A traditional Middle Eastern dish with a North African twist, this easy shakshuka with harissa (eggs baked in a spicy tomato stew) is a delicious savory dish to put on your Sunday brunch menu! Friends who know me well (aka friends I brunch with) know that there’s a 99% chance I will order eggs benedict for brunch if it’s on the menu. Rarely do I stray from my beloved Bene but if I was to cheat on Bene, there would only be one dish worthy enough for a brunch love affair: Shakshuka. Easy shakshuka with harissa #glutenfree #vegetarianPoached eggs. Spicy tomato stew. Homemade grilled bread. DONE. There’s nothing more I need in life. Except for maybe some crumbled feta on top. 🙂Shakshuka with harissa #glutenfree #vegetarianBut for reals, Middle Eastern food is making a comeback. It was named one of the top food trends for 2018 (check out my most recent piece on Middle Eastern foods for Shape.com) and so I thought now would be the perfect time to revamp this recipe from a few year’s back and give it some new life. When I was making this again, I realized this is such a perfect BRINNER (breakfast for dinner) meal. It’s so easy to make and it requires only one dirty dish, your cast iron pan. Shakshuka is like the original one pan dinner! I’ll definitely be adding this back into the regular weeknight menu rotation! Easy shakshuka #glutenfree #vegetarianNow fair warning, this dish has some extra heat to it, thanks to the harissa. I don’t love super spicy things and this dish for me was just at my threshold, so I think you’ll be okay. But if you’re super sensitive to spicy foods, I would suggest cutting the harissa in half. Shakshuka with harissa #glutenfree #vegetarianI’m a big fan of eggs for dinner too and this is a fun way to spice them up a bit! Especially when that runny yolk mixes with the spicy tomatoes and you sop it all up with some fresh pita. Annnnd, I’m hungry again.Easy shakshuka with harissa #glutenfree #vegetarian

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Easy Shakshuka with Harissa


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Description

A traditional Middle Eastern dish with a North African twist, this easy shakshuka with harissa (eggs baked in a spicy tomato stew) is a delicious savory dish to put on your Sunday brunch menu!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons harissa
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 5 eggs
  • Optional garnishes: cilantro, feta cheese
  • Grilled pita or bread, for dipping

Instructions

  1. In a cast iron pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and cook until onions soften and become translucent, about five minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute.
  2. Add paprika, sugar, harissa and tomato paste and stir to combine. Add tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  3. Reduce heat and let simmer until tomatoes begin to thicken and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
  4. Create nests in the tomato stew for the eggs and crack an egg in each nest.
  5. Cover and simmer until egg whites are set, about 10 minutes.
  6. Garnish with cilantro and/or feta cheese. Serve with grilled pita or bread.

Notes

  • If you can’t find crushed tomatoes, use 28 ounce can whole plum tomatoes and crush them in the food processor.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes

This recipe was retested, reshot and revamped to bring you the most delicious (and most beautiful) dish! The original post was published January 2015. 

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43 Comments

  1. A Visitor

    Started by finding your shakshuka recipe by searching. I looked further down the page and saw the recipes were all sweet and/or had added sugar (syrup, etc). At that point I guessed you must be US-ian. Checked. You are. Surprise, surprise… mentions of calories counting, etc. (Only necessary in societies where over-eating and artificial sweetening are endemic.

    How ironic that it’s a ‘nutrition’ site, complete with US-ian ‘add-sugar-to-everything’.

    • Hi A Visitor, I pride myself on developing recipes that are both delicious and nourishing. That means sometimes they contain (gasp!) added sugar. Adding sugar/syrup/honey to recipes makes nutritious foods more palatable. And adding sugar doesn’t cancel out the rest of the nutrition of a recipe. Love, your favorite US-ian dietitian.

  2. Kevin Fults

    Great recipe but cooking tomato sauces in cast iron is not the best idea. The acid wears on the finish and the cast iron lends a slightly metallic taste to the sauce. Stainless steel is a better option.

  3. I’ve been working on a very similar recipe! I love spicy eggs

  4. Yay for shakshuka! I haven’t had/made it in forever–looking forward to trying this version out!

  5. Ooooh, I bought Trader Joe’s Harissa, may have to use it for this recipe!

  6. This looks so delicious! Love the use of harissa to elevate the shakshuka. I miss having eggs in this way since becoming vegan, but I think I can sub in some soft tofu to mimic the effect, and still get the delightful sauce for bread-dipping!

  7. Dobbin

    I don’t know why you would use a cast iron skillet for this; surely the tomato juice will damage the seasoning and possibly the pan itself. Stainless steel, tin or just about anything else would be more suitable.

    • Hey Dobbin – thanks for your concern! Here’s a myth busted by the Kitchn on this topic that should provide more insight to those who are concerned:

      Myth #2: You should never cook tomatoes and other acidic foods in cast iron.
      A well-seasoned pan can handle acidic foods with impunity. Mark does caution, though, against jumping into menu plans with tomatoes while using a newly purchased Lodge product. “If the seasoning is very good, you can prepare dishes with tomatoes and other acidic foods, but it’s best to wait until your piece is well-seasoned.” Recipes including very acidic foods, like tomatoes and citrus juices, should not be cooked in seasoned cast iron until the cookware is highly seasoned. The high acidity of these foods will strip the seasoning and result in discoloration and metallic-tasting food.

  8. This looks delicious. I love harissa and have been looking for more recipes that include it. Thanks so much for sharing! Love the pictures too.

  9. This seriously looks like one of the best things ever! Definitely going on my “need to make” list :).

  10. I love shakshuka but I never have made it myself before. Thanks for the recipe – I have to make it!

  11. I’m practically giddy about this recipe! Harissa and baked tomato eggs?! Can’t wait to make this for brunch!

  12. Once I saw Ottolenghi, I was hooked. No further explanation needed! This sounds amazing! I love everything about this! I actually bet this would be a great dinner. Is it weird that I’m not a huge fan of eggs in the morning but love them for dinner? An egg sandwich is my go-to when I don’t feel like cooking anything! Cannot wait to try this one, pinned!

  13. I just recently stumbled onto Shakshuka – and boyoboy do I love it! So intrigued by your version with harissa – so gotta try this as I love my spices! 🙂

  14. GORGEOUS! That first photo in particular is a real stunner! I love all of the herbs and spices that you used in this amazing dish!

  15. It has been waaay too long since we last made shakshuka in my house! You’ve inspired me to add it to the dinner rotation again – so good!

  16. I’m a huge fan of Shakshuka! Make it every few weeks (in my house it definitely doesn’t serve 6!). Love the spin on this one using harissa. Oh, and you reminded me another reason why i need a cast iron skillet – every time I make shakshuka my pan overflows!

  17. I love trying new ethnic foods but they always seem so difficult to make at home. I think I can handle this one 🙂 It looks delicious!!

  18. Anything inspired by Ottolenghi inspires ME! I love this recipe idea. I have harissa in my freezer left over from a fish dish I just made from Plenty. This recipe has my name all over it!

  19. I’ve never had shakshuka before, probably because I have GERD and it could be very regretful afterwards buuuuut I think I could sacrifice some heartburn for this one! This looks so comforting and satisfying. Pinning!

  20. Elizabeth Jarrard RD (@Elizabe

    damnnnnnn. i’ve never seen Shakshuka, but this looks amazeballs

  21. Oh my gosh Kara! Yum!! This really does look like the perfect Sunday brunch dish. And that recipe title just sounds like it would be fun to say 😉 #easilyamused

  22. Shakshuka is one of my fave dishes to have, for either brunch or dinner! It’s comforting and filling, and the heat from the spices definitely help on a cold night!