Shakshuka for One

Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern tomato and egg dish. In this shakshuka recipe for one, a few pantry staples are all that stands between you and a quick and healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack.

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Summary

  • This quick shakshuka for one takes advantage of pantry staples: eggs, canned tomatoes, spices, and aromatics like onion and garlic.
  • An enameled cast iron or stainless steel pan is recommended. If you have a well-seasoned un-enameled cast-iron pan, feel free to use it. While many (rightfully) say that acidic foods like tomatoes shouldn’t be cooked in cast iron (the acidity eats away at the seasoning, and can add a metallic taste), we won’t be cooking this shakshuka long enough for that to be a problem.

North African in origin, shakshuka is a globally popular dish. Make this shakshuka for one with whatever ingredients you have on hand, and don’t skip the warm bread.

In the adventure that is feeding yourself, one person, shakshuka is about as good as it gets. It’s fast, inexpensive, simple to make, and relatively healthy.

The trickiest part of making shakshuka is cracking in the eggs and making sure they’re cooked through while leaving the yolk runny. (If you don’t like runny yolks, feel free to let the eggs cook longer.) Everything else is a walk in the park.

Remember that shakshuka is an invitation for experimentation. Throw everything you’ve got at this dish and you’ll be surprised at how different and how delicious it is, every time. I’ve made shakshuka with marinated artichokes (a traditional addition, in some parts of the world), homemade vodka pasta sauce, loads of chopped spinach, cooked chickpeas, and even leftover spicy breakfast sausage.

What is shakshuka, and what is shakshuka sauce?

Shakshuka (also spelled shakshouka) is a Middle Eastern dish tomato and egg dish. Eggs are poached directly in a spiced tomato sauce, then eaten with bread or pita. It’s a traditional food of Libyan, Moroccan, Tunisian, Turkish, Yemeni and Sephardic Jewish people all over the world. The versatility of shakshuka makes it a popular meal for any time of day – breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Shakshuka sauce can be as basic as tomatoes stewed with salt and as complicated as you want it to be. You’ll often find onion, garlic, and bell pepper at the base of this dish, but tomatoes are really the non-negotiable for traditional shakshuka.

Cumin, paprika, and coriander are all common additions to shakshuka. I like mine a bit hot, so typically some cayenne or red chili flakes will find their way in, too.

What is shakshuka eaten with?

Shakshuka is commonly eaten with a choice of bread. Try warm pita, toasted sourdough, or a good loaf of crusty bread. Can a steaming pan full of saucy tomatoes and runny eggs ask for more?

Is shakshuka spicy?

Shakshuka is spicy, but it doesn’t have to be hot. Spices like cumin and paprika are traditional to shakshuka. You can add however much heat you like by using cayenne or red chili flakes.

shakshuka for one 10 Eva Shares Food

Shakshuka vs. menemen

North African shakshuka and Turkish menemen share many of the same ingredients. The preparation is where the two dishes differ. Shakshuka is prepared by poaching whole eggs in tomato sauce, while menemen calls for scrambled eggs to be added to tomato sauce.

If you don’t like runny yolks, feel free to let the eggs cook longer, or add in scrambled eggs, like you would do when making menemen, and let them set until fully cooked.

Ingredients for shakshuka for one

Some pantry staples and some odds and ends are all you need for shakshuka. Its versatility makes it easy to swap ingredients out and add others in.

Use whatever tomato product you have on hand (I won’t tell anyone if you just use pasta sauce). Switch out spices based on how you’re feeling, and use whatever herbs you have on hand. I like cilantro, but parsley, mint, green onion, and dill work just as well.

  • Olive oil: olive oil is a staple of Middle Eastern cooking, and it’s where shakshuka starts.
  • Yellow onion: or shallot, whatever works. A nice aromatic base for this shakshuka recipe for one.
  • Garlic: you won’t always see garlic included in a shakshuka recipe. And to that, I ask, why not?
  • Cumin, paprika, and coriander: these are my ride-or-dies when it comes to shakshuka. But like others, I’m sure, I see a magically simmering pan of tomatoes on the stove, and thirty seconds later I’ve pulled out the chili powder, caraway seeds and turmeric. Shakshuka is made for experimentation – any combination of these spices would be delicious.
  • Tomatoes: this recipe calls for canned whole peeled tomatoes, but fresh baby tomatoes, especially in the summer, are something worth celebrating. Use canned tomatoes in the winter, and fresh in the warmer months.
  • Eggs: the stars of the show!
  • Herbs: a smattering of fresh herbs – in this recipe, I use cilantro – adds freshness to this quick shakshuka for one. Try parsley or mint, if you like.
  • Toasted bread, for serving: equally as important as the perfectly runny eggs and saucy spiced tomatoes is the warm toasty bread, practically made for this dish. Pita bread or your favorite crusty loaf are your best bets here.

Making shakshuka with fresh vs. canned tomatoes

As mentioned above, this recipe calls for canned whole peeled tomatoes. I prefer using whole peeled tomatoes when making shakshuka, as you can break them up to whatever consistency you like. Feel free to use canned crushed tomatoes, or a purée if you like. Try to steer clear of diced tomatoes, which are engineered to keep their shape, even after cooking.

If you find yourself craving shakshuka in the summer, by all means use fresh summer tomatoes. The sauce will take a few extra minutes to thicken up and simmer down, but I can’t think of anything more worth the time.

How to make shakshuka for one

Step one: get yourself a little enameled cast iron skillet like this one. Or stainless steel, whatever floats your boat. Life is just better with a small skillet handy.

Generally, most will say you shouldn’t cook tomato-based (acidic) sauces in an un-enameled cast iron skillet, as the acidity will cause the seasoning to strip and the iron to leach into your food, giving it a metallic taste. We’re not cooking this shakshuka for a long enough time for that to be a problem, so use cast iron if you like. Moving on!

Prep the onions and garlic by chopping them finely. You can heat the olive oil on medium-low in a single serving pan meanwhile. If you don’t have an enameled cast iron, your next best bet is to use stainless steel.

Toss the chopped onions and garlic into the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for about 4-5 minutes or until the onions are nearing translucent and the garlic is fragrant.

In go the spices – cook for about a minute, and stir frequently to prevent burning. This recipe calls for ground cumin, coriander, and paprika, but feel free to experiment. Turmeric, red chili flakes, cayenne, whole cumin seeds, and caraway seeds work beautifully.

Let the tomatoes simmer and thicken while the flavors meld. I typically let them go for 10 or so minutes, or less if I’m impatient. Taste and season the tomato sauce with salt before using the back of your spatula to make little wells for the eggs.

Crack in the eggs, season them with salt, and cover the pan. The eggs should set in about 5-7 minutes, and the steam will gently cook the top of the eggs. While the eggs are cooking, chop the herbs of your choice, and toast the bread. Eat with reckless abandon.

How do I make my shakshuka thicker and less watery?

Simple – cook it a few minutes longer! Be patient while waiting for the tomatoes to cook down into a thick sauce. The texture should resemble a thick pasta sauce like the stuff you get from a can. It’s important to note that the sauce will continue cooking after cracking in the eggs – make sure your shakshuka sauce is just a little thinner than you would like before adding the eggs in.

Variations on this recipe

  • Make this recipe vegan by substituting a vegan egg product like Just Egg, or use cubed fried tofu instead.
  • Add ground beef, lamb, pork, or chicken by browning it and removing from the pan before cooking the onions and garlic. Let simmer with the tomatoes.
  • Add vegetables like diced eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, or greens like spinach or kale and let them cook down in the tomato sauce.

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