Shakshuka with Feta is a one skillet meal like eggs in purgatory. Eggs are poached in a spiced tomato sauce with caramelized onions and sprinkled with feta!
If you’re looking to switch your brunch routine and add a new savory dish with a Mediterranean flavor, this shakshuka with feta is a great one to try. I’ve made regular Shakshuka recipe and I’ve made Green Shakshuka before. This one is very similar to the original recipe, but with creamy, crumbly and wonderfully melty feta cheese mixed into the spiced tomato sauce.
Shakshuka with feta is a one skillet meal you can enjoy for breakfast, brunch or even dinner. It’s very easy to whip up, super forgiving and is definitely a just a fun recipe to say at a meal with friends haha!
What is Shakshuka?
Shakshuka is basically eggs poached in a tomato sauce. The recipe originates from North Africa, but it’s very popular all over the Middle East, with a lot of variations depending on the region. Think of it like eggs in purgatory, but with different seasoning. The tomato sauce is made up of caramelized onions and red peppers, juicy tomatoes and varying spices like cumin, paprika and coriander.
Shakhuka is made in one skillet, and because the main ingredient is eggs, it’s popular to serve it for breakfast or brunch. But it works great for dinner as well. It’s often served with a crusty bread to dip into the tomato sauce. We also eat it with pita (Arabic bread).
How do you make shakshuka with feta?
Caramelize onions and peppers
Start with a well-seasoned cast iron cook the onions and peppers until they soften and begin to caramelize. This could take up to 10 minutes, but the process creates most of the flavor in the dish, so it’s worth it. I also like using a cast-iron skillet since I can move the dish from stovetop to oven to finish cooking. But you can use any skillet and simply cover it once you add the eggs.
Cook the tomato sauce
Once the onions and peppers soften, add the garlic and the canned tomatoes. You can use fresh tomatoes as well. But I find that the canned ones work really well in this recipe since they give it that stew consistency immediately.
Now you’ll want to add the spices. I use equal parts of cumin, paprika and coriander. You can also add coriander, caraway, red pepper flakes, chili powder and even sugar (which I don’t find necessary). It’s very common to make the dish really spicy. But I have a 6-year mini feelgoodfoodie who loves this shakshuka with feta, so I don’t use red pepper flakes generally.
Now, let the sauce simmer for a good 10 minutes. You want to make sure the sauce resembles a stew and is not runny. This will help hold the eggs in place too, so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs. Once you have a stew-like consistency, you can stir in the feta. You can also keep the feta until the end if you prefer.
Add the eggs and bake
Now is the fun part! Create 5-6 “nests” with a wooden spoon depending on how large your pan is. Then, carefully crack the eggs into those nests. Now you can transfer it to the oven to set the egg whites (or cover the pan if you’re keeping on the stovetop).
How long you cook the Shakshuka with feta will depend on how runny you like the eggs. The important thing is let the egg whites set, and then you can remove it when the yolk is done to your likeness.
Now sprinkle on some cilantro and dig right into the skillet, family style. You can also scoop an egg with the surrounding tomato stew into a bowl and use the bread to dip in while you eat.
Tips to make Shakshuka with Feta
- Don’t worry about chopping everything finely. And in fact, don’t even bother chopping the vegetables; slicing them is fine. That’s because the vegetables will soften quite a bit, so that’s just wasted chopping effort in my opinion.
- Add the feta after cooking to keep the color of the stew from turning orange. I like stirring it in before to incorporate the taste into the sauce, but the color of the dish may not look as appealing when you first stir them in.
- Let the sauce simmer and thicken before adding the eggs. When you first add the canned tomatoes, the tomatoes will generally be separate from the liquid. You want the mixture to blend well together so it becomes stew-like. But, be careful not to reduce the sauce too much, which may lead to the tomatoes sticking to the pan.
- Use a wooden spoon to create nests before cracking the eggs. Otherwise the sauce will run into the eggs, and we want to keep them separated, not scrambled.
This Shakshuka recipe is one of my favorite brunch recipes! It is full of flavor, feeds a crowd and loaded with protein! I love that it’s all made in one skillet and served in that same skillet – so less fuss when you’re entertaining guests. Adding the feta cheese to the classic Shakshuka recipe adds a salty, creamy and tangy flavor that is perfectly fitting for Sunday brunching.
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Shakshuka with Feta recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 5-6 eggs
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese plus more for serving
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
- Crusty bread for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F degrees.
- Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook for about 15 minutes until the onions become soft and translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Pour the tomatoes, and add cumin, paprika and coriander. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the tomato sauce thickens like a stew, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the crumbled feta cheese.
- Create 6 small nests in the tomato and feta sauce. Gently crack the eggs into the skillet over the tomatoes in the nests formed. Season with salt and pepper. Place the skillet in the oven to continue cooking until the eggs are set, about 8-12 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve with crusty bread or pita.
Notes
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 3-4 days in the fridge.
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However you can substitute the red peppers for green peppers. You can also use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes, but the consistency will be slightly different.
Nutrition: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients you use. This information should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. The nutrition value is for one serving without the bread.
Nutrition
Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 177mg | Sodium: 363mg | Potassium: 339mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1350IU | Vitamin C: 40.8mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 2.3mg
