Uploaded April 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
It seems that this delicious breakfast dish started in Morocco, where workers would apparently scoop up eggs poached in a thick, peppery tomato sauce into pieces of pita on their way to work. Perhaps those workers of yore really did eat their breakfast while walking to work; I am a firm proponent of sitting while eating. Either way, these eggs are delicious.
However, our preparation is not suitable for handheld eating.
Shakshuka has now morphed into many different things in different places. We like to make it on top of a grilled cheese sandwich. If you prefer more authenticity, you might prefer to make some pita bread for it.
Traditionally, the tomato sauce is made with harissa, a quintessentially Moroccan spice. If you can get canned harissa paste, use it when making the tomato sauce. The tomato sauce is made just like in our recipe about tomato sauce, except that for shakshuka, it is better to leave out the celery and carrot, and use roasted red bell peppers: canned or jarred – use the whole can; if roasting fresh peppers, use 5-6 peppers. Adding extra garlic is also a delicious idea if you like lots of garlic (but then, if you do, need I say it?) Also you can have some fun with the spices; I still recommend basil and thyme, but also perhaps a touch of paprika, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, turmeric, and of course harissa if you can find it.
Makes enough for 2 people, or 4 eggs’ worth.
Equipment:
• medium nonstick skillet (can accommodate up to 6 eggs in a pinch, or use a larger skillet)
• larger skillet for grilling the cheese sandwiches
• flipper/spatula safe for nonstick
Ingredients:
1 cup tomato sauce if it’s basic, at least add paprika
4 ea eggs
50-100 g cheese for melting use your favorite melting cheese
4 pc bread we cut each grilled cheese in half, using large bread; ymmv
2 Tbsp butter
Procedure:
1. Turn on the broiler, with the top rack at the second or third notch down.
2. Depending on your bread, the sandwiches may need more or less time to cook; the bread we were using needed 10-15 minutes grilling time. The eggs need 6-8 minutes, or thereabouts, so we needed to start the cheese grilling first. Do not make the pan too hot as the cheese needs time to melt.
3. Butter the bottom side of the bread, add to the pan, cover with cheese and more bread, and if possible, weight with the other (as yet unused) skillet.
4. Butter the top side of the sandwiches and flip them after 5-7 minutes.
5. Place the smaller skillet over medium heat and add the tomato sauce. If used as a weight, the pan may be unexpectedly hot.
6. Crack the eggs into the sauce once it is bubbling.
7. Allow the eggs to poach for about 5 minutes, then place under the broiler for another 3-5 minutes, depending on how well-done you like your yolks.
8. Meanwhile, finish the grilled cheese sandwiches.
9. Cut the sandwiches in half just before the eggs come out of the oven, and arrange them on plates.
10.Using the spatula, transfer eggs from the pan onto the toasted sandwich halves, and then garnish with the remaining sauce, dividing between the plates.
11.Garnish with chopped parsley and/or crumbled feta and enjoy immediately, but carefully, as it will be quite hot at first.
Music: bensound.com/royalty-free-music
It seems that this delicious breakfast dish started in Morocco, where workers would apparently scoop up eggs poached in a thick, peppery tomato sauce into pieces of pita on their way to work. Perhaps those workers of yore really did eat their breakfast while walking to work; I am a firm proponent of sitting while eating. Either way, these eggs are delicious.
However, our preparation is not suitable for handheld eating.
Shakshuka has now morphed into many different things in different places. We like to make it on top of a grilled cheese sandwich. If you prefer more authenticity, you might prefer to make some pita bread for it.
Traditionally, the tomato sauce is made with harissa, a quintessentially Moroccan spice. If you can get canned harissa paste, use it when making the tomato sauce. The tomato sauce is made just like in our recipe about tomato sauce, except that for shakshuka, it is better to leave out the celery and carrot, and use roasted red bell peppers: canned or jarred – use the whole can; if roasting fresh peppers, use 5-6 peppers. Adding extra garlic is also a delicious idea if you like lots of garlic (but then, if you do, need I say it?) Also you can have some fun with the spices; I still recommend basil and thyme, but also perhaps a touch of paprika, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, turmeric, and of course harissa if you can find it.
Makes enough for 2 people, or 4 eggs’ worth.
Equipment:
• medium nonstick skillet (can accommodate up to 6 eggs in a pinch, or use a larger skillet)
• larger skillet for grilling the cheese sandwiches
• flipper/spatula safe for nonstick
Ingredients:
1 cup tomato sauce if it’s basic, at least add paprika
4 ea eggs
50-100 g cheese for melting use your favorite melting cheese
4 pc bread we cut each grilled cheese in half, using large bread; ymmv
2 Tbsp butter
Procedure:
1. Turn on the broiler, with the top rack at the second or third notch down.
2. Depending on your bread, the sandwiches may need more or less time to cook; the bread we were using needed 10-15 minutes grilling time. The eggs need 6-8 minutes, or thereabouts, so we needed to start the cheese grilling first. Do not make the pan too hot as the cheese needs time to melt.
3. Butter the bottom side of the bread, add to the pan, cover with cheese and more bread, and if possible, weight with the other (as yet unused) skillet.
4. Butter the top side of the sandwiches and flip them after 5-7 minutes.
5. Place the smaller skillet over medium heat and add the tomato sauce. If used as a weight, the pan may be unexpectedly hot.
6. Crack the eggs into the sauce once it is bubbling.
7. Allow the eggs to poach for about 5 minutes, then place under the broiler for another 3-5 minutes, depending on how well-done you like your yolks.
8. Meanwhile, finish the grilled cheese sandwiches.
9. Cut the sandwiches in half just before the eggs come out of the oven, and arrange them on plates.
10.Using the spatula, transfer eggs from the pan onto the toasted sandwich halves, and then garnish with the remaining sauce, dividing between the plates.
11.Garnish with chopped parsley and/or crumbled feta and enjoy immediately, but carefully, as it will be quite hot at first.
Music: bensound.com/royalty-free-music
