Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce (Print version)

A hearty blend of eggs, spicy tomato sauce, bell peppers, and herbs served with crusty bread.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
02 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
03 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes or 5 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
06 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced (optional)

→ Pantry

07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Spices

09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - ½ teaspoon ground coriander
12 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Eggs

14 - 6 large eggs

→ Garnish

15 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
16 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

→ To Serve

17 - 1 loaf crusty bread or pita

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and bell peppers and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and jalapeño and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add tomato paste, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, and cayenne pepper. Stir constantly and cook for 2 minutes to deepen flavors.
04 - Pour in diced tomatoes with juices. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
05 - Taste the sauce and adjust salt and spices as needed.
06 - Create 6 wells in the sauce using a spoon. Crack one egg into each well carefully.
07 - Cover the skillet and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until egg whites are set but yolks remain runny, or longer to desired doneness.
08 - Remove from heat, sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs and crumbled feta if using. Serve immediately with warm crusty bread or pita for dipping.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's genuinely faster than you'd expect, turning ordinary weekends into something restaurant-worthy without the fuss.
  • The spices create this warm depth that makes you feel like you're doing something sophisticated when you're really just following your instincts.
  • Every component is flexible, so you can make it your own without breaking anything.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of cooking the spices in the tomato paste; that moment of toasting changes everything and prevents the spices from tasting raw.
  • If your sauce seems too thin before the eggs go in, let it simmer a bit longer—you want it thick enough that the eggs sit in a proper sauce, not a broth.
  • Watch the eggs closely during their final cooking; they go from runny to fully set faster than you'd expect, and timing is everything.
03 -
  • The sauce actually tastes better made a day ahead; the spices have time to know each other, and you can reheat it gently and add the eggs right before eating.
  • If you're feeding vegetarians and carnivores at the same table, make the full sauce and let people add their own extras—shakshuka handles that beautifully without anyone feeling left out.
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