If you’re not familiar with Shakshuka, you’re missing out. It’s an amazing dish perfect for brunch (or any time of day, really) consisting of intensely spiced tomato sauce with poached eggs. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how easy this dish comes together and how it still elicits “oohs and ahhs” from guests. While garnishing immediately before serving with feta and kalamata olives is perfectly optional (although incredibly highly recommended), serving with a good, crusty bread is an absolute must—one needs a way of sopping up all the sauce!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 pound bacon or pancetta, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced (orange or yellow bell pepper also works, but please no green)
- 1 small chile (jalapeno is perfect for mild heat), stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
- 4 to 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon smoked Spanish paprika (if you do not have smoked Spanish, other types of paprika work with a pinch of cayenne)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1-28oz can crushed tomatoes (San Marzano, preferably)
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Pinch of granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup minced Italian parsley
- 8 large eggs
- 1/4 cup cubed feta (optional but recommended)
- 1/4 cup sliced kalamata olives (optional but recommended)
- Crusty bread (such as baguette) for serving
Instructions
Heat a large skillet (such as a 12-inch cast iron or any pan that’s not too shallow) over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the bacon or pancetta and cook 5-7 minutes until fat has rendered and cured meat is crispy, remove using a slotted spoon and drain bacon on a paper towel-lined plate. Do not clean the skillet. Note: if you’re going to omit the cured meat, be sure to use an extra tablespoon of olive oil to sauté the vegetables in the next step (for a total of 3 tablespoons).
Add onion and red pepper to hot skillet and cook 5-7 minutes over medium-high heat until they’re beginning to take on some charred, browned color. Add jalapeno (or other small chile), turn down heat to medium, and continue to cook 10-15 more minutes until vegetables have softened and began to break down a little (reduce heat if they appear to be browning too much). Add garlic, paprika, and cumin and cook for 1 minute—the heat and oil will bring out the flavor of the garlic and spices without cooking them too much. Add crushed tomatoes immediately and stir to combine. Season with two teaspoons kosher salt and ½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper, a tiny pinch of sugar, and add almost all the parsley, leaving some for final garnish (if not using bacon, you may want to add a touch more salt). Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook 15 minutes until the sauce has developed flavor and sauce has reduced and thickened.
Next, carefully make 4 wells in the sauce and crack 2 eggs into each well. Season the yolks with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover (I just use a sheet pan), reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 5-8 minutes, until egg whites are set and yolks are still runny.
Garnish immediately with the remaining parsley and optionally with crumbled bacon, feta, and kalamata olives. Serve immediately (right out of the pan, family style at the table) with a nice crusty bread.
Notes:
- The optional bacon, feta, and kalamata olives all pack some umami and salty notes—if omitting, consider how that impacts the overall seasoning of the dish and add more salt.
- While this recipe will not fail you, Shakshuka is also a dish that lends itself to endless interpretations and changes. Wanna add garbonzo beans? Go for it! Like it spicy? Use more chile! Feeling healthy? Sauté some spinach before adding the tomato.
- Some people say it’s bad to cook acidic items in cast iron—so long as it’s a well-seasoned pan, there should be no problems, especially if the skillet is cleaned promptly.
