Shakshouka (Moroccan Egg Tagine)

Learn how to make Shakshouka – Moroccan baked eggs in rich tomato sauce. This hearty egg dish can be enjoyed on its own, with some crusty sourdough or flatbreads to dip in the sauce, or over couscous or rice for a more substantial meal. It’s gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, low-carb and Whole30 friendly.

In this Moroccan recipe, I am recreating a breakfast classic Shakshouka. This dish of baked eggs is a staple in many North African and Middle Eastern countries and the name Shkshouka means ‘all mixed up’. It’s really easy to make at home, whether you’re using a tagine or a simple frying pan for cooking.

How To Make Shakshouka

In the most basic Shakshouka recipe, the eggs are poached in a sauce of onion, peppers, tomatoes and spices such as cumin and paprika. Depending on the region, you might also find spicy sausage, lamb mince or hot green chilli paste served with the eggs. I’ll take all of the above, thanks! My special addition was bacon because…well…you just can’t go wrong with bacon.

The dish is usually cooked in and served straight out of a cast iron pan but it’s also perfectly suited to a tagine or any oven-proof casserole dish or tray. I didn’t follow any particular recipe but I think it turned out really well as every last little bit got mopped up by clean.

Shakshouka – Moroccan Baked Egg Tagine

★★★★★ 4.7 from 3 reviews

• Author: Irena Macri
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Yield: 2-3 1x
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Moroccan
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Learn how to make Shakshouka – Moroccan baked eggs in rich tomato sauce. This hearty egg dish can be enjoyed on its own, with some crusty sourdough or flatbreads to dip in the sauce, or over couscous or rice for a more substantial meal. It’s gluten-free, paleo, low-carb and Whole30 friendly.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 rashers of bacon, diced into cubes
• 1 red or brown onion, roughly diced
• 1/2 long red chilli, finely diced
• 1 medium red pepper (capsicum/bell pepper), sliced or diced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 3 button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed powder
• 1/2 dried or fresh oregano leaves (parsley or thyme can be used instead)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (optional) – alternatively, use 1+ 1/2 teaspoons of pre-mixed Moroccan spice mix
• 1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes, tinned or fresh
• 4–6 free-range eggs
• Fresh parsley and/or coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped

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Instructions

1. In a deep frying pan, heat a teaspoon of olive oil over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook until crispy, then remove to a bowl but reserve the fat in the frying pan.
2. Add the remaining olive oil. Add the onions, chilli and peppers and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until slightly softened. Season with salt and add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook for a minute, stirring. Then add back the bacon and spices, stir for 30 seconds allowing the aromas to be released. Add the tomatoes, stir and cover with the lid. Cook on medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, giving it a stir a few times.
3. Using a spoon, make small wells in the tomato mix and crack an egg into each, letting the egg whites spill over the edges. Sprinkle each egg yolk with a little salt and pepper, cover with a lid and cook on medium-low heat until the egg whites settle and firm up but the egg yolks remain gooey, about 5 minutes. It’s very easy to overcook the eggs this way, so it’s best to leave them slightly under-cooked as they will keep cooking while getting served.
4. Serve the eggs in the cooking dish sprinkled with some fresh parsley and coriander.

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Notes

I used a heatproof tagine to cook the tomato base and the eggs but you can use a cast-iron or other deep frying pan or a saucepan with a lid. I cooked this dish on the stovetop but you can also bake it in the oven once the eggs have been added to the sauce. I would recommend 15 minutes at 175 C/345 F.

Keywords: Baked Eggs, Moroccan Eggs, Tagine, Moroccan Breakfast

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• Moroccan Chicken Stew With Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Moroccan Lamb Casserole (Slow Cooker)
• Moroccan-style Spiced Cauliflower & Raisin Salad (Paleo, Vegan)