and if my recipe could comfort you and make for an easy meal in any way… well, that just made my weekend. Glad you liked it. Thank you for posting a comment.