Spicy Moroccan Shakshouka (Best Shakshuka) - Fit Meal Ideas (2024)

Spicy Moroccan Shakshouka(Shakshuka), a one-skillet recipe that includes cooking eggs in a thick, delicious tomato-based stew with onion, garlic, and chili. Garnish it further with avocado, cilantro, and feta cheese.

Shakshuka is a healthy, nutritious, filling, protein-rich, and one-pan meal. A perfect crowd-pleasing recipe to make on holidays and family gatherings.

In shakshuka, an egg is the main ingredient, due to which shakshuka is a breakfast dish. Let's see how to make Moroccan Shakshuka from scratch.

What is Shakshouka (Shakshuka)

Shakshuka is pronounced as "Shahk-SHOO-kah". Its literal meaning is "a mixture" or haphazard mixture (veggies & egg mixture here). Shakshouka, Chakchouka, Saksuka, tchouktchouka, are a few alternatives names of shakshuka.

Classic Egg Shakshouka is a delicious one-skillet dish, where poached eggs simmering in a thick tomato sauce, onion, garlic, and peppers. Traditionally it is served directly in the hot skillet, it is made in, with crusty bread.

Shakshuka Origin

It is said to be originated from North Africa, further traveled further to the Middle East, Morocco, Algeria, and Libya. It is a staple breakfast dish in Israel, introduced by Jewish immigrants of Libya and Tunisia. Some believe it was known as Chakchouka and originated in Morocco.

According to food historians, the Shakshuka dish was originated in Ottoman Empire and became popular in the Middle East and North Africa.

Difference between Moroccan shakshuka and other variations

Eggs, tomatoes, garlic, onion are basics for traditional shakshuka, though it varies after adding a variety of ingredients. In shakshuka, eggs are always poached whereas, eggs are scrambled in Turkish menemen. Some variations allow meat base with spices and yogurt. Tunisian version of chakchouka adds potatoes, broad beans, artichoke hearts, or courgettes to the dish.

InAndalusian cuisine, the dish is known ashuevos a la flamenco (Huevos Flamenca) includeschorizoandserrano ham whereas an Italian version (uova in Purgatorio (eggs in purgatory) is made with tomato paste, anchovy, garlic, parsley, and sometimesadds parmesan cheese.

As you see, with similar ingredients every place has its own version of making shakshouka. It is mostly served with harissa sauce or with zhug, especially in the Yemeni version.

Why you will love this recipe

• Basic pantry staples-You need basic easily available ingredients to make delicious & hearty shakshouka eggs. It gets ready in 30-40 minutes depending on how you like to cook eggs. You can think of it as a perfect camping meal. It is very similar to Indian egg curry.
• Crowd pleasing & make ahead- How many eggs you can cook in a pan, totally depends on the size of the pan you use. I used 12" saucepan to make 10 eggs shakshuka. Serving 2 eggs per person is the perfect quantity. Making in a big pan can serve to a large family gathering and can be made in advance. Just make the base and cook eggs 30 minutes before serving.
• Great for meal prep- This recipe is perfect for meal planning and works well with diets. Shakshuka standalone is low carb, protein-rich, and macro-friendly recipe.
• Healthy protein-rich breakast- Eggs are a great source of protein for adults as well as toddlers. If you like to know more what type of eggs you should buy and what are the benefits of eating eggs, read here n here.

Ingredients & Notes

Please check the recipe card for the full ingredient list and measurements.

• Eggs- I used organic cage free eggs for this egg recipe.
• Tomato- Should I use fresh or canned tomatoes? is a question. For me both works fine but personally I prefer canned diced tomatoes. They are juicy and makes a nice thick juicy gravy. Along with diced tomatoes I added tomato paste as well for the richness it gives. Feel free to replace them with 8 fresh roma tomatoes and make it.
• Spices- Red chili flakes, black peppers, salt, and ground cumin are the key spices for the recipe. For adding extra heat use habanero pepper or cayenne pepper. This Moroccoan eggs shakshuka is nice spicy not hot spicy. Traditionally harrisa is added for the heat.
• Garlic- Fresh chopped garlic adds tons of flavors. Do not miss this. Use garlic powder, minced garlic or garlic paste if fresh garlic is not available.
• Herbs- Freshly chopped cilantro or parsley pairs well to garlish shakshuka. In case you do not like cilantro or parsley, check the best substitutes for cilantro and parsley.
• Onion- I use white onion while making egg shakshouka. But any other onion red onion, yellow onion works just fine. Cook them in olive oil for a while till they caramalize a bit. Believe me it makes a difference in the final outcome.
• Extras- Avocado, feta cheese, onion rings, cilantro, artichoke hearts, olives are few addons to garnish shakshuka while serving. Shakshuka with feta cheese is very popular.

There are no red bell peppers in this recipe. But feel free to add 2 cups of finely chopped red bell peppers in the sauce.

Variations

• Veggies- You can add vegetables like carrot, zuccihni, broccoli, and spinach in shakshuka sauce to make it extra crunch and to make it colorful. Apart from this you can use eggplant, tomatillo, to make different base altgether.
• Vegan- Shakshuka is egg based dish, but using polenta slices, chickpes, tempeh, egg plant, and tofu helps in creating vegan shakshuka.
• Animal protein- You can add any animal minced meat in the tomato sauce.
• Cheese- Usually feta cheese goes well with shakshuka for creamy texture but goat cheese, queso fresco and halloumi also works fine.

Some variations add red bell pepper to the sauce, but this no oven shakshuka recipe is made without peppers and uses a stovetop.

Toppings

• Feta cheese
• Cotija cheese
• Goat cheese
• Basil, cilantro or parsley
• Avocado slices
• Roasted potatoes
• Roasted veggies
• Cucumber tomato onion salad
• Olives
• Green onions
• za’atar
• Zhug (made with cilantro and parsley)

How To Make Shakshuka

This Moroccan shakshuka recipe is an easy stovetop recipe without an oven. Instructions on how to make shakshuka with an oven are shared after the recipe.

Prepare the tomato gravy

Heat oil in a large size saucepan (I use a 12" pan) on medium heat, and cook chopped onion for 2-3 minutes. Idea is to cook onions for a longer duration to caramelize them.

To this add chopped fresh garlic and cook further for 2-3 mins on medium heat. (Add chopped jalapeno at this step if using) Onions turn in golden brown color.

Now it is time to add canned diced tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin powder, red chili flakes, black peppers, and salt. Mix well and let it simmer. You can use a potato masher to mash the tomato chunks.

Cook eggs in the gravy

Once the tomato gravy starts simmering, It is time to crack eggs. Adjust salt at this step. Make small indents in the gravy bed with the help of a spoon and place eggs. They may run over each other but do not worry about it. Lower the heat at this time.

Cook for 10 minutes unopened if you like a perfectly runny yolk shakshuka. Since the family loves to enjoy it perfectly cooked, I cover the lid and simmer it for 15-20 minutes. You can throw some tomato sauce using a spoon over eggs to help them cook faster.

Garnish & serve

Check the texture of the eggs and off the heat. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with some avocado, cherry tomato, pita bread, or crusty bread. Enjoy this Morocco shakshouka. You can add crumbled feta cheese as well while serving.

Oven Baked

In oven-baked shakshuka preparing tomato base on the stovetop and finished in the oven. You need to use an oven-safe skillet to start with. After adding eggs just transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 15-20 mins at 350F/180C.

You can continue to bake until you get your desired egg texture.

How to make shakshuka for one

You can downsize this recipe to ¼ easily. Use a small pan to make the gravy and two eggs. Soon I am sharing a recipe for shakshuka for one.

Tips & FAQ's

• Do not use cast iron skillet as tomato acid can spoil the skillet. Stainless steel or non stick is great to make shakshuka recipe. I am using nonstick 12" pan to make it.
• You can easily scale down or up the recipe as per requirement. Making shakshuka for one is easy, just use smaller skillet, 2 eggs and other ingredients in smaller quantity and follow the recipe along.
• Cooking onions on low heat helps in caramalizing onions that adds flavors in the final recipe. But adjust it as per available time.

Is shakshouka spicy?

How spicy is your shakshuka depends on the chili or heat you have used. Traditionally harrisa is used in making shakshuka sauce that makes it a bit spicy. You can always control the spiciness by using a variety of heat like cayenne, habanero, or any hot chili pepper as required. I use red chili flakes that make this recipe mild spicy.

Can you make shakshuka with fresh tomatoes?

Making shakshuka with fresh tomatoes is perfectly fine. Just replace the canned diced tomatoes with fresh ones. Around 8-10 medium-sized tomatoes are good to go.

How long to cook eggs in shakshuka?

Traditionally shakshuka eggs are cooked on the stovetop or in the oven till egg whites are set. However, this is customizable as per requirement. Cook a little longer by covering the lid on the stovetop or bake a little more to set the eggs completely. My shakshuka is cooked for 20 minutes over low to medium heat to get the perfectly cooked eggs.

How many calories are in shakshuka?

This shakshuka recipe has 254 cal per serving with macros P 15, C 19, F 15. They are calculated without counting bread and avocado's nutritional values.

How long to bake shakshuka?

Bake at 350F/180C for 10 minutes or till egg whites are set. This will result in shakshuka with a perfectly runny yolk. Cook further for 10 minutes in case you like hard yolk and completely cooked eggs.

How to make shakshuka for one?

You can easily scale this recipe to feed one person or to feed a large crowd. Use a small skillet and two eggs to make shakshuka for one.

What is Mina shakshuka?

Mina shakshuka is a Moroccan spiced tomato sauce that you can buy from online stores. This is easy to use and is a readymade marinara sauce. You can directly crack eggs in this sauce to make traditional Moroccan shakshuka.

What to serve

You can eat shakshuka in a variety of ways depending on when it is served. Serve with toast, sourdough bread slice, pita/naan bread, crusty bread, labneh, Greek yogurt, feta, avocado works great in breakfast or brunch when you need the energy to start the day.

If serving at dinner time, steamed basmati rice, herbed quinoa, hummus, chickpea salad, and tomato-cucumber salad goes well with shakshuka. This hearty dish can be eaten at any time: breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.

I love to serve shakshuka with crusty baguette slices or warm slices of pita bread. But I have paired this dish with steamed rice as well. My kids enjoy it with rice as it is more or less taste like Indian egg curry.

How to store

This is my meal planning recipe for 3 days. Any leftover, transfer in a container and store in the fridge. You can use a saucepan or microwave to warm it for use.

I do not recommend it to freeze. I found that the egg becomes chewy and rubbery if frozen. However, the best option to store is to make the gravy and store it. So that you just have to crack eggs and cook before eating. You can enjoy the full taste without compromising on texture.

How to reheat

Reheating this tomato-based shakshuka is easy. For the stovetop just use a saucepan on low to medium heat and add leftovers. Cook as desired. Microwave is also good for reheating, 30 seconds to 1 min is enough to work on.

Best Moroccan Shakshouka

FitMealIdeas

Enjoythis spicy Moroccan Shakshouka AKA Shakshuka, a one-skillet dish, where eggs are cooked with delicious tomato-based gravy, onion, garlic, and chili.

Nutrition

Calories: 254kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 15gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 327mgSodium: 1099mgPotassium: 748mgFiber: 4gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1053IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 128mgIron: 4mg