Shakshuka With Feta

By Melissa Clark

Updated Feb. 3, 2025

Shakshuka With Feta
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
50 minutes
Rating
5(20,432)
Comments
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Shakshuka may be at the apex of eggs-for-dinner recipes, though in Israel it is breakfast food, a bright, spicy start to the day with a pile of pita or challah served on the side. (It also makes excellent brunch or lunch food.) It’s a one-skillet recipe of eggs baked in a tomato-red pepper sauce spiced with cumin, paprika and cayenne. First you make that sauce, which comes together fairly quickly on top of the stove, then you gently crack each of the eggs into the pan, nestling them into the sauce. The pan is moved into the oven to finish. Shakshuka originated in North Africa, and like many great dishes there are as many versions as there are cooks who have embraced it. This one strays from more traditional renditions by adding crumbled feta cheese, which softens into creamy nuggets in the oven’s heat.

Featured in: A Rich Egg Dish That Satisfies

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1large onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1large red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 3garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ⅛teaspoon ground cayenne, or to taste
  • 1(28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes with their juices, coarsely chopped
  • ¾teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
  • ¼teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed
  • 5ounces feta, crumbled (about 1¼ cups)
  • 6large eggs
  • Chopped cilantro, for serving
  • Hot sauce, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

260 calories; 19 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 13 grams protein; 644 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook gently until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes; stir in cumin, paprika and cayenne, and cook 1 minute. Pour in tomatoes and season with ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper; simmer until tomatoes have thickened, about 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Stir in crumbled feta.

  2. Step 2

    Gently crack eggs into skillet over tomatoes. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with hot sauce.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
20,432 user ratings
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Comments

Britta

This is a favorite and really deserves its five star rating. I like to add chickpeas or lentils to make this into a hearty eggs-for-dinner option. I also found that the oven tends to overcook the eggs - by the time the whites are cooked, the yolks are solid as well. Reducing stove top heat to a simmer and putting the lid on makes it easier to keep an eye on the eggs, helps to maintain solf yolks, and also avoids the hassle of using the oven.

M

I ate this dish growing up in Algeria. Here are few variations my mom made: 1. Adding small meatballs for a substantial meal. 2. Grilling the peppers first, then peeling them and chopping them before adding them to the cooked tomatoes and onions. 3. using grilled eggplant instead of peppers.

alessandro

I am a Tuscan born and it's pretty much staple dinner food there and no need to turn the oven on, only cover the pan and finish cooking it on the stove and serve it with plenty of Tuscan salt less bread

AS

Oh glorious deliciousness. Love the idea of a briny addition such as kalamata or capers. Yes! If you love this idea but you’re too tired to do all the things, I find that a good jar of premade pasta sauce (Rao’s arrabiata, for example), a pat of butter, some of the spices listed, and some sort of kick (sambal olek, olé!), if you wish, simmered while covered on the stovetop after eggs are added is an amazing way to hack this prep.

Sofia R

Suggest adding zhoug, lemon juice, and some extra feta for flavor and depth.

Meredith N

5 stars

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