Shakshuka with Fresh Herbs

30 min · 4 servings

The Mediterranean breakfast that doubles as the easiest dinner you’ll make all week. Eggs poached in a spiced tomato base, finished with three fistfuls of fresh herbs.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 (28-oz) can whole peeled tomatoes, hand-crushed
• Salt and pepper
• 6 large eggs
• ½ cup crumbled feta
• ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• Warm pita or crusty bread, to serve

Method

1. Warm the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper with a pinch of salt; cook 8–10 minutes, until softened and just starting to color.
2. Add the garlic, paprika, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Stir for 60 seconds — the spices should smell toasted, not smoky.
3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes with their juice. Simmer 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens enough to hold the trail of a spoon. Season generously.
4. Make six wells in the sauce with the back of a spoon. Crack an egg into each. Cover and cook 5–7 minutes, until the whites are set but the yolks are still loose.
5. Scatter the feta, parsley, cilantro, and mint over the top. Bring the pan to the table and serve straight from it with warm bread.

Notes from our kitchen

Hand-crushing whole tomatoes is the single thing that lifts this shakshuka above the average version — you get pockets of texture that pre-crushed tomatoes flatten out. If your herbs look tired, perk them up using the method in How to Store Fresh Herbs So They Actually Last, or check estimated freshness with the Herb Freshness Planner.

What to cook with it

This pairs naturally with our Lemon Mint Greek Salad for a light supper, or with Mediterranean Chickpea Bowl leftovers spooned alongside. For the full week-of-meals approach, see How to Build a 7-Day Mediterranean Meal Plan.

Gear that helps

A 10-inch cast iron skillet is ideal — it holds the heat the eggs need without scorching the tomato base. A Microplane zester isn’t in the recipe, but a hit of lemon zest at the end is a real upgrade.