This tomato based shakshuka with sweet peppers, tender onions, and garlic is an easy one-skillet recipe for brunch. Runny eggs nestled into each bite topped with queso fresco, and crunchy green onions, it’s the perfect way to feed a crowd.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you love hosting brunch but don’t want to spend all morning in the kitchen, this smokey shakshuka goes from stove to oven to table in just 30 minutes.
- Little clean-up. It’s all cooked and baked in the same skillet for a quick clean-up afterwards.
- Great for brunch. Double or triple the recipe and pop everything into the oven at the same time for an effortless meal.
- Easy meal prep. Make the veggie mixture in advance so all you have to do is crack the eggs and bake the next morning.
- Tex-Mex fusion. Sweet poblanos and creamy queso fresco add yummy Tex-Mex flavors to this North African recipe.
What Is Shakshuka?
Shakshuka is a traditional North African and Middle Eastern breakfast dish. It’s basically sunny side-up eggs baked over a chunky tomato-bell pepper sauce. Spices like cumin, paprika, oregano, and red pepper flakes can be used for more depth and flavor. Once it’s out of the oven, it’s topped with fresh herbs like parsley or basil, plus crumbled feta or spicy Harissa chili paste.
Recipe Ingredients
Fresh and crunchy toppings balance out the veggie mixture’s natural smokey sweetness. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient amounts.
- Grape seed oil – Feel free to use olive, corn, vegetable, or canola oil.
- Poblano pepper – You can use fresh or frozen (thawed).
- Bell peppers – I love red and yellow ones, but add your favorite.
- Sweet onion – Yellow and white onions are good swaps.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic and garlic paste are best.
- Smoked paprika – Sweet and spicy paprika work too.
- Ground cumin – Skip it if you’re not a fan of its smokiness.
- Fire roasted tomatoes – They can be whole tomatoes if you crush them with the spatula. Regular roasted tomatoes are okay as well.
- Salt and pepper – I prefer kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper.
- Eggs – Make sure they’re at room temperature so they cook quickly.
Garnish Ideas
- Queso fresco – Crumbled cotija cheese is a great swap.
- Fresh cilantro – Leave it out if you’re not a fan.
- Green onion – Go for chives if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
- Sliced avocado – You can also add a dollop of my Guacamole instead.
- Jalapeños – Feel free to use fresh or canned ones.
- Lime wedges – Lemons work too.
How To Make Shakshuka
Simmering the garlicky veggies allows the flavors and spices to make friends in the skillet. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.
- Prep the oven. Preheat it to 375F. Add oil to a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. It can also be a stainless steel pan but always grab the handle with an oven mitt or a dry kitchen towel to prevent burns.
- Sautée the veggies. Mix in the onions and cook for 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic, poblanos, and bell peppers. Sautée for 5-6 minutes, or until tender. Mix in the paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Add the tomatoes, stir well, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs. Carefully crack the eggs over the tomato mixture. It’s important not to break any yolks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake it. Transfer the uncovered skillet to the oven for 7-10 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Remove it from the heat.
- Serve. Garnish with cilantro, queso fresco, and green onions. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Variations
Take your taste buds on a culinary journey by adding tangy feta, crispy bacon, or salty olives to this easy shakshuka recipe.
- Make wells. Use the spatula to create small wells in the skillet so you can crack the eggs there. This way they’ll be nestled in the sauce and cook more evenly. It also makes serving easier.
- Prep ahead. Cook the veggie mixture as usual and store it in the fridge overnight. Crack the eggs into the skillet the next morning and bake away for a quick breakfast.
- Use leftovers. Adding baby bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and Anaheim peppers (instead of poblanos) is a great way to reduce food waste.
- More veggies. Mixing in 1-2 cups of sautéed mushrooms, Garlic Spinach, chopped Air Fryer Green Beans, or sweet corn will make it heartier and more flavorful.
- Make it Tex-Mex. Stir 1/2 cup black beans and 1/4 cup crumbled bacon into the mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack about 2 minutes before you pull the shakshuka out of the oven for some melty goodness.
- Go Mediterranean. Top the shakshuka with 1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese. 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley also adds lovely herbiness. Finally, don’t forget 2-3 tablespoons of sliced black or Kalamata olives (pitted).
- More protein. Mix 2-3 cups shredded Grilled Whole Chicken, rotisserie chicken, turkey, ground beef, or pork into the tomato mixture for a heartier bite.
- Individual portions. Line the cavities in a muffin tray with bacon slices. Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes or until crispy to make bacon cups. Pour in enough veggie mixture until 3/4s full. Crack an egg in each one. Bake as usual and serve.
Serving Suggestions
This vegetarian shakshuka with fresh toppings is a hearty dish on its own with sliced baguettes for dipping. I also love serving it with Breakfast Potatoes, Sweet Potato Hash, and bacon. Other brunch bites to pair it with include my Breakfast Enchiladas and Croissant Casserole with Sausage. If you want more breakfast egg ideas, go for my Bacon & Egg Burrito, Breakfast Bruschetta, and Egg White Breakfast Sandwich.
Proper Storage
Shakshuka is best the day it’s made but you can store the leftovers for later.
- Fridge: Place it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reduce clean-up by tightly covering the skillet with foil if you want.
- To reheat it: Microwave it in 20-second increments until warm. You can also heat it in a pan (covered) over medium heat for 8-10 minutes. For larger portions, use the oven at 300F for 20-25 minutes.
More Egg Recipes To Try
- Prosciutto Baked Egg Cups
- Egg White Vegetable Breakfast Casserole
- Bacon Egg White Breakfast Pizza
- Egg in a Hole with Pesto
Easy Shakshuka Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stove + Oven
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Description
This saucy, one-skillet shakshuka recipe with poblanos, bell peppers, and onions in a smokey tomato sauce is perfect for brunch.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons grape seed oil
- 1 poblano pepper, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 yellow pepper, diced
- 1 cup diced sweet onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 (14 oz) cans of diced fire roasted tomatoes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 eggs
- 1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco
- 1/4 cup diced fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup diced green onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Heat 10″ cast iron skillet to medium-high heat, add grapeseed oil.
- Next add onion to the pan. Cook gently until soft about 3 minutes. Then add garlic, poblano pepper, red pepper, and yellow pepper. Cook until tender, about 5-6 minutes.
- Then add in the smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Then add the diced tomatoes. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Gently crack eggs into skillet over tomatoes in different spots around the skillet. Season with salt and pepper.
- Immediately add the skillet to oven (uncovered) and bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, queso fresco and green onion.
- Serve!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 216
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 389 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 199 mg
43 comments on “Easy Shakshuka Recipe”
Yummy, easy. I made mine in a cast iron Dutch oven with a lid so didn’t need to pop it in the oven.
Awesome! I need to try that next time.
Great recipe! Prep time is very seriously more like 45 minutes, though! No way to chop and measure all that stuff, then do the stovetop part in 5 minutes!
I am so glad you loved this recipe! I’ve cooked this recipe so many times I just speed through the prep!
This is so tasty! I think next time I might add some meaty beans like kidney beans or black beans and maybe some corn. Thank you for a meal that I can have fun with!
You’re welcome. So glad you loved it!
This recipe is out of this world! My family loved it! I will be making this recipe MANY times!!
Glad you love the recipe!!! Thank you for the five star review!
Let’s see …
Get out all the ingredients.
Dice 3 peppers and an onion.
Cut up cilantro and green onions.
Crumble cheese and measure out spices.
Slice optimal garnishes (as per your drool worthy photos).
5 minutes?
REALLY?
I do not believe.
Apparently I am so bad at this cooking thing that I should just hang it up and buy a frozen dinner.
haha… no. I’ve probably just been cooking so long that I’m speed demon fast. I should start increasing “prep times” by 5 minutes which is probably more accurate for the home cook. 🙂
recipe says “vegetarian”….was wondering where to get the veggi eggs or what plant the cheese comes from. obviously im being facetious
most vegetarians do not eat animal flesh but they do eat dairy products, vegans do not eat any products of animals or made by animals. Which is why this recipe is vegetarian, not vegan.
Your dish look so delicious! I’ve never tried making shakshuka before, but after reading your recipe I feel like I have to. Thank you for sharing!
I have a ton of tomatillos from our garden, so I roasted them, and used them instead of the tomatoes. I pretty much stuck to the rest of the recipe, but my eggs definitely took at least 20 minutes to cook. But overall, great recipe!
Ohh love the tomatillo sub… that’s a great idea! Glad you loved the recipe!
This was fantastic, I cooked it for a dinner date and she loved it.
Dinner Date Win! Woohoo… glad it won her over 🙂
I want to try this but I don’t like runny yolks. Would it turn out just as good if I break the yokes and allow them to cook?
Yes, definitely. If fact, because I had to take the photos, by the time I actually ate it the yolks were cooked and it was fantastic!
II use regular pasta sauce, add some ketchup and spicy garlic sauce- chineses- add Romano cheese and crack,the eggs over the stovetop, cover and cook for 5 minutes – easier and dynamite!
So, if you’re single, here’s what you do: On a Sunday afternoon, you make the shakshuka sauce. When it’s suppertime, you warm it up and add three eggs for your dinner. When you clean up, you put the leftover sauce in a container and put it in the fridge or freezer. On another day, heat it up, add 3 eggs, and have another supper! Easy peasy.
Another one-pan meal for a single — tracos. Get cooked beef tritips from the refrigerated meat case, heat up tortillas, cut up some romaine, mix shredded beef with salsa and romaine, tacos!
Ohhhh that is a great tip Sharon! I might use that in general. Even a party of two you could do the same, it saves way better that way. Genius!
This looks absolutely delicious! I can hardly wait to make this for my family! I know commenting about the beauty of a blog is a bit commonplace but I just have to say that I love your blog. It’s so inspiring. If you find me hanging out a little longer than the usual reader, I promise you I’m not a stalker :o) I’m just really enjoying your blog!
Have a great day,
Kelli M. Riebesehl
Kelli, you are seriously so sweet! Totally made my day with your kind and thoughtful comment. I hope your family absolutely loves it as much as you do!
This one looks really delicious – and that nutrition composition is very good in my opinion! The best part here is that kids loved it! I never thought I’d have them eat a mostly vegetable dish!
I know right! It’s great when you can sneak those veggies in and the kiddos devour it! 🙂
Step 5. Is this when the diced tomatoes go in ????
yup! apparently I didn’t finish my thought and add “tomatoes” just corrected it. Thank you Jim!
I’ve never heard of shakshuka before but it sounds delicious 😋 I love the Mexican spin on the dish, cause well, Mexican inspired foods are one of my favorites. I also love that your dish includes eggs with a runny yolk-my fave way to eat an egg. Thanks for the inspiration, I’m going to make this for my husband, he’d love it!
I hadn’t either but so glad that I tried it! It’s amazing! I hope you give it a try girl!
Absolutely amaaazing!! I could eat the whole thing by myself!! I LOVE it!
What a gorgeous dish! I can’t believe I’ve never heard of Shakshuka. My husband is half Lebanese and we eat a ton of Middle Eastern food. I’m going to have to change that! And of course I’d love to try your Mexican version as well!
yes you definitely need to change that girl!
Oh, this just looks and sounds like an incredible dinner! Loving the Mexican twist on this!
This looks absolutely divine! i’ve always wanted to try it but have yet to. That needs to change ASAP!
you need to make it asap.. i’m in love!
The bold color and flavors will keep me coming back for more!
yes it will! 🙂
I’ve always been intrigued by this dish but am a novice cook so I’m so happy that you simplified this so I could try it. It looks fantastic!
it’s super easy to make! I guarantee you’ll love the flavor, you definitely need to try it!
If you gently fry 2-3 corn tortillas in the oil before adding the rest of the ingredients, you’ll end up with Huevos Rancheros, just top off with more cheese of your choice!
ohhh great idea David!
This looks incredible! Can’t wait to try it!