Tunisian Jews are credited for bringing shakshuka to Israel, but it’s unclear where exactly the dish was first made. (Some say Tunisia, others say Libya.) These days, the egg dish is popular in a number of North African and Middle Eastern countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, and Morocco. It’s basically eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce, but there are tons of variations. Eggs are poached in a delicious spicy tomato sauce filled with soft caramelized onions and red peppers!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes with juices, coarsely chopped
- ¾ teaspoon salt, more as needed
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
- 5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 6 large eggs
- Chopped cilantro, for serving
- Hot sauce, for serving
Preparation
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook gently until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes; stir in cumin, paprika and cayenne, and cook 1 minute. Pour in tomatoes and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; simmer until tomatoes have thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in crumbled feta.
- Gently crack eggs into skillet over tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with hot sauce.