Shakshuka eggs are so easy to make right on the stovetop, a saucy egg dish seasoned with ground spices, harissa, and tomatoes. My twist is adding white beans to make it extra hearty. Serve it casually, right out of the skillet with toasted crusty bread or pita on the side, because trust me, you don’t want to miss one drop of the savory sauce!

Soft poached eggs in a skillet with spiced tomato shakshuka sauce, topped with feta cheese and cilantro

If you’re not into eating sweet things for breakfast — or not a breakfast person, period — this dish is just for you. I added cannellini beans for an extra hit of protein and to up the satisfaction factor. It’s not a traditional ingredient, but they really work, taste-wise, with the other ingredients.

Shakshuka turns up on trendy menus all over the world. I think Yotam Ottolenghi is responsible for shining a light on shakshuka because the Israeli/Arabic-influenced recipes in his beautiful cookbooks are so popular.

Spicing shakshuka eggs

I created this recipe with a simple blend of pantry spices you probably already have on hand. I’m not shy about cooking with spices, and neither should you be — the sauce can take a good amount of seasoning.

  • Cumin: I use ground cumin to give the sauce an earthy, fragrant backbone.
  • Coriander: Ground coriander seed adds a bright sweet citrus note.
  • Paprika: Sweet paprika (not smoked) adds beautiful color without heat.
  • Cayenne: I love a little background heat in this sauce. You could use crushed red chili instead, and adjust the amount to your taste.
  • Harissa: This North African condiment adds a subtle smoky heat to shakshuka. I make homemade harissa paste that lasts for months in the fridge.
Ingredients on a tray for shakshuka include crushed tomatoes, eggs, cannellini beans, spices, chopped onion, chili, harissa paste and feta cheese.

To make the sauce:

  • Thick tomato sauce in a skillet with garlic and spices.
    1. Cook onions, garlic, chili pepper and spices with olive oil and a can of crushed chunky tomatoes in a medium skillet until the sauce is thick enough to pull away from the bottom of the pan.
  • Thick tomato sauce with beans in a saute pan eggs cracked on top.
    2. Crack eggs into wells in the sauce. Cover the pan and lower the heat to a gentle medium temperature. In just a few minutes the eggs will cook to perfection — soft, just-set whites. And creamy, slightly runny yolks that run out onto your plate and into the sauce.
  • Soft poached eggs in a skillet with spiced tomato harissa sauce,topped with feta cheese and cilantro
    3. Serve shakshuka with toasted crusty bread, or warm flatbread like pita or lavash.
5 from 9 ratings

Jammy Shakshuka Eggs with Harissa

Karen Tedesco
Shakshuka eggs are so easy to make right on the stovetop, a saucy egg dish seasoned with ground spices, harissa, and tomatoes. My twist is adding white beans to make it extra hearty. Serve it casually, right out of the skillet with toasted crusty bread or pita on the side, because trust me, you don't want to miss one drop of the savory sauce!
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Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup (160 g) chopped yellow or white onion
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
  • 1 small jalapeno or serrano pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons harissa paste
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 28-ounce (800 g) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained
  • 6 large eggs
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Equipment

Instructions
 

  1. Pour the oil into a large, deep skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and chili and cook about 5 minutes, or until the onion is softened but not browned.
  2. Stir in the spices, harissa paste and 1 ½ teaspoon salt and cook 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and beans, stir, and bring to a simmer.
  3. Cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is the consistency of thick jam. Remove the pan from the heat. Use the back of a spoon (a ladle works well) to make 6 wells in the sauce. Crack an egg into each one.
  4. Put the pan back over medium-low heat and cover. Cook 4-6 minutes, just until the whites are set and opaque and the yolks are still runny. The eggs will continue to cook for a few minutes after you take the pan off the stove, so keep that in mind and cook to your preference.
  5. Sprinkle the feta cheese and cilantro over the eggs and serve warm with toasted bread or pita.

Notes

  • To make ahead: You can make the sauce and refrigerate up to 5 days ahead. Reheat gently in a skillet until simmering, then add the eggs and cook according to the directions.
  • Keep in mind that the eggs will continue to cook for a few minutes after taking the pan off the heat. If you like your eggs more or less runny, cook to your preference by keeping your eye on the process.
  • I love, love feta cheese in this dish and the way it melts into creamy blobs on top of the dish. By all means substitute with soft goat cheese or a good whole milk ricotta if you’re not a feta fan.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 171kcal Carbohydrates: 6g Protein: 9g Fat: 13g Sodium: 216mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 2g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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