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    Cooking Gorgeous » Recipes » Vegetarian Recipes

    Traditional Shakshuka Recipe

    Published: May 29, 2021 · Modified: Aug 26, 2022 by Ayla Clulee · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Traditional Shakshuka is a delicious egg-based recipe made with peppers, onions, eggs, and tomatoes, topped with cheese and herbs.

    This simple yet satisfying dish is filling, nutritious, and ready in just half an hour! It originated in North Africa but is also very popular in Middle Eastern countries.

    Traditional Shakshuka Recipe
    Jump to:
    • What Is Shakshuka?
    • Difference Between Menemen and Shakshuka
    • Why This Recipe Works?
    • Ingredients You'll Need
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Top Tip From the Chef
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Related Recipes
    • Traditional Shakshuka Recipe

    What Is Shakshuka?

    Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern dish originating from North Africa, Tunisia.

    This flavorsome breakfast dish consists of eggs gently poached in a spicy tomato sauce made with peppers, onions, and fresh herbs.

    The spices and herbs vary from region to region and some recipes might contain meat such as sucuk (a type of spicy Turkish sausage I use for my delicious Sucuklu Pide) or roast lamb.

    Traditional Shakshuka is typically served with flatbread such as Bazlama (Turkish Flatbread) or some crusty bread in North Africa as a light dinner.

    It has recently become more popular in Western cuisine.

    Because of its egg content, it is often served as a part of breakfasts or brunch.

    Difference Between Menemen and Shakshuka

    Menemen is a Turkish egg dish made of 3 main ingredients: Turkish green chili peppers, tomatoes, and eggs.

    The egg is usually scrambled instead of poached in tomato sauce.

    Shakshuka is a North African dish made of onions, peppers (usually red and green together), tomatoes, tomato paste, some spices (cumin and harissa traditionally), and eggs.

    Eggs are poached in tomato sauce and left whole.

    Why This Recipe Works?

    • Traditional Shakshuka Recipe only requires a few pantry & fridge ingredients.
    • It's extremely easy to make this delicious egg-based dish with step-by-step pictures and instructions.
    • This simple, filling, and delicious North African dish is also very healthy and low in calories.
    • You can serve Shakshuka for breakfast/brunch, lunch, or even for a light dinner.

    Ingredients You'll Need

    Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

    labeled picture of ingredients for traditional Shakshuka recipe

    What Tomatoes are Best?

    Fresh, ripened summer tomatoes give the best results.

    However, you can make Shakshuka with tinned tomatoes or any other tomatoes you have in your fridge/pantry.

    If your tomatoes are not at their best, a bit of extra tomato paste would help to intensify the color and flavor of the dish.

    You can finely chop, grate, or blitz your tomatoes. Each method will give you a different texture but they all will taste amazing!

    Seasoning For Shakshuka

    Some Shakshuka recipes have cumin, paprika, and harissa but I only use freshly ground black pepper and chilies to keep it simple.

    You can add any spices you like and adjust the amount to your taste. Be careful with the amount of salt if using feta cheese as a garnish.

    • Peppers - I prefer using Turkish green chilies. They are usually mild but some of them can be quite hot. You can also use bell peppers or Spanish Padron peppers.
    • Red Peppers - I use romano peppers but any sweet type of red pepper works with this recipe.
    • Red Onions - I prefer red onions for the color and strong flavor but you can use shallots, brown onions, or spring onions instead.
    • Chilli - You can skip it if your Turkish peppers are hot or if you don't like your Shakshuka too spicy.
    • Tomato Paste - It adds an umami flavor to the shakshuka as well as a bright red color. Skip it if your tomatoes are nice&ripe summer tomatoes!
    • Eggs - They are the star of this dish. Use fresh free-range eggs if possible.
    • Feta - I prefer feta cheese made with sheep milk with high-fat content with a creamy texture. You can replace it with goat's cheese, cottage cheese, or Kasar cheese.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    This is a straightforward recipe to follow.

    However, to achieve the best results you need to follow a few simple steps:

    Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet or pan on medium heat and add olive oil. Add the peppers and sauté for five minutes.

    sautéing the peppers in a pan with butter &olive oil

    I prefer using Turkish green chilies for this dish but you can use bell peppers or Padron peppers too.

    Bell peppers take slightly longer to cook so give an extra few minutes if using them.

    Add red onions and cook for another five minutes or until lightly caramelized.

    If you want to use spring onions, reduce the cooking time to 2 minutes.

    Sautéing the red onions with peppers

    Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a minute before adding the chili, chopped tomatoes, black pepper, and salt, stir well.

    Adjust the amount of chili to your taste. This dish tastes better with rippened juicy red tomatoes in season.

    If you are lucky enough to have ripened summer tomatoes in your fridge, you can skip the tomato paste.

    Tomato paste and the seasoning are added to the sautéed vegetables

    Cook the mixture on low to medium heat for 15 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken.

    Check the seasoning and add some salt if needed.

    The tomatoes are added to the pan for finishing the sauce

    Crack the eggs into the tomato mixture one at a time, cover the pan with a lid, and let it simmer until the eggs are cooked to your liking.

    Eggs are gently poached in tomato&pepper sauce

    Take the pan off the heat and sprinkle some cheese of your choice and chopped parsley on top before serving.

    Top Tip From the Chef

    You can add some minced meat or sucuk to your Shakshuka and serve it as dinner.

    Simply brown the mince or sucuk in a pan with some olive oil before sautéing the peppers and onions.

    Add your spices, tomato paste, and tomatoes to finish the sauce.

    Crack your eggs and gently poach them to your liking.

    Serving Suggestions

    Shakshuka is a great dish to serve for breakfast whether it is a family gathering or a Sunday brunch.

    It only requires a few basic ingredients and is ready in no time!

    You can have your Shakshuka with some bread to mop up the juices such as Turkish Pide Bread, Simit (Turkish Sesame Bagel), or Homemade Sandwich Bread.

    You can add some salad on the side such as Tomato and Walnut Salad (Gavurdagi Salatasi) or Greek Cucumber Salad for a light dinner or lunch.

    Shakshuka is best served immediately. The leftover eggs will get overcooked when you want to reheat them.

    This recipe serves 4 people. If this recipe is too much for you, simply use half the amount of the ingredients and add as many eggs as you need.

    Recipe FAQs

    Is Shakshuka healthy?

    This Shakshuka recipe is not only delicious but also a healthy egg dish. It is considerably low calorie and contains vitamins A and C as well as lots of calcium and protein.

    How long to cook the eggs?

    If you like your eggs runny, cook them for 3 minutes. If you like your egg whites set with runny yolks, take them off the heat after 5 minutes. For firmer yolks, you can cook them for up to 8 minutes. Keep in mind that they will carry on cooking in the tomato sauce even after you take them off the heat.

    Related Recipes

    For other delicious & healthy breakfast recipes why not try:

    • fried ciboria served with salad
      Çiğ Börek - Chebureki
    • Turkish poached egg - Cilbir
      Cilbir - Turkish Poached Eggs
    • freshly baked simit bread
      Simit (Turkish Sesame Bagel)
    • Turkish savoury pies made with spinach and yufka
      Spinach Borek (Ispanakli Borek)

    Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

    I hope you enjoy the process of making this traditional Shakshuka dish as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂 

    Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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    Traditional Shakshuka Recipe

    Traditional Shakshuka Recipe

    Ayla Clulee
    This delicious egg-based dish can be served for breakfast/brunch or a light meal for lunch or dinner and the best way to enjoy it is with a piece of crusty bread.
    5 from 5 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Main Course
    Cuisine Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 235 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 kitchen scale
    • 1 measuring spoons
    • 1 frying pan
    • 1 Sharp knife
    • 1 grater

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 20 g butter
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 150 g green pepper or 4 Turkish green chilies ( chopped)
    • 150 g sweet red pepper (chopped)
    • 1 small red onion (sliced)
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 chopped red chili or ¼ teaspoon chili flakes (adjust to your taste)
    • 6 medium tomatoes (chopped or grated / 800 grams)
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
    • 4 to 6 eggs
    • 100 g feta, kasar (kashkaval), or cheddar cheese grated

    Instructions
     

    • Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet or pan on medium heat and add olive oil.
    • Add the green peppers and red peppers and saute for five minutes.
    • Add the onions and saute for another 5 minutes or until they are lightly caramelized.
    • Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a minute before adding the chili, chopped tomatoes, freshly ground black pepper, and salt, stir well.
    • Cook on low to medium heat for 15 minutes, until it starts to reduce then crack the eggs in the tomato mixture one at a time.
    • Cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer until the eggs are cooked to your liking.
    • Turn the heat off and sprinkle some cheese on top before serving.

    Notes

    • Shakshuka is best served immediately. The leftover eggs will get overcooked when you want to reheat them.
    • This simple yet satisfying dish is filling, nutritious and ready in just half an hour!
    • Shakshuka is considerably low calorie and contains vitamins A and C as well as lots of calcium and protein.
    • You can add some minced meat or sucuk to your Shakshuka and serve it as dinner.
    • Keep in mind that the eggs will carry on cooking in the tomato sauce even after you take them off the heat.
    • If you are lucky enough to have ripened summer tomatoes in your fridge, you can skip the tomato paste.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 235kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 12gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 186mgSodium: 1264mgPotassium: 785mgFiber: 5gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 3371IUVitamin C: 122mgCalcium: 189mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cookingorgeous or tag #cookingorgeous!

    This post uses affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and then buy something, we get a small amount of commission to keep the site running, but it doesn’t cost you anything more.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ayla

      August 03, 2021 at 3:11 pm

      5 stars
      This is a great recipe. Easy to follow directions for a really delicious meal. I add chili sauce for a little added spice. I’ve made it several times now.

      Reply
    2. Emilia

      August 25, 2022 at 6:35 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is so good. Easy to follow directions for a really delicious meal.

      Reply
    3. Natalie

      October 20, 2022 at 4:07 pm

      5 stars
      Wow this Shakshuka recipe looks delicious! I cannot believe that this dish has such low calories, yet is super flavorful. Could I roast the tomatoes and sweet pepper in the oven first before adding to the pan? I'd like to see if I could add a bit of a smoky flavor to the dish as well.

      Reply
      • Ayla Clulee

        October 20, 2022 at 4:11 pm

        Hi Natalie, I never tried to roast the vegetables before adding them to the pan but that sounds like a great idea! You can also use smoked paprika if you want to add some smoky flavor. I hope you enjoy your Shakshuka when you try it.
        Ayla x

        Reply
    5 from 5 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    Welcome to Cooking Gorgeous, where delicious easy-to-follow recipes and culinary inspiration await you! My name is Ayla Clulee, a passionate and professional Cordon Bleu-trained chef, recipe developer, and food content creator with decades of experience. I am based in the UK, and I'm thrilled to have you here.

    The kitchen is my happy place and cooking is my therapy.

    More about me →

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