Recipe: How to Make Authentic Israeli Shakshuka

Shakshuka is a delicious authentic Israeli dish, and it's easy to make. It originated in North Africa, but today it is eaten across the Middle East. There are hundreds of variations, but I'm going to share with you the best traditional shakshuka recipe used in regular Israeli households.

What Kind of Dish is Shakshuka?

Shakshuka is traditionally served in a frying pan with slices of bread or pita bread and is usually eaten by "wiping" up the delicious dish with bread used as a utensil.

It is considered a healthy dish made with fresh ingredients, including vegetables, eggs, and spices. It contains no meat or milk, so it is vegetarian-friendly, great if you're lactose intolerant, and if you keep kosher. But you could add cheese, make shakshuka with meat, or replace the tomatoes with spinach. Once you know the basic shakshuka recipe, you can play around with it!

Ingredients

(for a medium-size frying pan that can serve about 2-4 people)

• Oil for frying
• 1 white onion diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper and 1/2 green bell pepper diced or julienned
• 1/4 green chili (optional)
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 1tsp turmeric
• 1/2tsp cumin
• 1/2tsp black pepper
• 1/2tsp sweet paprika
• 6 tomatoes (shakshuka with fresh tomatoes is best, but you could use canned)
• 3-4 eggs
• Salt 1tsp or to taste
• A handful of parsley finely chopped

Method

1. Fry the diced onion and peppers in oil until golden.
2. Add the spices.
3. Add the crushed garlic cloves and finely diced tomatoes.
4. Cook on low heat, stirring every few minutes until the tomato sauce reaches a thick liquid consistency. Then cover for 2-4 minutes and let it simmer on low heat.
5. Add eggs on top of the tomato mixture, and leave whole or lightly run a fork through them to break the yolk.
6. Cover the frying pan again and let simmer for a few more minutes until the egg whites are cooked.
7. Add the chopped parsley and serve.

Tips for Making Shakshuka

• Shakshuka eggs can be left whole (like fried eggs) or lightly mixed into the tomato sauce with a fork. The yoke should still be runny.
• Make shakshuka thicker by adding a tablespoon of tomato paste. Alternatively, you can simply leave the shakshuka to simmer for longer.
• If you prefer a more watery shakshuka, grate one of the tomatoes instead of dicing it.
• The consistency of shakshuka depends on your personal preference. Usually, it is the consistency of salsa.
• To make shakshuka less acidic, you can add a little sugar, honey, or baking soda.
• Shakshuka spices can vary dramatically. You could make it with just salt and pepper or add your favorites like basil or hot paprika.