Easy Shakshuka (with Fresh or Canned Tomatoes)

This savory and saucy shakshuka is MB at its finest, friends! Made in 1 pot with simple ingredients, it’s the perfect quick and satisfying meal suitable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It’s subtly spicy, super comforting, and pairs well with toasted bread, grilled cheese sandwiches, roasted potatoes, and beyond. 

It’s especially perfect for tomato season (we see you, summer gardeners drowning in tomatoes!) but can be enjoyed any time of year by subbing canned tomatoes. Let us show you how it’s done!

What is Shakshuka?

Shakshuka (also spelled shakshouka) is a dish consisting of poached eggs cooked over a spiced tomato and pepper-based sauce. Its exact origin is hotly debated, but the dish is believed to have originated in Northwest Africa in a region called Maghreb that includes Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia, among other countries.

Its popularity later spread to Israel, where it was embraced as a hearty, inexpensive, and simple dish. In Jewish culture, it’s made for breakfast using the leftover tomato stew from the Sabbath dinner.

The following is an easy, dairy-free version using fresh tomatoes, with an option to use canned if preferred!

How to Make Shakshuka

This 1-pot dish starts with sautéing onion, garlic, and red bell pepper to bring out their natural sweetness. A little salt adds flavor from the beginning!

Then we add tomato paste for richness, cumin for smokiness, paprika for depth, and red pepper flakes for heat. Fresh or canned tomatoes come next, and they’re cooked until they’re broken down and infused with the spices. Any tomatoes will work, but we love adding in some cherry tomatoes for maximum flavor.

Then it’s time for the eggs. Create spaces for them in the tomato mixture, then gently crack them into the empty spaces and sprinkle with a little salt. Cover the dish, and in a matter of minutes, the eggs will be cooked through and ready to enjoy!

We hope you LOVE this shakshuka! It’s:

Savory
Bright
Subtly spicy
Versatile
Quick & easy
& SO comforting!

What to Serve with Shakshuka

Any carb-y dish is a good match for shakshuka and creates a super satisfying meal. Some of our favorites include:

• Toasted bread
• Grilled cheese sandwiches
• Roasted potatoes
• Polenta fries
• Rice
• Naan (we have vegan and gluten-free naan recipes)

Alternatively, pair it with Middle Eastern-inspired dishes including our Saucy Moroccan-Spiced Lentils, Harissa Marinated Chickpeas, Grain-Free Tabbouleh Salad, or Roasted Cauliflower with Harissa Tahini Sauce.

More Savory Breakfast Recipes

• The Simple But Good Breakfast Bowl (20 Minutes!)
• Breakfast Hash with Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
• Savory Chickpea Pancakes with Leek and Mushrooms
• 1-Pot Chickpea Shakshuka

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Easy Shakshuka (with Fresh or Canned Tomatoes)

Savory, saucy, flavorful shakshuka made with fresh (or canned) tomatoes! A satisfying, comforting, subtly spicy 1-pot meal suitable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Author Minimalist Baker

Print SAVE SAVED

4.80 from 10 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 (Servings)

Course Breakfast, Entrée

Cuisine Gluten-Free, North African-Inspired, Vegetarian

Freezer Friendly 1 Month (sauce only)

Does it keep? 3-4 Days

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced white or yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 large red bell pepper, finely diced (1 large pepper yields ~1 cup or 120 g)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 cups fresh tomatoes, diced (we used half roma, half cherry // 2 lbs yield ~4 cups // or sub 28 oz. canned diced tomatoes)
• 4 large eggs (farm fresh, organic, pasture-raised whenever possible)

SERVING IDEAS optional

• Fresh basil or parsley
• Ground black pepper
• Toasted bread (find our gluten-free bread recipe here)
• Grilled cheese sandwiches
• Roasted potatoes

Instructions

• Heat a large rimmed skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add the olive oil and onion and sauté until just translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, red bell pepper, and salt. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant.
• Add the tomato paste, cumin, paprika, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and stir well to combine. Bring to a light simmer, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are well broken down, the bell pepper is softened, and the flavors have developed. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more cumin for smokiness, red pepper flakes for heat, or salt for overall flavor.
• Use the back of a spoon to make four wells in the tomato mixture, then gently crack an egg into each well. Sprinkle the eggs with salt and cover the pan. Cook for 4-6 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. For over-hard eggs, cook for 8 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, sprinkle with basil or parsley and black pepper (all optional), and serve! Pairs well with toasted bread, grilled cheese sandwiches, or roasted potatoes.
• Best when fresh. The sauce alone will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. For best texture and taste, we don’t recommend refrigerating or freezing with the eggs.

Video

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 179 Carbohydrates: 16.2 g Protein: 9.5 g Fat: 9.5 g Saturated Fat: 2.2 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.4 g Monounsaturated Fat: 4.6 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 187 mg Sodium: 373 mg Potassium: 796 mg Fiber: 4.4 g Sugar: 9.9 g Vitamin A: 3815 IU Vitamin C: 87 mg Calcium: 68 mg Iron: 2 mg