Shakshuka: The Savory Egg Dish with a Mediterranean Twist

Shakshuka is a traditional North African and Middle Eastern dish that has become increasingly popular in recent years. It is a simple yet flavorful dish made from a rich tomato sauce, cooked with onions, garlic, and spices, and then topped with poached eggs. Shakshuka is often served for breakfast, but it can also be enjoyed for lunch or dinner. This versatile dish can be customized to suit your taste buds and is a great way to enjoy a healthy and satisfying meal.

Shakshuka originated in North Africa and the Middle East, where it is a popular breakfast dish. The name Shakshuka comes from the Arabic word “shakshouka,” which means “mixture.” The dish is said to have originated in Tunisia and spread throughout the region.

It is a dish that is enjoyed by people of all backgrounds and religions. It is a popular dish among Jewish people and is often served during Passover, when bread and other leavened products are forbidden. This dish is also a common dish during Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims, as it provides a filling and nutritious meal to start the day.

It’s a simple dish made with a few basic ingredients. The key ingredients are tomatoes, onions, garlic, and eggs. The dish is seasoned with a blend of spices, including cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper, which give it a distinct flavor.

To prepare Shakshuka, start by sautéing diced onions and garlic in a skillet with some olive oil. Once the onions are translucent, add diced tomatoes and spices to the skillet and simmer the mixture until it thickens slightly. Make small wells in the tomato mixture and crack an egg into each well. Cover the skillet and cook until the eggs are set but the yolks are still runny.

Shakshuka is a versatile dish that can be customized to suit your taste buds. You can add different vegetables, such as bell peppers, zucchini, or spinach, to the tomato sauce to make it even more flavorful. You can also add feta cheese or olives to the dish to give it a salty kick.

It is often served with crusty bread or pita to soak up the rich tomato sauce. It can also be served with a side salad or topped with fresh herbs, such as parsley or cilantro. Shakshuka is a great dish for entertaining as it can be made in large quantities and served family-style.

Shakshuka is a delicious and healthy dish that is easy to make and can be customized to suit your taste buds. It is a great way to enjoy a Mediterranean-inspired breakfast or brunch, but it can also be enjoyed for lunch or dinner. Whether you’re looking for a healthy meal or a tasty dish to impress your friends and family, Shakshuka is definitely worth a try.

This Shakshuka recipe uses a few basic culinary techniques:

1. Sautéing: This technique involves cooking ingredients in a hot pan with oil over medium heat. In this recipe, we sauté the onions, garlic, and red bell pepper in olive oil until they become translucent.
2. Simmering: After adding the diced tomatoes and spices to the skillet, we let the mixture simmer over low heat until it thickens slightly. This allows the flavors to meld together and the sauce to thicken.
3. Poaching: To cook the eggs in the tomato sauce, we create small wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each well. Then we cover the skillet and let the eggs cook until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. This technique is called poaching, which involves cooking food gently in liquid.
4. Knife Skills: Dicing, chopping, and mincing.

Overall, these techniques help to create a flavorful and visually appealing dish that is both healthy and satisfying.

There is a Hispanic cousin of this recipe called Huevos El Diablo or The Devil’s Eggs. I will post that recipe shortly.

Shakshuka

Print Recipe

The Savory Egg Dish with a Mediterranean Twist

Course Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword eggs

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings 2

Calories 220

Equipment

• 1 Large Skillet

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 can 28 ounces diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Pita bread for serving

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the diced tomatoes, salt, and black pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Crack the eggs into the tomato sauce, spacing them out evenly. Cover the skillet and simmer until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, about 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot with pita bread. Enjoy!
• Note: Shakshuka is a versatile dish and you can adjust the spice level to your liking by adding more or less cayenne pepper. You can also add other vegetables such as zucchini, spinach or eggplant.

Notes

2 servings:

• Calories: 220
• Total Fat: 14g
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Cholesterol: 190mg
• Sodium: 450mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 14g
• Dietary Fiber: 3g
• Total Sugars: 8g
• Protein: 11g

Please note that the nutritional information may vary slightly depending on the specific ingredients and brands used in the recipe. Additionally, the serving size can also impact nutritional value.