Skillet Shakshuka
Eggs poached in a spiced tomato-pepper stew, finished under the broiler with feta and fresh herbs — the North African one-pan breakfast that eats like dinner.
skillet Timer
Set for 25 mins @ Medium sauté, broiler finish
Ingredients
Base recipe calibrated for 4 adults.
Get to the Point
Sauté 1 onion + 1 bell pepper 6 min; add 4 garlic, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, cayenne.
Pour in 28 oz crushed tomatoes; simmer 12 min until reduced by 1/3.
Make 6 wells; crack an egg into each. Cover 5 min for medium-set yolks.
Broil 90 sec to set the whites; scatter 1/2 cup feta, cilantro, and Aleppo pepper.
Step-by-Step Guided Instructions
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add 1 diced yellow onion and 1 diced red bell pepper. Cook 6 minutes, stirring, until softened but not browned.
Cast-iron gives you the best broiler finish, but stainless works. Do not use a non-stick skillet — the broiler at the end will damage the coating.
Add 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp sweet paprika, and 1/4 tsp cayenne (or to taste). Cook 45 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant and slightly darkened.
Ground spices go in AFTER the onions and peppers have some moisture in the pan — dry hot cast iron burns spices in 20 seconds. The onions are your safety net.
Pour in 28 oz whole peeled tomatoes with their juice. Crush tomatoes into the sauce with a wooden spoon. Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste and 1 tsp kosher salt. Simmer uncovered for 12 minutes until the sauce reduces by about 1/3.
Whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand give better texture than pre-crushed — you get chunks and sauce, not a uniform paste. Cento or San Marzano are the two brands worth buying.
Turn heat to low. Use the back of a large spoon to make 6 evenly-spaced wells in the sauce. Crack one large egg directly into each well. Season each yolk with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Crack each egg into a small bowl first if you're nervous — one bad egg with a broken yolk ruins the whole pan. Once you've done this twice, crack directly.
Cover the skillet with a lid or foil. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes for medium yolks with set whites (add 2 minutes for firm yolks).
5 minutes covered is the sweet spot for jammy yolks. Peek at 4 minutes — the whites should be losing their translucent look. Cover fights the broiler you're about to use.
Uncover the skillet. Set an oven rack 6 inches below the broiler element and heat broiler on high. Broil the skillet 90 seconds to finish setting the top of the whites. Scatter 1/2 cup crumbled feta, 3 tbsp chopped cilantro, and 1 tsp Aleppo pepper (or red pepper flakes) across the top. Serve with warm pita.
The broiler finish is what gives the top of the eggs that restaurant-style glaze. Watch through the oven window — 90 seconds and out, or you overcook the yolks.
Make the tomato base a day ahead and refrigerate. Reheat in the skillet, crack eggs, and finish — 10 minutes of morning work for a wow-level breakfast. This is the shortcut nobody publishes.
Skip the cayenne and Aleppo pepper. Serve the yolk portion mashed with the sauce onto buttered toast rather than as a whole poached egg — texture is friendlier for young mouths.
- Warm pita, naan, or crusty bread for dipping
- Sliced avocado or a small salad
- Cold plain yogurt on the side
Best eaten right away — reheating cooked yolks turns them chalky. Save leftover sauce alone, then crack fresh eggs into the reheated sauce the next morning.