Shakshuka (Eggs Poached in Spiced Tomato Sauce)
Quick answer
Shakshuka starts with onion and bell pepper softened in olive oil, followed by cumin, smoked paprika, and chili flakes bloomed briefly in the hot fat to unlock their oil-...
What makes this special
- Shakshuka features eggs poached directly in a thick sauce of tomatoes, peppers, and warm spices.
- Blooming spices in oil first disperses fat-soluble aroma through the sauce
- Covered 6-8 minutes sets white while keeping yolk runny
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Finely chop 1 onion and 1 bell pepper, then mince 3 garlic cloves.
- 2 Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
- 3 Add the garlic, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes.
Shakshuka starts with onion and bell pepper softened in olive oil, followed by cumin, smoked paprika, and chili flakes bloomed briefly in the hot fat to unlock their oil-soluble aromas. Crushed whole tomatoes are added and simmered until the sauce thickens enough to hold its shape when a spoon is dragged through it. Eggs are cracked directly into wells made in the sauce, then the pan is covered and cooked for six to eight minutes so the whites set while the yolks stay runny. The spice profile delivers warm earthiness from the cumin, gentle smokiness from the paprika, and a low heat from the chili that builds gradually. Tearing bread and dragging it through a broken yolk and the surrounding sauce is the traditional way to eat it.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Finely chop 1 onion and 1 bell pepper, then mince 3 garlic cloves.
Roughly crush the 400 g whole peeled tomatoes by hand or with a spoon so the sauce has body but no large hard pieces.
- 2Control
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly sweet but not browned hard.
- 3Step
Add the garlic, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes.
Stir for only 30 to 60 seconds, just until fragrant, lowering the heat if the spices darken too quickly.
- 4Control
Add the crushed whole tomatoes and reduce the heat to medium-low.
Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until excess water cooks off and a spoon dragged through the sauce leaves a brief trail.
- 5Season
Make 4 wells in the thickened sauce with a spoon.
Crack in the 4 eggs one at a time, holding each egg close to the surface so the whites stay mostly inside the wells.
- 6Finish
Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 6 to 8 minutes.
Remove from the heat when the whites are set but the yolks still wobble, then finish with 10 g fresh parsley and serve with bread.
After the steps
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