How to Make the Best Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a traditional Middle Eastern dish with poached eggs cooked in a delicious tomato, onion, and pepper sauce. This simple yet flavorful dish can be an excellent breakfast, brunch, or even a main course with freshly baked pita bread.
This article will teach you how to make the best Shakshuka with just a few ingredients. We’ll provide step-by-step instructions and tips to help you create perfect poached eggs every time. Plus, we’ll talk about variations of flavors you can add to customize your perfect Shakshuka every time!
So, let’s start without any delay.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 114.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes with juice
- 4 large eggs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves for garnish
The Making of Shakshuka
Follow these simple steps to make Shakshuka.
Step 1
Let’s begin by prepping your vegetables. Start by chopping one onion and one garlic clove. Next, slice a chili pepper into thin slices or mince it. It’s an optional ingredient, but it adds a great depth of flavor to the dish. Finally, set aside your vegetables for later use in the recipe.
Step 2
Next, we are going to prepare the tomato sauce. Many people like to make their tomato sauce from scratch, which is a good option if you have the time and inclination; however, a store-bought quality canned or jarred version works just as well for this dish.
So, in a large skillet, slowly cook your onions over medium heat until they become translucent and fragrant. Next, add your chopped garlic and chili pepper (if used) and cook for another minute. After that, add the tomato sauce, one teaspoon of cumin, and some salt to taste.
Step 3
Simmer until thickened slightly before turning off the heat and set aside for later use. Once your sauce has simmered on low heat for at least 10 minutes, it is time to add in your other ingredients.
Hence, add the bell peppers, olives, parsley, capers, and feta cheese. All these ingredients are optional. You can add some of them or all as per your taste.
Step 4
After adding all the mentioned ingredients, stir everything together in your skillet before creating “wells” within the mixture. Furthermore, it’s time to add the essential element to the recipe.
Crack eggs into each well one at a time, but be careful not to break them. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil, then simmer on low heat until egg whites are cooked properly. It takes approximately 8 minutes, but you can make it depending on how runny you want your egg yolks to be when served!
Step 5
Once you finish cooking, turn off the heat but leave it covered until it’s ready to serve. It will keep the eggs warm until served. Now it’s time to enjoy your delicious shakshuka just like mom used to make!
To serve, simply scoop portions onto plates, ensuring everyone gets at least one egg per portion with extra toppings such as feta cheese crumbles or parsley leaves if desired! Enjoy immediately while hot!
Final Words
Shakshuka is a straightforward one-pot recipe suitable for any time of the day. Hence, you can make it whenever you want to eat something tasty and flavourful. You can have it with some crusty bread or even with rice. So, don’t wait anymore to experience this wonderful recipe.
