Dish-Dash-Dosh

Shakshouka

Gently poached eggs in a rich, deeply spiced tomato and red pepper sauce — perfect for brunch or a quick supper.

breakfast vegetarian one pot

Shakshouka

A fantastic, one-pan dish of gently poached eggs in a rich, deeply spiced tomato and pepper sauce. It’s forgiving, endlessly customisable, and just as good for breakfast, brunch, or a quick dinner.

Serves 2–3, scales easily.

☘ Tip

The secret to a great shakshouka is letting the sauce reduce until it’s thick enough that the eggs stay cradled in the rich tomato base, rather than getting lost in a watery soup.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 large red pepper, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tin (400 g) chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 4–5 large eggs
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

  • A handful of fresh coriander or flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • Crumbled feta cheese
  • Crusty bread

Method

1. Build the aromatic base

  1. Heat the olive oil3 tbsp olive oil in a large, deep frying pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onion1 large onion, finely chopped and red pepper1 large red pepper, chopped, cooking until they soften and the onion1 large onion, finely chopped turns translucent, about 6–8 minutes.
  2. Stir in the garlic3 cloves garlic, minced, cumin1 tsp ground cumin, coriander1 tsp ground coriander, smoked paprika1 tsp smoked paprika, and chilli flakes½ tsp chilli flakes (adjust to taste), cooking for another minute until fragrant.

2. Simmer the sauce

  1. Pour in the chopped tomatoes1 tin (400 g) chopped tomatoes and stir in the tomato purée2 tbsp tomato purée. Season well with salt and pepper.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer gently for 10–12 minutes, until it thickens into a rich, cohesive paste and most of the liquid has evaporated.

3. Add the eggs4–5 large eggs

  1. Use a large spoon to make 4 or 5 small wells in the sauce. Gently crack an egg directly into each well.
  2. Season the top of each egg with a tiny pinch of salt.

4. Poach the eggs4–5 large eggs

  1. Turn the heat down to low. Cover the pan with a lid or a sheet of foil.
  2. Cook for 5–8 minutes, checking frequently. You want the egg whites completely set and opaque, but the yolks still soft and jiggly.

5. Serve

  • Remove from the heat and scatter over the crumbled feta and chopped coriander1 tsp ground coriander or parsley.
  • Serve immediately, straight from the pan, with plenty of warm crusty breadCrusty bread to scoop up the rich sauce and runny yolks.