Moroccan Shakshuka – Moroccan Shakshuka is a simple and quick North African dish that combines eggs poached in a spicy, harissa-based sauce; serve this healthy meal any time of the day, though I prefer it for breakfast or brunch. We serve ours with toast, naan, pita, or warm challah bread.
MOROCCAN SHAKSHUKA
It’s no secret that shakshuka is popular all over the world, predominately throughout Israel, North Africa, and the Middle East. It’s said to have originated in Tunisia and like many delicious meals you can find similar dishes that go by other names. Italians have eggs in purgatory, and in Spain they call it pisto manchego with eggs.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Olive Oil: Saute the vegetables in olive oil.
- Vegetables: Saute onions and a red bell pepper in olive oil.
- Garlic: I suggest using four cloves, but measure with your heart.
- Harissa Paste
- Spices: Season the Moroccan shakshuka with spices like paprika, cumin, ras el hanout, salt, and pepper.
- Tomatoes: I use crushed canned tomatoes for quicker preparation, but you can use 5-6 small tomatoes and increase the cooking time.
HOW TO MAKE MOROCCAN SHAKSHUKA
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Warm oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Then, cook the onion and red bell pepper until the onions become translucent and soften, for about 10 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and saute for another minute.
Step 2: Stir in the harissa paste, paprika, cumin, ras el hanout, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook for 30 seconds, then crush the tomatoes with your hand into the pot.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the tomatoes from sticking.
Step 4: Make a well in the tomato mixture using the back of a spoon. Add an egg to the well and repeat with the remaining eggs.
Cover and bake it in the oven for 5-10 minutes until the whites have set.
Step 5: Garnish with fresh mint.
EXPERT TIPS
- Crack the eggs one at a time into a liquid measuring cup; this makes it easy to add them to the tomato mixture.
- If you have hotspots in your oven, I recommend rotating the pan halfway through.
- Prepare the dish in a stainless steel pan to simmer the ingredients on the stove and finish it in the oven.
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WHAT DO YOU EAT WITH SHAKSHUKA?
- Pita Bread, Challah, Toast, Falafel
- Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad, Chickpea Salad, Greek Salad, çoban salatasi
- Roasted Potatoes
- Butter Bean Hummus
- Marinated Olives, Kalamata Olives
WHAT TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVERS
- Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container; Moroccan shakshuka will keep for 1-2 days.
- Reheat – Add a tablespoon of water to the leftovers and warm them on the stovetop to serve. Because of the eggs, I do not recommend reheating leftovers in the microwave.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is shakshuka spicy?
The dish can be spicy or mild; our Moroccan Shakshuka recipe doesn’t have a lot of heat, though if you’re sensitive to spicy food, you can tone down the harissa paste and paprika.
Can I make this recipe with meat?
Yes, all you have to do is cook and brown the ground meat (beef, turkey, lamb). Then, follow the instructions for this recipe from there.
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Moroccan Shakshuka
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1½ tablespoons harissa paste
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ras el hanout
- 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- 1 can peeled tomatoes, 28-ounce
- fresh mint, to garnish
- Warm oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Then, cook the onion and red bell pepper until the onions become translucent and soften, for about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute for another minute.
- Stir in the harissa paste, paprika, cumin, ras el hanout, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook for 30 seconds, then crush the tomatoes with your hand into the pot.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the tomatoes from sticking.
- Make a well in the tomato mixture using the back of a spoon. Add an egg to the well and repeat with the remaining eggs. Cover and bake it in the oven for 5-10 minutes until the whites have set. Garnish with fresh mint.
- Crack the eggs one at a time into a liquid measuring cup; this makes it easy to add them to the tomato mixture.
- If you have hotspots in your oven, I recommend rotating the pan halfway through.
- Prepare the dish in a stainless steel pan to simmer the ingredients on the stove and finish it in the oven.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice