Published: · Modified: by Igor · This post may contain affiliate links · 26 Comments
The best Shakshuka recipe is here, guys! If you still haven't tried this North African creation, it's about time because it's one of the most awesome breakfast egg dishes ever!
There are dishes that I enjoy regularly, but they are still not on the blog yet. Why so, you may ask. Well, some of them are so popular that almost every single blogger out there made their version and I feel that I have nothing to add. It looks like those dishes are all over Pinterest and there is that feeling that no one will notice another post on the same topic.
But today I thought; who cares if it won't get the attention it deserves on Pinterest? In the end of the day, the most important thing is my readers. Why shouldn't I share a recipe if I know that it's outstanding and that my readers will enjoy it? Moreover, it's strange to keep making a dish every single week and not recommend a recipe to you, guys. Ok, enough words, let's cook one of my favorite breakfasts ever!
There are dozens of ways of cooking eggs, but Shakshuka is undoubtedly one of the best and most popular ones. It's a staple of many countries all around the world. Wikipedia says that it's enjoyed in Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, and Israel. I always thought that Shakshuka was born in Israel, but it seems that these eggs in tomato sauce were simply introduced by Jews, but not necessarily the ones living in Israel. In fact, such a country as Israel hadn't even existed when Shakshuka was invented. It would be more accurate to say that it's a North African dish.
So what it's all about? First, we make a fragrant tomato and bell pepper based sauce, with the aromas of onion, thyme, parsley, and cilantro. When the sauce is ready, we gently cook eggs in it. Sprinkle with some more cilantro or parsley and that's it! You can begin savoring this fantastic creation and praising it. Yes, you WILL praise it. I am one hundred percent sure because this Shakshuka is crazy good.
The tomato and bell pepper sauce is the thing that makes this dish stand out. It goes so well with the eggs, creating a feast of flavors in your mouth! It's really hard to explain how good this North African dish is. You will have to try it yourself to truly understand the magic behind it!
In a pan, on high heat, dry roast the cumin seeds for a couple of minutes. Add the oil and onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers, sugar, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, and cilantro and cook for 5-10 minutes more.
Now add the tomatoes, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. During the process, keep adding the water to get a pasta sauce consistency.
Remove the bay leaf. Make 4 gaps in the tomato and pepper mixture and break an egg into each gap. Sprinkle with some salt and cook, covered, on a very low heat, for 10-12 minutes, until the eggs are just cooked. Garnish with some parsley or cilantro. Enjoy!
Ottolenghi advises using a fork to swirl the egg whites around in the sauce, all the while being careful not to break the yolks. Simmer until the egg whites are just set and the yolks are still slightly runny. Remove from the heat and let stand about 2 minutes before serving.
Shakshuka is a simple dish made of gently poached eggs in a delicious chunky tomato and bell pepper sauce. Said to have originated in Tunisia, this breakfast recipe is popular in many parts of North Africa and the Middle East. It is so satisfying, you can serve it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
shakshouka, a Maghrebi (North African) dish, popular throughout the region, featuring poached eggs in a spicy tomato sauce, seasoned with peppers, onion, garlic, and various spices. The word shakshouka comes from Maghrebi Arabic dialect and means “mixed.”
After breaking the eggs into the sauce, gently spoon some of the sauce over just the whites. This helps the whites cook faster so they set before the yolks overcook. Cover and rotate. Covering the skillet allows the eggs to steam-cook, which moves things along.
Set your timer for 4-5 mins for runny/dippy eggs to serve with soldiers, or 6-7 mins for soft-boiled eggs for a salad. If serving in a salad, plunge the eggs into a bowl of cold water as soon as the timer goes off – this will stop them cooking and cool the shells quickly for peeling.
Whatever the true origins, it was eventually brought to Israel by Jewish immigrants from Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Libya. At a time when they were struggling financially, this hearty, affordable dish that was very easy to make and made a lot of sense to immigrants. Nowadays, you'll find it's just about everywhere!
The first side you want to serve with your shakshuka is of course the bread, so you can dip it into the sauce. For a very western version, you'll want to make a classic no-knead bread (super easy!) for the occasion.
Turkish menemen is very similar to shakshuka, but there's a lesser-known Turkish eggs recipe that's incredibly delicious too. This, called cilbir, involves poaching eggs, then laying them on a swirl of garlic-infused yoghurt, topping with a nutty chilli butter and fresh dill fronds.
A side salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, lemon juice, and oil (non-olive) with salt/ pepper/ sumac might be good to contrast with the shakshuka. Turkish breakfast often has a special sausage on the side.
Shakshuka is an easy-to-make and surprisingly healthy breakfast or lunch option, bringing together the health benefits of eggs and cooked tomatoes. If you've never heard of or tried Shakshuka, you are seriously missing out!
As often as possible but because it's time consuming, more often on weekends or for supper (eggs, in general, are common supper choice). Having a surplus of ripe tomatoes at hand is also a factor.
It is believed to have a Tunisian origin. Shakshuka means "a mixture" or “shaken” in Tunisian dialect. Shakshuka is a staple of Tunisian, Libyan, Algerian, and Moroccan cuisines traditionally served up in a cast iron pan with bread to mop up the sauce (most important).
In Jewish culture, a large batch of tomato stew is made for the Sabbath dinner and the leftovers used the following morning to make a breakfast shakshouka with eggs.
The catchy name refers both to the appearance and flavor of the eggs. The amorphous egg white encircling the yolks is said to evoke the souls of those in Purgatory. The red, spicy sauce represents the flames by which those doomed souls are surrounded. A somber take on such a delicious dish!
Seasonings: Cumin, paprika, coriander, salt, and pepper. Eggs: The shakshuka eggs are dropped into little 'nests' or intentions in the sauce and poached to your liking. I prefer a medium cook where the white is cooked through and the yolks are left runny.
The perfect seasoning for red shakshuka is cumin, caraway, paprika, black pepper and a little salt. Liquids: If the sauce exudes a lot of liquid, cook it until most of the liquid has evaporated. By the time you add the eggs there should be no more than two tablespoons of liquid left in the pan.
Introduction: My name is Tish Haag, I am a excited, delightful, curious, beautiful, agreeable, enchanting, fancy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
