Easy | Prep: 10 min | Cook: 20 min | Serves: 2–3

Eggs poached in a spiced tomato sauce. That’s the elevator pitch. But shakshuka is one of those dishes where the whole is vastly greater than the sum of its parts — the cumin and paprika warm the tomatoes, the feta adds salty tang, and the runny yolks turn the whole thing into a sauce when you break them open. It works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and it’s all done in one pan. The Middle East’s gift to weeknight cooking.

Ingredients

  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes (or 400g fresh, roughly chopped)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 50g feta cheese, crumbled
  • Fresh coriander or parsley
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • Crusty bread, to serve

Method

  1. Cook the base Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper, cook for 5–6 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, and chilli flakes. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant.

  2. Add the tomatoes Pour in the tinned tomatoes, add the sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and reduced.

  3. Add the eggs Make 4 wells in the sauce with the back of a spoon. Crack an egg into each well. Season the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper. Scatter the feta around the eggs.

  4. Cook the eggs Cover the pan with a lid (or foil) and cook over medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes. The whites should be set but the yolks should still be runny.

  5. Serve Scatter with fresh herbs. Eat straight from the pan with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

Cook With Your Senses

Inspired by Ethan Chlebowski’s sensory approach to cooking — the idea that your senses should tell you more than a timer ever could.

  • Look: The sauce should be thick enough that it doesn’t immediately rush back into the wells when you make them. The egg whites should be opaque and set, but the yolks should still jiggle visibly when you shake the pan.
  • Listen: The sauce should be gently bubbling when the eggs go in. If it’s aggressively boiling, the eggs will cook too fast and the yolks will set hard.
  • Smell: When the cumin and paprika hit the hot oil, the smell should be warm, earthy, and slightly smoky. That’s the flavour base of the whole dish.
  • Touch: Tap the surface of an egg white gently with a spoon. It should feel firm and set. If it ripples like liquid, give it another minute.
  • Taste: Taste the sauce before adding the eggs. It should be well-seasoned, slightly sweet from the tomatoes, and warm from the spices. If it’s bland, the eggs won’t save it.

Notes

  • Runny yolks are the whole point. The yolk becomes part of the sauce when you break it — that’s the magic moment.
  • Feta on top isn’t traditional everywhere but it’s better. The salty tang against the sweet, spiced tomatoes is perfect.
  • A drizzle of tahini or a spoonful of yoghurt on top takes this up another level.
  • Bread is mandatory. This is scooping food, not fork food.

Inspiration

Adapted for Ryan’s kitchen. Original inspiration: themediterraneandish.com