Tunisian Shakshouka with Harissa
The sauce has to thicken before the eggs go in. Drop eggs into a watery sauce and they poach into rubber. Make wells in a thick sauce, crack the eggs into them, and cover for five minutes.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Calories
- 260
Shakshouka is Tunisian in origin and spread across the region because it's a complete breakfast in one pan in twenty minutes. The only thing that separates a good one from a bad one is patience with the sauce.
Method
-
1
Onion and peppers
Heat the oil and cook the onion and peppers over medium heat for 7 minutes until soft and sweet. Don't rush this — it's the base of the flavour.
-
2
Garlic and spices
Add the garlic, harissa, cumin and paprika and stir for one minute until fragrant.
-
3
The sauce
Add the tomatoes and salt and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes until thick and the oil rises. There is no shortcut here.
-
4
The eggs
Make wells in the sauce with the back of a spoon and crack an egg into each. Season the eggs lightly.
-
5
Cover
Cover and cook over low heat for 4-6 minutes — whites set, yolks still runny. Two minutes more if you want them firm.
-
6
Serve
Scatter the herbs and feta and serve straight from the pan with bread.
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Tips that actually matter
- The sauce must be thick before the eggs. Eggs in a watery sauce poach and turn rubbery.
- Harissa is the Tunisian signature. Without it this is just eggs in tomato sauce.
- Cover the pan so steam sets the tops — uncovered, the tops stay raw while the base catches.
- Roasted, peeled peppers instead of raw give a much deeper flavour. Worth the extra step.
People also ask
How is this different from eggs in tomato sauce?
Shakshouka's sauce is thick and seasoned with harissa and cumin, and the eggs cook whole in it rather than being stirred through.
Why are my eggs rubbery?
Overcooking, or a watery sauce. The eggs need 4-6 minutes covered, and the sauce must be thick first.
Can I make it ahead?
Make the sauce ahead — it keeps four days and freezes. Reheat and add the eggs at serving time.
Cook mode
Tunisian Shakshouka with Harissa
-
1
Onion and peppers
Heat the oil and cook the onion and peppers over medium heat for 7 minutes until soft and sweet. Don't rush this — it's the base of the flavour.
-
2
Garlic and spices
Add the garlic, harissa, cumin and paprika and stir for one minute until fragrant.
-
3
The sauce
Add the tomatoes and salt and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes until thick and the oil rises. There is no shortcut here.
-
4
The eggs
Make wells in the sauce with the back of a spoon and crack an egg into each. Season the eggs lightly.
-
5
Cover
Cover and cook over low heat for 4-6 minutes — whites set, yolks still runny. Two minutes more if you want them firm.
-
6
Serve
Scatter the herbs and feta and serve straight from the pan with bread.
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